Wednesday 21st September 2022
The Halo Panopticon and Cribden Circular Walk
The walk this month is the second in a series of three walks to visit the panopticon sculptures in Lancashire, built to attract more tourists. We started the walk from Hud Rake Lane, Haslingden, where fifteen walkers met on a dry but misty morning and headed down towards Rake Foot, where we turned left and made our way up Rock Hall Road. At the first stile on our left, we joined a steep path which crossed the fields up to The Halo. By this time the mist had started to clear, and we had a view over the Rossendale Valley.
After spending some time picking out the various landmarks we returned down the track, for a short distance and turned right through a stile joining a footpath that climbed steeply up to the summit of Cribden Hill (401m). Whilst getting our breath back we were able to enjoy more views, make out more landmarks, including our own Peel Tower.
From the summit we passed through a stile and joined the Rossendale Round Route that took us over Cribden Moor to the Equestrian Centre, but not before stopping for our morning coffee on the moor. Once across the moor we arrived as Stone Fold a sleepy hamlet with historic associations to Charles Wesley.
Our next stop was in Raising Bridge where we stopped for an early lunch making good use of the picnic benches in the play area. After lunch we made our way across Blackburn Road and our way along Round Hills Lane, to what used to be the Famers Glory Pub but is now an Indian restaurant. After crossing the road, we headed up Moor Lane that took us back onto the moors. The footpath eventually dropped down to Quarry Side Farm where we had to make a detour towards Windy Harbour Farm to avoid a field with cattle containing, a bull and several cows with their calves.
Once back on the route we joined Cob Castle Lane that took us into Haslingden where we walked through St James Parish Church graveyard and up to Hud Rake having covered nine energetic miles.