Friday 27th June 2025
Come Walking Series of Walks, Sunnyhurst Wood & Darwen Tower.
On a dry summer’s evening, twenty three walkers set off from Sunnyhurst Wood Car Park and after walking out of the car park we crossed the lane and joined a footpath almost opposite the entrance to the car park, which we had not walked before. Once through the gate we continued uphill to Darwen Tower. On our ascent we had views over Darwen, including the India Mill chimney, which was the tallest and most expensive in the country when it was completed in 1867. The chimney was originally over 300 feet tall with a cast iron crown. Although this has been dismantled, the chimney still stands at an impressive 289 feet.
Climb up to the tower
At the top of the hill, we reached the Grade 2 listed octagonal Jubilee Darwen Tower, which was erected to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, with the foundation laid in 1897 and the Tower opening the following year in 1898. More recently, the Tower underwent restoration work in 2021, reopening in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
We were pleased to find that the Tower was open, and we were able to climb the winding staircase to the top to appreciate the panoramic views over the moors, of the West Pennies and across to the Ribble estuary.
The Tower
Views from the top
The descent
After admiring the views, we then continued to follow the well-marked track on our left, before taking a sharp turn right which descended the hill. We then turned right to follow a track which led to the junction with Sunnyhurst Lane, where we turned sharp left onto the lane. Following the lane, we crossed the embankment, of Earnsdale Reservoir, at the end of which we turned right onto Dale Lane, and passed through the gate to enter Sunnyhurst Wood, an 85-acre wooded valley that is crisscrossed with numerous footpaths.
Across the embankment
The woods
From here we kept to the left and climbed through the mixed wooded valley, to the top of the wood before descending to Sunnyhurst Brook with its two stone bridges, in the valley below. Further down the brook we could see the Old England Kiosk built in 1911, which is now a popular wedding venue.
In the wood
The bridges
After walking up stream for a short distance we arrived at the Band Stand that was built at the same time as the Kiosk. From here we turned left and climbed steeply out of the valley, back to the car park having covered 3.5 picturesque miles.