Lan

cashire WalksBurnley

A good few years ago some of the national newspapers featured a pensioner from thesouth who always spent his holidays – not in Blackpool – but in Burnley. He claimedthe town had everything he needed for a good break – good fish and chip shops,attractive parks, friendly people and easy access to a lovely countryside. This walkthat begins by following the River Calder will show just how quickly the town is leftbehind.Start: Lower Manor Lane. No official car park but this quiet housing estate provides easy and safe parking. From the M65 junction 8take the A6068 signed towards Clitheroe. Keep on it through two sets of traffic lights. Nearly 5 miles from the junction you reachFence. Here turn right into Greenhead Lane signed Burnley 4 miles. After crossing the motorway the road (now Barden Lane) narrowsand climbs up to the edge of Burnley. Lower Manor Lane is next on the right. 250m on the right there is an entrance to Heald Wood.Park as conveniently close to this as you can.

Distance: 11Km or 7 milesTime: 3-4 hoursTerrain: Moderate. After a riverside walk, the route begins to steadily climb to reach a height just below 300m, before descending toBurnley.

1. Car park to Higham. (4½ Km or 2½ : 1 hour)(Pic 1) Enter Heald Wood. Footpaths are not always clear but keep bearing left before dropping down to a footbridge across PendleWater. (Pic 2) By now you will be well aware of the roar of the M65 on your left but you may enjoy the sylvan scene on your right.Follow the path as it turns to the right, then at its junction with a utilities service road turn left and pass beneath the motorway. (Pic 3)At this stage you may feel that this walk is a joke especially when the sewerage works come into view. Stick with it – it soonimproves, a promise! Follow the lane as it passes the substantial, almost industrial scale Wood End Farm and begins to climb towardsMoor Isles Farm. The lane is crossed by the Pendle Way (Pic 4) and for the next chunk of the walk you will follow it. With itsdistinctive witch on a broomstick logo, route finding becomes that much easier even without my excellent directions! Having said thatinitially the Pendle Way is not clear as it crosses a large field. Look for a marker post on the far side. From this point the path passesthrough patches of gorse and hawthorn and with the help of a couple of footbridges eventually drops down to a wide sweep of the riverCalder. (Pics 5 & 6) By now the roar of the motorway seems a distant memory – this is a lovely scene. Keep ahead with the river onyour left until a footbridge across the Calder is reached. Here turn right, still on the Pendle Way. Commence a long steady climb pastPendle Hall (Pic 7), which takes you up through large pastures to reach a stile and gate. On a more substantial track the Pendle Waygoes left (Pic 8) to cross a field and to reach the busy Padiham By pass, A6068. Turn left and in less than 100m locate the continuationof the Way opposite. Cross the road with great care and follow the footpath into the attractive village close by the church. (Pic 9)

2. Higham to Car Park (6½ Km or 4½ miles: 1½ hours)Keep on the Pendle Way to cross a road and enter a lane to the left of the church. Still climbing, the way takes you onto a broadupland with extensive views. (Pic 10) Keep ahead with a wall on your left and 12 mins after leaving the village reach a lane. Turnright and then immediately left in the direction of Newchurch and Roughlee. At Croft Top Lane (Pic 11) say a fond farewell to thePendle Way and turn right. Keep on this lane for about 700m (10mins) Then beyond Croft Top on your left look for a footpath on yourright. (Pic 12) Cross the stile and with the hedge on your right drop to another stile with a plank bridge that will put you into theadjoining field. Keep going downhill with the hedge on your left. On the edge of Fence (NOTE; the name of the village before you)cross a stile onto a narrow path (Pic 13) that will bring you into the village. (Pic 14) (Refreshments available at the Bay Horse Inn orthe Higher Fence Gate) Cross the car park of the Bay Horse to a metal stile that lets out onto the (BUSY) A6068. Cross the road withcare to a stile by a footpath sign. The path bears right diagonally to reach a wooden stile in the hedge. Cross and turn left with thehedge on left. After another stile, reach another after a plank bridge. (Pic 15) Here turn right. After 100m bear left aiming for the farright corner of this vast field. This will bring you to a wooden stile in a fence. Once over it continue in the same direction to reachanother stile. (Pic 16) This will bring you to a farm lane behind Moor Isles Farm. Turn left and then descend towards your startingpoint.

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