Monday 3rd January 2022
Roger Worthington’s Grave Circular Walk
This was the first walk of the year, and perhaps, due to News Year’s resolutions it attracted a large number of walkers, 48 in all, many of them were new to our walking group. We left Greenmount Old School and started our walk by making our way across the golf course and up to Holly Mount where we crossed the fields to Croichley Fold and onto Bolton Road. Once across the road we headed up the narrow footpath, that goes passed the new houses, and through the fields to New Hoyles Farm.
Heading for New Hoyles Farm
After walking a short distance up Hawkshaw Lane we joined a path from Higher House Farm which eventually took us up to Holcombe Hey Fold Farm where we turned left and headed for an early coffee break at Roger Worthington’s Grave.
Coffee at Roger Worthington’s grave
Once refreshed we re-traced out steps, continuing through Higher House Fold Farm onto Holcombe Moor and the site of Holcombe Moor Heritage Group’s (www.holcombemoorheritagegroup.org) archaeological dig where a member of the group enlightened us as to progress so far.
Holcombe Moor
The first site, at Cinder Hill unearthed the remains of cottages whilst the second dig, which is still on-going, found evidence of a Bloomery dating back to Saxon times (877-996AD). A Bloomery is a type of furnace where a form of wrought iron is smelted by fusing iron ore and carbon (charcoal). The iron ore was found locally along with the charcoal being made from the abundance of trees in the valley.
Cinder Hill
The Bloomery
After spending time at the site we climbed up to join the footpath along the ridge eventually descending into Redisher Wood where once across Bolton Road we followed the footpath that passes Holhouse Farm and leads back to Greenmount having covered 7 informative miles.
The Ridge