Monday 9th February 2026

Monday 9^th February 2026

Woods Valleys and Waterways

Today’s walk began with twenty two walkers leaving Ramsbottom Railway Station car park and heading up Bridge Street and along Carr Street to the Rose & Crown. Just before the pub we turned right and joined a narrow footpath to the second hostelry of the day, that of the Old Mill Hotel, which we passed, and followed a wide track that overlooked one of the many mill lodges in the area. At the top of the path, we went through a wooden gate, into Ox Hey Wood, where the path descended steeply into Higher Stubbins. Once through the village we joined another wide track, with views of the mill below, on our right. After a short distance we stopped to look at the ruins of a Tentering Tower, above on our left. Tentering was the process of stretching newly made cloth and letting it dry out to prevent the cloth from shrinking as it dried.

At the end of the path, we crossed over a footbridge into Buckden Wood, where we turned right and walked down into Strongstry. From here we walked along the disused railway line, through Lumb and finally into Irwell Vale where we stopped to enjoy our morning coffee break, on the platform of the East Lancashire Railway. After the break we crossed the railway line and headed up Hardsough Lane into Edenfield.

Once across Blackburn Road we walked up East Street, turning right at the top and making our way through the fields to Gin croft Lane. On our way to the lane, we had glorious views over to Peel Tower.

After crossing the lane, we headed into Dearden Clough and followed the brook down to the ruins of Plunge Mill. Retracing our steps, from the mill, for a short distance we crossed over the brook and joined Michael Wife Lane, which we followed to Rochdale Road. From here it was just a short walk along Bury Old Road passed Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, to the Duckworth Arms, where we had booked lunch.

The final section of our walk took us down into Stubbins, where we turned left and joined a footpath that follows the River Irwell into Ramsbottom, the only problem was we first had to go through the lake district, a rather wet field just before Kenyon Street. Not deterred we arrived safely back to the car park having covered ten eventful miles.