Friday 12th July 2024

Friday 12^th July 2024

Come Walking Series of Walks: Roddlesworth, Abbey Village & Tockholes.

This evening’s walk started from the car park of Roddlesworth Information Centre, where sixteen walkers began by crossing the road and heading down the steep path into Tockholes Plantation. Once at the bottom we joined a narrow footpath that veered to our left and followed River Roddlesworth to the footbridge, which we crossed and continued to walk through the wood. We continued along the edge of Roddlesworth Reservoirs, until we reached a footbridge, on our right, which we crossed and stopped to admire the view over to Darwen Tower.

Continuing along the track we soon reached Rake Brook Reservoir, on the edge of Abbey Village where we turned right, at the Hare & Hounds Pub, and walked along the access road to Red Lee Farm. Once passed the farm we turned left onto a narrow footpath that took us over a footbridge and up to Higher Red Lee Farm. At the back of the farm, we climbed over a stile and headed across the fields to where we had met a large over friendly cart horse on the walk recce, fortunately we did not see the horse, but the stile was very difficult to climb over. After crossing more wet fields we joined the bottom of Old School Lane which led into Tockholes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once in the village we turned right along a track, passing the Pinfold on our left which was an enclosure where stray animals were kept. At the top of the track we turned right at a cottage at Rose Cottage, and after a short walk we turned left at Higher Hill Farm, a medieval property with a Garderobe on the side of the building. Garderobes were an early type of inside toilets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then continued over the fields to Tockholes Road, which we crossed, and made our way back to the car park, through Ryal Fold, having covered 4.5 historic miles.