MONDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2019
Monday Long Walk: Turton Tower, Cheetham Close, Entwistle Reservoir and Edgeworth
Turton Tower
9 walkers started from Turton Tower on a fine frost free morning with the snow and ice starting to thaw. Our route followed the West Pennine Way across the ornate bridge over the Bolton to Blackburn railway, then up to Chetham Close where we saw the few remains of the Stone Circle, destroyed in the 1870’s by a tenant farmer tired of sightseers.
Turton Heights
We left the West Pennine Way and continue northwards on top of the moorland, missing the correct turn off we continued onto Turton Heights before descending to Green Arms road and down to Entwistle Reservoir. Here the paths where awash with snow, ice and water. We certainly found out if our boots were waterproof!
Wayoh Reservoir
Skirting round the edge of the reservoir, under the high railway viaduct and across the bridge we then followed Wayoh reservoir before going up the fields to the centre of Edgworth where 5 of us enjoyed lunch at the Post Office Café, whilst the others had their sandwiches overlooking the village Bowling Green.
Meeting up again we made our way round the back of the Institute, through the woods and fields to Turton Bottoms. We felt so sad for horses just standing around in one of the fields, which was just a quagmire, leaving very little grass for them to eat.
The Stocks at Chapeltown
After passing modern houses where once a mill had stood we continued on a cobbled road in front of old stone cottages and over the arched footbridge to take the footpath opposite onto the main road. Once across the road we took the path which comes out at the side of St. Anne’s Church Chapeltown.
We walked through this ancient village, with lots of connections with Humphrey Chetham founder of the famous library and school of music, to the village stocks and market cross. Not being able to persuade anyone to sit in the stocks we retraced or steps past The Old School House and down the side of Chetham Arms to make our way towards the railway. Leaving the cobbled road just before houses built on what had been a railway station we made our walk through the woods back to Turton Tower.