Friday 11th August 2023

Friday 11^th August 2023

Come Walking Series of Walks: Edenfield and The Plunge.

Exchange Street Edenfield was the starting point of tonight’s walk with twenty-one walkers, making their way across Market Street and into Gincroft Lane, where the hanging baskets were still in full bloom. After passing the cricket ground we turned right on to the northern end of Michael Wife Lane, without any s’s, and after a short distance we stopped to admire Dearden Wood Campsite, with its glamping pitches and wood fired pizza oven.

Continuing down the lane we soon came to Dearden Brook, which we followed into Plunge Lane and after going through a kissing gate we turned left down the steps leading to the plunge, which after the recent heavy rain was in full flow. The torrent of water, known as the plunge, is the bypass for the waterwheel and the ruins are what is left of the mill’s wheelhouse.

After spending time in the ruins, we retraced our steps to the bridge over the brook and continued along Michael Wife Lane to Whalley Road. The lane is named after Mary, the wife of Michael Nuttall, who in 1618 was fined for not maintaining the lane. It’s good to know that they had problems with potholes in the 17^th century.

Once across Rochdale Road we joined Bury Old Road, walking as far as Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, where we turned right down a path that took us to Whalley Road. After crossing the road, we climbed over a stile and walked down through the fields to the ruins of Rose Bank Mill, a calico printing works built in 1801 that closed in 2001.

 

We then continued up Rosebank Lane to Bury Road, which we crossed, and joined Dearden Clough Lane, that after cutting back overgrown branches, took us back into Edenfield having cover 3.5 historic miles.