Walk Leader: Jon Clarke

Number on Walk: 12 humans plus Elsie the Border Terrier

Distance: 16 miles

Weather: Conditions were excellent with sunshine for the vast bulk of the walk and little wind.

The walk commenced at 09.00 hrs from the car park at the side of The Royal Public House in Tockholes.

The route took us down through Roddlesworth Woods, which were looking stunning in the winter sun, to Belmont Road. From here we began the climb to the summit of Great Hill, thankfully the recent dry spell provided a relatively mud free assent, a short coffee stop was taken on the summit to enjoy the views. We then followed the path down towards Brinscall, turning off just before the village to descend through Brinscall Plantation woods, across The Goit waterway and onto a short section of road work along Trigg Lane and Tithe Barn Lane, before crossing fields to emerge at the junction of Tithe Barn Lane and Higher House Lane, Heapey.

A short walk to us to the base of the western slope of Healey Nab which was easily dispatched with gusto as the lunch stop at White Coppice was looming. Following the climb of The Nab we descended close to The Waterman's Cottage on Anglezarke Reservoir then turned left to White Coppice where lunch was taken by the cricket pitch. A now fully refreshed group then followed the path beside The Goit to Brinscall village, along this section we were rewarded with sightings of 2 Kingfishers and a pair of Dippers. Once in Brinscall we followed the path of the old Chorley to Blackburn railway which is now a nature reserve through to Abbey Village. After a stroll through the village we walked alongside the 3 Roddlesworth Reservoirs and back into the woods for the final assent back to the start point.

For more photos please click here