Friday 9th September 2022
Come Walking Series of Walks: Tentering Tower and Buckden Wood
On a warm evening, albeit under a cloudy sky, twenty-one walkers set off from Ramsbottom station car park on our last Friday evening walk of the year. We headed up Bridge Street and Carr Street, turning right at the Rose and Crown to walk along the narrow lane to the Old Mill. After crossing the top of the car park we followed the track, bearing right through Ox Hey Wood. We continued northwards through the woods, ensuring we took a sharp turn left to double back through the gate and up the field to the Tentering Tower, which was constructed in 1866. Tentering is the process of stretching newly made cloth on tenters and letting it dry out and some of the hook marks are still visible on the walls.
Inside the tower, the group gathered in silence as a candle was lit and a prayer said in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
After silent reflection, we retraced our steps to the track and continued north through Buckden Wood, crossing the footbridge and bearing right to go down to the small hamlet of Strongstry. We went under the bridge before turning right to walk the rather muddy path alongside the River Irwell. At Stubbins, we crossed Bolton Road North and walked down the road opposite and onto the farm track before turning right through the stile to walk across the fields. The sun was setting and the steam train whistled as it passed us on our right.
Having traversed the second field we walked down the path on the left to emerge onto Kenyon Street, at the end of which we turned right on to Bridge Street to cross the railway line back to the car park to finish our four mile walk.