Saturday 1^st June 2024      

Wycoller, Widdop and Withins

Walk Leader – Neil Harwood

Number on walk – 11

Distance – 18 miles

Weather – Some cloud but many sunny spells.

We met at the car park by the “Atom”. Probably everyone in Lancashire knows the Atom but we had been joined by a few walkers from further afield and it must strike any newcomers as quite unusual! What is it?? Technically it is a Panoptican. This derives from the Greek meaning “all seeing”. If you Google it you will waste precious minutes of your life learning about prisons and social metaphors, so don’t! The Lancashire Panopticans, there are four in total, are simply art installations set in a commanding position with a view and the Atom certainly has a view. To the west is the distinctive mass of Pendle Hill whilst to the south is Boulsworth Hill, which we were about to climb but not until after we visited the village of Wycoller.

Wycoller, is one of my favourite places in Lancashire and worth the decent from the Atom. It is dominated by the remains of its Hall, which was visited by the Bronte sisters from Haworth en route to Gawthorpe Hall near Burnley. As such it is on the Bronte Way and this starts the theme for much of the day. From Wycoller, we head up the valley along the pretty stream of Turnhole Clough. We have some great names in Lancashire!

We then join the Lancashire Way and follow this to the summit of Boulsworth Hill. It is a steep but a relatively short climb and well worth it with views back to Pendle from its trig point on its summit, known as Lad Law – 517m. We then turn away from Lancashire and head down hill towards Yorkshire. You barely notice the boundary between the two counties a little way on after we join the road to Hebden Bridge.

We come off the road briefly to walk around the Widdop Reservoir. The water level was very low as there are currently engineering works taking place at the head of the dam. But there are still many geese in evidence and many with their young and across the valley a cuckoo could be heard.

From the dam there is a road section, firstly on the Pennine Bridleway and then we turn off and follow the Pennine Way itself. This takes us to the Walshaw Reservoirs. They make a pretty spot for lunch and then it is another climb up over Withins Heights using the flags of the Pennine Way. From the top we can see our destination, the inspiration for Wuthering Heights – apparently! The dilapidated structure is nothing to write home about but it is set in a lovely position over looking the moors in this part of Yorkshire.

Now it’s time to head back to Lancashire but firstly we make a small detour down the valley which is occupied by the Bronte Falls and the Bronte Bridge. If you cross the latter, you are on your way to Howarth so we decline and turn north picking up the Pennnine and Bronte Way down to the Ponden Reservoir. Shortly after we say goodbye to the Pennine Way and its largely good quality paths to keep on the Bronte Way, which is little walked and therefore not the best path in parts. It descends back down into the valley of the River Worth, which is a little like a lost valley. But path apart, I like it and there were many Rhododendrons in flower, which added to the experience.

There is a final, well almost, climb up to the Watersheddles Reservoir and we are back on the moors for the last section back to the car park. And yes of course there is always one last climb as we make our way back up to the prominent position that the Atom has over the valley.

A lovely walk if I may say so. A real variety of scenery and of course a grand trip to Yorkshire and back.