Wednesday 28th May 2025

Wednesday 28^th May 2025

Owd Betts, Paradise, Whittle Pike and Waughs Well

We set off from opposite Owd Betts on a fairly overcast morning, crossed the busy Edenfield Road and took the footpath heading up Cheesden Edge, over a ladder stile and Kill Gate Brook to follow the path and stone wall around Tom Hill. At the end of the stone wall we had a good view of all the ruined farmsteads, including Paradise in the valley below. We descended into the valley following the stone walls passed the ruins then across Cheesden Brook before turning right after the stile to continue through the valley to the steep ascent up to the Rossendale Way. We bore slightly left on the track then turned right on a moorland track before turning right over the moorland to emerge between two wind turbines where we continue our ascent on the road heading north up the track to Whittle Hill and paused at the cross at Whittle Pike before turning east to follow the path across the moor that descended gently back to the Rossendale Way.

We turned left and continued on the narrow path, wary of the steep drop to our left, crossing the stream before it tumbled down the hillside and reached Waugh’s Well where we had our coffee break looking out at the views and the reservoir below.

We then continued to follow Rossendale Way along Foe Edge to Black Hill where we turned left to follow the track around the bottom of Cowpe Lowe. We turned left to follow Sand Beds Lane path with New Hall Close on our left. We descended gradually and turned left onto Gin Croft Lane before taking the path through the gate on our left across the field towards New Hall where the path then bore right through the wood. After reaching the stony track we took the first path up on our left over the stile and through the trees gradually descending to Dearden Clough where we crossed the stile on our left to have lunch in the sunshine by Dearden Brook.

After lunch, we returned to the stile then followed the brook before crossing the footbridge and ford on our left and heading up the stony path to Rochdale Road (A680). We turned right down Bury Old Road, and passed Bleakholt Farm before eventually turning left up Riding Head Lane. We emerged back onto the main road at Turn and turned right before following the footpath on our right past Smithy Carr Farm then up Black Lane and back to the A680.

As we approached Cheesden Bridge we turned right onto a narrow road before taking the path through a metal gate up to Lumb Bridge and Cheesden Mill ruins. We turned left on the footbridge and followed the path back up to the main road where we turned right to return to the car park after a very enjoyable walk of around ten miles across fields and moorland, through woods, and by streams, with wonderful scenery to admire.