FRIDAY 21st JUNE 2024
COME WALKING SERIES OF WALKS: RIVINGTON and LEAD MINE CLOUGH
There was rain in the air as we started the walk from the Driveway to Higher Barn, Rivington, as the car park was closing at 7pm. We followed the West Pennine Way down to Rivington Village, across the field and beside a stream before going uphill passing Dean Wood house into the fields above Yarrow Reservoir. Here we had good views of the reservoir as we made our way across the fields and onto the minor road. The rain then started as we made our way down the road and across Alliance Bridge where we turned right off the West Pennine Way into Lead Mine Clough.
Lead mines started here in 1692 by Sir Richard Standish in partnership with two farmers and a mining engineer. It is recorded that 73 tons of lead was produced in 1788 – 1789. Mine shafts were up to 240ft deep. The mines were abandoned in 1837 and excavated in 1982. The Clough to the lower waterfall where there is an interesting outcrop of marine band shale containing fossils.
We continued on before climbing out of the Clough to make our way across the moors to the road between Belmont and Rivington. Here everyone walked in single file down the road passing Moses Cocker farm, then turning left towards the Pigeon Tower car park. Sue did a marvellous job in slowing down the traffic by waving her hi-vis jacket. It was good to see that all the drives were very polite and helpful.
Following the track we were soon back at our starting point.
(Apparently, a week before our walk, a scene from a future TV crime series, Lazarus was being filmed in Lead Mine Clough.)