Monday 8th July 2019

MONDAY 8th JULY 2019

Monthly Short Walk: Greenmount, Two Brooks, Affetside, Hawkshaw and Redisher Wood

Two Brooks Valley

We were blessed with another warm sunny morning for our Monday Short Walk and eleven walkers followed our usual route up to Holly Mount where after passing through the campus we turned right over a stile and joined a footpath which lead to Croichley Fold. Once through the hamlet we turned left over another stile and onto a path which dropped steeply down into Two Brooks Valley, however, we decided to veer from the path to avoid a group of cows that where resting across the path, as much for our benefit as theirs. At the bottom of the valley we tuned right and headed in the direction of Hawkshaw but once over the ladder stile we turned left and climbed steeply up to Turton Road.

 

 

 

 

 

Views over to Peel Tower

Turning right we followed the footpath for a short distance before we crossed the road and joined a little used path that climbed over Bradshaw Head where we had good views looking back towards Peel Tower. Eventually the path came out onto Watling Street, Affetside where we turned right and head down the road admiring all the renovation work being carried on the old stone properties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little used footpath

Just before one such properties we turned right and once again joined a footpath that was not obvious at first sight. Once over a steep stile we walked through the fields to Fletcher Farm which is a very ornate and overgrown property with not so friendly signs for walkers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Break

We were now back on Turton Road which we crossed into the entrance to Higher Barn Farm where we turned left onto a footpath that took us passed a large barn into the fields and down a very steep overgrow path to Ramsbottom Road Walves. After crossing the road, we turned right and headed towards Hawkshaw, which is the other side of Walves Bridge. Just before the bridge we turned left onto a footpath which followed the stream up towards Top of Quarton but before joining the path we stopped for our morning coffee break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossing the stream

We continued along this path until we reached a footpath going off to our right which lead us onto Hawkshaw Lane where we turned left for a short distance before turning right and heading towards the MOD Range House. At the top of Redisher Lane we turned left walking down into the wood, past Simons Farm, where we tuned right crossing over the stream and past Simons Lodge.

Once through the woods we re-joined Redisher Lane and made our way back across the fields to Greenmount having covered 7 sunny miles on less familiar paths.