The Tacklers Trail
I had half expected Chris to write up this walk as I've been down in Hadleigh. Went down Thursday afternoon and arrived back about an hour ago. eXe Workshop in Whitham, Essex.
Any how, our 9.5 mile walk (I'll check the distance when I do the map) had more tha a couple of "short steep slopes" but the guide was spot on about the rough moorland path (Darwen Moor)
We started in Sunnyhurst Wood (you may remember that we have been here earlier in the year to look at pictures by Chrissie's father-in-law; Chrissie from work!) and following Sunnyhurst Brook we emerged by an iron gate at the corner of Earnsdale Reservoir.
Skirting the reservoir we arrived at Tockholes Road, (built in 1840s to link Tockholes with Darwen) Chris then said "That's a pleasant view!"
She gets worse! But just in case we were not aware of the vision before us, it was labelled.
We the passed through woodland towards Roddlesworth Upper Reservoir and crossed "Rocky Brook" the local name of the River Roddlesworth. Continuing alongside the brook we crossed Halliwell Fold Bridge and walked with the brook now on our right.
It was damp enough for fungi to flourish.
We had been through these woods and along this very path when we did the Lancashire Trail; in the opposite direction however.
After some distance we arrived at the ruins of Hollinshead Hall, the manor house of the Tockholes.
The wellhouse...
...as you can see above, still stands. Five springs of water meet here and they have legendary healing properties for eyes.
Continuing, after a short refreshment break, we made our way up onto Darwen Moor pausing to rest again, after the climb, on a bench at the top; bannana time! the walk accross the moor was warm to say the least; we were dressed for the cool, possible rain and here it was hot and sticky! We hadn't enough water with us! A lesson we need to learn from for future walks.
Curlews, green plovers etc were annoyed at our presence near their nests and one ewe tried frantically to get her very young lamb up a very steep bank...
The poor think could hardly walk let along climb.
The big question for the whole walk was "Where are the ruins of Top o' th' Brow farm? They were ment to be on the right but after much deliberation (and not for the first time on this walk) we eventually found our intended route (only about 2 miles added!)
The heat by now was having an unpleasant effect on me and that together with the poor footing, as we headed for a modern white house, known locally as Lord's Hall, made this part of the walk less enjoyable.
The walk from Lord's Hall drive to Darwen Tower...
(picture taken on an earlier walk) was a struggle; dry mouth and a tongue that seemed to be getting larger. However it wasn't that long before we were heading down towards Sunnyhurst Pub and a very welcome beverage or two!
The walk is one that I would do again but either with more water or in cooler weather. Tomorrow it is the Warpers Trail apparently 8.5 miles and the last paart of the 32 mile long trail; more water and hopefully a little cooler.
technorati tags:Tacklers, Trail, Witton, Weavers, Way, Sunnyhurst, Earnsdale, Reservoir, Roddlesworth, Hollinshead, Darwen, Tower
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