Sunday, 28th January 2010
| Walk: | Hordern Stoops, Winter Hill, Longworth Clough, Egerton, Cheetham Close, Turton Heights, Delph Reservoir, Belmont, Hoar Stones Brow | ||
| Start Point: | Hordern Stoops, Rivington Road | Grid Ref: | SD 649 158 |
| Distance: | 12 miles | Ascent: | 2,035 feet |
| Weather: | Mainly dull with mist on Winter Hill and rain for the last 15 minutes | ||
| Accompanied by: |
On my own |
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| Comments: | A boggy climb up to Winter Hill took me into mist and I had to navigate some remaining banks of snow. After visiting the trig point I left the mist behind as I headed down to cross the A675 Belmont Road. A short walk across fields led me into woodland, eventually entering the Nature Reserve of Longworth Clough. Crossing the edge of Egerton I was soon back on the hills, heading up to Cheetham Close. A solitary stone was all that I could find of the 'Enclosure' and 'Stone Circle' marked on the map. Following a well-trodden path I soon realised that I had diverted from the Witton Weaver's Way, which I had intended to follow. However, both paths ran almost parallel and I eventually reached the area known as Turton Heights. Disappointingly, there is nothing to mark the high point so I claimed a small patch of longer grass as my 'summit'. Heading back down over rough grass was much easier than heading upwards had been and it didn't take long to be crossing back over the Blackburn Road, which I had crossed earlier in Egerton. A wide track took me along the north side of Delph Reservoir to Stones Bank Plantation. Here, forestry work had been in progress and while I saw a double truck taking logs away I couldn't get the camera out quickly enough to take a photo. Walking beside the plantation more logs were stacked ready for transport and the machinery responsible for their demise was lying silent, the workers having packed up for the day. Shortly after this point I headed south along an embankment that resembled parts of Offa's Dyke, walked in 2007. After walking back through Belmont I headed past St Peter's Church and towards Sharples Higher End, taking the path past Hoar Stones Brow. This path has disintegrated significantly in the last couple of years and is very boggy and muddy! To top this off the rain started shortly before I arrived back at the car! | ||
Scroll down to see photos of the walk
Mist and snow greet me as I reach the masts on Winter Hill . . .
and the view from the trig point leaves much to be desired!
The sun tries to break through over Belmont . . .
and zooming in you can see the yellow cabins, etc, for the work being carried out on the embankment, closing it to walkers
In Longworth Clough some trees are now stranded in the centre of the river
Looking over Delph Reservoir the mist has cleared from Winter Hill
The trig point at Cheetham Close shows a marked weathering of the surrounding area.
This is the only stone I could find in the area marked as 'Stone Circle' and 'Enclosure'
I claimed the clump of taller grass as the summit of Turton Heights
Skirting Delph Reservoir the view is mainly blocked by the trees
Stone Bank Brook, heading for Delph Reservoir
Another stack of logs ready to go . . .
and the now silent machinery
The Lancashire 'Offa's Dyke'!!
Wittons Farm looks a very grand affair
The Ornamental Reservoir - I had walked through the field opposite earlier in the day
An icy pond picks up the reflections of the trees
St Peter's Church stands proudly above the village
Ward's Reservoir - 'in the olden days' as my grandchildren would say, I camped on the left hand bank as part of my Duke of Edinburgh's Award (having walked here from Standish)
From the other side of the reservoir, Winter Hill is again shrouded in mist
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