Basic route instructions – Roddlesworth to Clough Head

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Basic route instructions –  Roddlesworth to Clough Head – 11.4 miles
  • From Tockholes Information Centre
  • Turn left out of Car Park and turn L, then L again onto Bridleway to the right of Hollingshead Terrace.
  • At T junction turn L onto wide track then take 2nd FP R going steeply uphill
  • Follow stone markers to Darwen Tower, one is on a L corner, next indicates L to tower
  • Pass Trig point on your L, then go straight on passing close to tower on your R
  • Keep on in the same easterly direction, follow main path Witton Weavers Way with its 2 parallel tracks, ignore path to left
  • After approximately ½ mile, turn L, still following Witton Weavers Way marker keeping Darwin valley on L
  • At next Witton Weavers Way marker, continue following as far as Information Board, here turn R dropping down to tarmac lane, turn R and follow tarmac lane uphill. Near top of hill take FP L still on Witton Weavers Way. Keep on this FP over far hill, FP has lots of stone flags, go over stile just after some flags and on through wood, then over stile at end of wood.)
  • Take FP L keeping about 50 m from wood and then fencing go through second gate on L follow this track down to farm
  • Pass farm house on L
  • Turn R on FP passing large building on R, go over stile next to gate
  • Follow FP straight across field
  • Over stile with fence on R and pond on L continue on over make shift stile. FP goes between house and tennis courts up to big iron security gates, go through side gate and turn R to follow road then grassy track  upto just before old metal gate.
  • Turn L over stile and follow FP between property fencing and field, then down access road to A666.
  • Cross road, turn R and follow pavement for 150 m approximately, take FP L up tarmac track
  • At junction bear L up farm lane
  • Continue to last bend before Farm. Here take FP on R over stile
  • Head diagonally L over moors to join fencing coming from farm at the far corner where there is a large FP post
  • Go over stile and turn L
  • Follow close to wall on your L, (railway air shaft is on right) as far as junction of paths and stream, turn R, with stream and fencing on your L head for the church with tower.
  • At the church turn R onto road and follow passing Crown and Thistle Pub and Restaurant on the left.
  • Continue over bridge then take FP/track L, continue up track over cattle grid
  • At ‘Higher Aushaw Farm’ take FP L of entrance. Walk round property with fencing on R to track behind house here turn R now passing side of farm on your R, through gate and take FP L,(marker on small post in grass) follow this through small plantation then heathland and couch grass to stile in fence which runs left to right across the moor directly ahead.
  • Take FP bearing R to follow ruins of stone wall, wall is missing in places but still follow line of wall and left side of small gully.
  • Continue on going downhill, passing mounds of stones on R, down to main stony track
  • On stony track turn L passing Longshoot Farm on R and continue on track for about ½ mile then go over stile next to gate
  • Walk through yard, take track R up as far as the White House called “Pastures”
  • Just before property take FP L at side of gate with property on RContinue straight on FP goes straight across field in line with side of house and parallel to road on R
  • Continue in same direction crossing blue drainage pipe and straight on crossing track coming down from main road
  • Take stile directly ahead over fencing then through rushes (looks worse than it is) to top corner of fencing (stile too bad to go over) so keep following fencing on your L
  • Follow fencing to gap where gate should be, go through gap, turn L and follow track to next farm Lower Pastures
  • Before buildings turn R and follow FP up towards main road, keeping farm on L continue on to join farm track at gate.
  • Go up farm access track where it bends right take stile on the L then bear slightly right to follow path as it curves round hill side to stile which can be seen on far side.
  • Go over stile and follow FP behind properties
  • Continue in same direction following track behind more properties, cross tarmac road and follow track directly opposite passing chapel on
  • Just before old farm buildings on L take FP on R up steps through chapel gardens, leave gardens by gate ahead and up to main road
  • Turn L follow road to T junction
  • Cross road to take footpath heading up field towards telegraph pole
  • Go over three stiles and then straight across main road B6232 to follow FP over rough field to stile just after corner of walls, go over
  • Follow FP keeping wall/fencing on R to where the wall curves right, here turn left on FP to cairn on top of hill.
  • Continue for 0.5km in same easterly direction just below top of moorland following one of the paths, running roughly parallel with stone wall and B 6232 way down on the right, to the top corner of a wall coming up from the right.
  • Take stile near corner of wall and go steeply downhill to kissing gate, if you wish to get to Clough Head Car Park, continue downhill the short distance.  To continue on West Pennine Way turn left following Rossendale Way. – see section 4