Monday 8th July 2024.
Monthly Long Walk: Clow Bridge, Townley Park & The Singing Ringing Tree.
On a glorious summers morning thirteen walkers made their way out of the car park at Clow Bridge Reservoir, where we turned right after crossing the main road. The reservoir was built in 1866 to supple water to Rawtenstall. After walking for a short distance along the pavement we turned left along the access road to Nutshaw boarding kennels and once passed the ornamental ponds we joined the Burnley Way (BW), that took us through the fields to Manchester Road. Once across the road we continued along the BW to Crown Point, where we joined a footpath which traverses across Burnley Golf Course.
Nutshaw
Burnley Golf Course
After crossing a couple of main roads, the BW led us into Townley Park where we enjoyed our morning coffee overlooking the lake outside Towley Hall. The hall was the home of the Townley family from around 1200. Once refreshed we walked through the park into the village of Cliviger, once a township in the parish of Whalley. The route then took us across the fields up to Bacup Road and over to Crown Point Road where we began the steep climb up to the Singling Ringing Tree, but not before stopping for lunch.
Leaving Townley Park
Halfway up the climb
Lunch stop
The Ringing Tree, is one four sculptures, in Lancashire the other three being The Halo in Haslingden, the Atom, in Wycoller and the Colourfields , in Blackburn Corporation Park. After lunch it was just a short walk up to the Ringing Tree which did start to produce some low bass notes as we spent time admiring the views towards the Yorkshire peaks.
The Singing Ringing Tree
The final section of the walk took us back over the moors to Clow Bridge, but not before we visited the abandoned village of Gambleside the population started to decline after the reservoir was built. In 1839 a Baptist Church was built, in the village, where an outdoor baptistry was used up until 1870 when it was extended to become a water storage tank for the local mill.
Clow Bridge Reservoir
The Baptistry at Gambleside
The sun was still shining as we made our way back to the car park at Clow Bridge, having covered 9.5 energetic miles.