Wednesday 23rd April 2025
Monthly Long Walk, Two Towers, Peel Tower and Grant’s Tower.
On a gloriously sunny, St George’s Day fourteen walkers set out from Greenmount and headed for Redisher Wood, where we were greeted by the host of bluebells. Taking a different route out of the valley we climbed steadily up to Moorbottom Road and after turning left we walked for a short distance before joining another steep path that took us onto Holcombe Moor.
Moorbottom Road
Climbing up to Holcombe Moor
After spending some time admiring the views over to the Welsh Hills and around to Winter Hill, we made our way over the moor to the first of the towers, Peel Tower, also known as Peel Monument, is a 128-foot (39m) tall monument and was erected in 1852 on Holcombe Hill as a memorial to Sir Robert Peel. From the tower we headed for another steep climb, that of Hercules Hill and continued to Pilgrim’s Cross for our morning coffee stop.
Peel Tower
Harcules Hill
Pilgrim’s Cross
Once refreshed we descended off the moor and made our way through Buckden Wood into Strongstry from where we followed the River Irwell into Stubbins. After crossing the main road, we headed through the fields into Ramsbottom where we walked along Nuttall Hall Road to Jacob’s Ladder, which we climbed and headed for our second tower, Grant’s Tower. The tower was built in remembrance of the parents of the Grant family, who established a calico printing business in the area. The tower, which was built in 1827, stands on the spot where the Grant family first viewed the Irwell Valley in 1783, having arrived from Morayshire, Scotland. Due to a lack of maintenance the tower collapsed in 1944.
Jacob’s Ladder
Grant’s Tower as it is now.
As it was then.
We made full use, of what is left of the tower, to eat our lunch where we enjoyed good views over the Rossendale Valley. After lunch we made our way into Summerseat and back to Greenmount, having covered thirteen energetic miles.