Walking In East Lancashire

Padiham - Higham  circular walk
 
This was one of the Burnley Festival of Walks 3rd May 2011 (Did anyone know?) This is an easy to moderate walk and  presents no  difficult sections so can be suitible for most  people with reasonable fitness

Padiham, although in the heart of industrial Lancashire, this is a genuinely rural walk with superb views
across the Calder valley, to the outline of witch-haunted Pendle Hill to the north and the Pennine moors
to the south. The walk passes through attractive woodland and pleasant riverside walking beside the
Calder. Near the end you pass Gawthorpe Hall, an impressive early 17th century house owned by The
National Trust.

Start. Turn left at the bridge overlooking the River Calder with the supermarket on your left. Follow the
path running alongside the river and go through Grove Lane Plantation until coming out at a tarmac
road. Note the cattle grid on your left and walk up the road to High Whitaker Farm. Just before the farm
turn right through a stile and walk down to a footbridge towards Trees Brook. Look out for another
stile on your left up a slight banking. If you come across several large fenced off buildings you’ll need
to backtrack some 30yds. Continue to a footbridge in the hollow. Cross it and head diagonally to meet
a wire fence. Follow the fence, turn left at the end and head towards Northwood Farm – keeping left.
Follow the lane passing the farm. A sharp right brings you to the A6068.

But the village garden with benches, opposite the pub, makes an ideal picnic spot. The return journey
starts from the other end of the village. Cross the A6068 and venture down Pendle Way/Foxen Dole
Lane. Continue right down this lane and over the footbridge crossing the River Calder. Head uphill and
pass Hollin Farm on your right. Almost immediately turn right through a fenced path to a small gate
made for wiry walkers! You are now following the Bronte Way to Habergham. Continue to the farm
wheeling left at the barn. Cross a tarmac drive and along an enclosed path to the A671. Turn right, down
the road to the lodge house and follow the woodland path, through the gate and onwards to Gawthorpe
Hall. Facing the hall take the wide left track note Burnley FC Training ground. Follow the tarmac road to
the A671 or take the pleasant wooded path on your right which leads past the rear of houses and onto a
bridge crossing the River Calder. Turn right to the start.

Length of walk: 7 miles. Moderate, but allow 4 hours for non regular walkers.

Thanks to Alan Aspinal for  details of this walk