{"id":1008444,"date":"2024-02-29T16:45:46","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T16:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1008444"},"modified":"2024-02-29T16:45:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T16:45:50","slug":"darwen-woods-reservoirs-rivers-and-a-tower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1008444","title":{"rendered":"Darwen – Woods, Reservoirs, Rivers And A Tower"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A dry day was expected, and I headed north today, to an area I have never visited before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a 1 hour drive from Cheadle Hulme to Darwen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weather was indeed dry, with a layer of high cloud, and quite cold, especially in the light breeze on the moors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is 6.5 miles long, with 1090feet of ascent, and it took about 3 hours 15 minutes, plus half an hour for stops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, this walk isn\u2019t suitable for dogs due to difficult stiles, but the sections around Roddesworth Reservoirs is a fantastic area for dog walking!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I walked in an anticlockwise direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is on OS Explorer Map 287.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I parked at the Sunnyhurst Wood Car Park, postcode BB3 1JX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sunnyhurst To Tockholes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next to the car park, the woods have an impressive entrance gate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My route took me down to the brook that runs through the wood.<\/p>\n\n\n

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At the bottom it’s a real visitor \/ beauty spot, yet quite deserted today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I crossed the bridge, and immediately after the ice cream shop, turned left up some steps and then straight over a broad gravel path, up to a stile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After crossing a couple of fairly boggy fields, and then a track over a golf course, where the Jubilee Tower was seen for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I passed some horse fields, and turned up a track, from which Earnsdale Reservoir was visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ravenscroft Farm had an interesting personal piece of art painted on its gable wall, and a heron in its garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The route crosses the moors here, and I was delighted to hear, and then see, my first curlew of the season!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I soon arrived in the rather scruffy looking Tockholes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roddesworth Reservoirs And River<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After crossing some more wet fields, the path heads down towards the woodland surrounding the reservoirs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are good tracks in the woods. I met a man with a boxer dog. He was walking quite quickly, but she was continually waiting for me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We arrived at the Lower Reservoir first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Another well-made path headed up an avenue of beech trees from the far side of the water.<\/p>\n\n\n

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And then we reached the Upper Reservoir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The path continues through the woods before reaching the beautiful River Roddesworth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Darwen Hill And Jubilee Tower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The path rises from the river through more, rather mossy, woodland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I reached the road, where there is another car park, and refreshment outlets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t stop, and crossed over the car park and through a gate onto Darwen Moor with the hill and tower before me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As expected, there are fine views from here to the fourth reservoir, Sunnyhurst Hey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It’s a steady rise to a small wood, and a clough, from where the last section onto the hill is really steep!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before long I was at the tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The tower was completed in 1898. It is 85 feet (25.9\u00a0m) in height, while\u00a0Darwen Hill<\/strong>\u00a0(also known as\u00a0Beacon Hill<\/strong>) is 1,220 feet (370 metres) above sea-level. Walkers can climb to the top of the tower via the internal staircase to see views as far as North Yorkshire, Morecambe Bay, Blackpool Tower, Cumbria, the Isle of Man, North Wales, and Derbyshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a pretty murky day, so I didn’t see all of these sights, but I did make it to the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And when I got back down to the heather moor, I was delighted to see and photograph a handsome male stonechat, perched against the backdrop of the distant golf course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From here, it’s a short walk downhill back to the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a great walk, and Sunnhurst Wood and Roddesworth River and Reservoirs offer lots of opportunities for future days out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Finally….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Michael Nau is a little known American songsmith who I’ve followed for a few years. Accompany is his new album. This is the lovely “Painting A Wall”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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