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OS Grid ref: SD 67225 16581
Lat/Long: 53.644699, -2.497254
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Public transport is difficult in rural areas at the best of
times but with the current restrictions the bus services have
cut back. Fortunately my brother was able to give me a lift to
the start of my walk at Belmont. I was on my way shortly after
8am and set off walking along the road across the Belmont
reservoir embankment. |
Start of the walk in Belmont. |
Belmont Reservoir. |
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It's barriered off to vehicles but once it was possible to drive
across. At the far end I joined Longworth Road and continued to
the cross roads where I turned left. There was a road closed
sign but as I walked along couldn’t see why the closed sign was
there. Before joining the Witton Weavers Way walking route I had
a quick look at the flooded Valentine’s Quarry where we used to
dive with Chorley Sub-Aqua club. Peering into the depths it is
still clear water. |
Valentine's Quarry. |
No Entry. |
Spitlers Edge on the horizon. |
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I started walking NW along the track heading out onto the moors.
There were nice views to the west with good views of Winter Hill
and Spitlers Edge. Eventually I came to the refurbished farm
which is now a very large property with a large barking dog
inside the walled enclosure and a pair of impressive lion heads
on the gate pillars. I reached Tockholes Road and stopped for a
sit down and to eat my sandwiches. |
Lions guard the gates. |
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Instead of following the road I took the footpath detour behind
the woods and back down to the road where I crossed over to
follow the path along the old access track to Hollinshead Hall
ruins. It was a delightful path down through the trees. Before
the main ruins I stopped to look at the old Bath House. The last
time I was here it was possible to get in but now a steel bolt
has been added to make the lock secure, which is a shame. I
continued down the tack and up to the A675 Belmont Road. I
crossed over to start out across the moor to the ruins of Pimms
Farm. As I left the road I had a quick look at some domed
ceramic capping stones lying in the grass. They had
manufacturers stamps on giving clues to find out more. |
Hollinshead Hall Bathhouse. |
Wall capping. |
Orlando Brothers stamp. |
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Livesey Fireclay Works Livesey Brickworks (Fireclay Works) was
started by Orlando Brothers around 1845.The site was to the west
of Malvern Mill by the Leeds/Liverpool canal..Clay was
transported from Meadowhead by mineral railway.By 1886 William
Brothers owned the works but went bankrupt that year and it
became a Limited Company.It was last worked by Livesey Brick &
Tile Co.Ltd.but was wound up in 1894. |
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The path out on to the moors was very wet in places but it was
easy to find detours round the worst bits. I had to cut across
pathless moor to get to Pimms and a wire fence with barbed wire
on the top blocked my way. I noticed a bit further down someone
had cut the top barbed wire so I was able to step over safely.
At Pimms ruin I looked for the O.S. bench mark that is shown on
the map. Unfortunately it is buried under falled rubble. |
Pimms ruins. |
Site of old hunting lodge on Great Hill. |
The path up to Great Hill was steady and easy. Before the summit
is the ruin of the old shooting lodge but only the lower part of
the wall remains. As expected there were lots of people around.
Over by the summit shelter I continued to Drinkwaters ruin where
several people had stopped to look at the Joe’s Cup memorial
stones. I stopped to explain who Joe was before continuing along
the track across Wheelton Moor and down to the higher Mearstone.
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Great Hill summit shelter stones. |
View from Drinkwaters with the Mormon Temple in the distance. |
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I then had a pleasant wy over
the bridge and up the steep track to turn right above Lead
Mine’s Clough. |
Site of Marsden's Farm. |
Refurbished Logwood Mill. |
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A woman was there exercising several dogs and I showed her the
stone and marker cros as we chatted about the history of the
moor. I descended through the woods and stopped briefly by
Marsden’s Farm ruin which was fairly clear of undergrowth. At
the bottom of the hill I crossed The Goit and along the Trigg
Lane track to Logwood Mill then up along the path towards Briers
Brow. Over the summit I joined the road and descende to
Wheelton, the canal and home along Town Lane. |
Tennon top gatepost. |
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Outside the Dressers Arms. |
The lamp post on 18 Jan 2021 |
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