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OS Grid ref: SD 67225 16581
Lat/Long: 53.644699, -2.497254
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I was able to get a lift to the start of my walk at Belmont and
was on my way shortly after 8am. For a while I followed the same
route as a couple of weeks ago, over the reservoir embankment
and on to Valentines Quarry. I continued along the road and down
the steep hill to cross Stones Bank Brook then steeply up the
other side. I turned left and continued along Stones Bank Road
to join the main A666 Blackburn Road. |
Belmont Reservoir. |
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There is nothing to see no but on
the left used to be the Turton Moor Sanitary Pipe Co Ltd. After
financial problems the ownership changed in 1901 and was renamed
Turton Moor Sanitary Pipe Co Ltd and struggled along until 1911
when it closed. I continued north keeping to the grass verge as
the traffic was very busy. At the junction with Greens Arms Road
I looked over the wall to see a couple of stone posts. The 1909
OS map shows this was the site of the Greens Arms Inn but now
nothing remains of the building. Further on the road crosses
Cadshaw Brook and there were traffic lights as workmen were on
site repairing the northern approach embankment that had
subsided. They were using sheet piles to stabilise the
embankment. The main bridge structure was fine. |
Site of Greens Arms Inn. |
Cadshaw Brook Bridge
embankment
repairs. |
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I started walking NW aI soon left the road and turned left to
follow a track called Witton Weavers Way up onto the moors. It
was good underfoot and easy walking. Before the site of Top
o’th’ Brow farm I turned right up on to the moor. The map shows
a path but there is no path sign and nothing on the ground. It
was rouge rushes at first but the ground improved higher up.
Signs of a path appeared higher up but I soon left to head
across the moor to the site of the crash of Polish pilot Herbert
Noga whos P51-C Mustang crashed on Sunday 29th July 1945. |
Crash site. |
Memorial to Herbert Noga. |
Memorial to Herbert Noga. |
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I reached the site and found several pieces of metal fuselage
and a memorial cross which is relatively new. The crash happened
after the war in Europe had ended and the plane was being
transported. Warrant Officer Noga was buried with full military
honours at Layton Cemetery, Blackpool. The reason for the crash
is a mystery. The P51-C Mustang, built in Dallas, Texas and
armed with 4, M2 Browning .50 calibre machine guns. This type of
gun has been in use since 1933 and still used today. After the
crash young lads reached the wreckage and took one of the guns
back to Darwen but the police soon found out and recovered it. I
left the crash site on Wives Hill and rejoined the footpath to
continue over Black Hill to Duckshaw Brook. |
Polish pilot Herbert Noga. |
CP51-C
Mustang.
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Darwen Jubilee Tower. |
View from the top. |
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I was back on the Witton Weavers Way and followed it to Darwen
Jubilee Tower. The path was wet and muddy most of the way. I had
a quick look up the tower before heading Sw along the main track
and steeply down towards Stepback Brook. |
Site of Owd Aggie's - Stepback. |
Old Aggie's around 1907. |
Near the track at the bottom is a flat area and some rubble.
This was the site of ‘Stepback’ a property known as Owd Aggie’s
which used to be a refreshment room doing teas. The car park at
Tockholes Cafe was full and the area crowded with people. The
cafe was serving drinks outside. |
Refreshment House. |
I took the road north to Tockholes then down the track to
the fine grade 2 listed building mansion house at Lower Hill.
Along the track I headed across fields to Red Lee Farm where
‘Private’ was displayed. |
Tockholes Parish Pinfold. |
Lower Hill, Tockholes. |
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There were no footpath signs to help me find the way down
towards the river then back up the fields and on the Witton
Weavers Way. The route went through the yard of Bradley's Farm
and still no path markers. Across a very muddy field I came to a
bridge ovcer the old railway then steeply down to the valley
bottom and the River Roddlesworth which I crossed by a
footbridge. Steeply up the other side through the woods I
reached the fields below Stanworth and followed the fence to the
M65 motorway underpass. |
Bridge support graffiti under the M65. |
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I was heading for Stanworth bridge over the Leeds & Liverpool
Canal and followed the undefined path route up the field then
down again. However, I could have followed the contour and
reached the same bridge. I saw 2 young ladies probably in their
early 20s who were looking for a ‘weir’ and asked me the way.
They were looking for the weir/waterfall at Hoghton Bottoms and
were miles out of their way. |
Walking under the M65 motorway along the Leeds & Liverpool
Canal.
Withnell Fold Paper Mill chimney in the background. |
I walked along the canal with them to Riley Green and
pointed them in the direction or Hoghton while I continued along
the muddy towpath to Withnell Fold and on to Town lane and home. |
Muddy towpath. |
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