Dunsop Bridge, Thorneyholme, River Hodder, Burholme, Lancashire.

Dunsop Bridge, Thorneyholme, River Hodder, Burholme, Lancashire.
6.2 km Thu 20 Feb 2025

Lat/Long: 53.943335, -02.519616
OS Grid ref: SD 65897 49839

After a meeting at the Forest of Bowland National Landscape office I headed out for a walk to investigate a path along the bank of the River Dunsop. Approaching the village of Dunsop Bridge I stopped to look at the War Memorial. The weather was overcast with rain on the way. It was nice to see there is still a post office still open. The sign declaring the village to be the centre of the United Kingdom isn�t quite right as the actual point is about 7km to the north high on the moors.

Bowland War memorial.
Men of Bowland

Centre of the United Kingdom
Dunsop Bridge Best Kept Hamlet.

There is still a coin operated phone box which is necessary as my phone had no signal. I turned right through the impressive gates to follow the drive to Thorneyholme where the path diverts round the buildings to follow the banks of the River Hodder. My main objective is to photograph the Blackburn Waterworks pipe bridge that was erected in 1882.
Dunsop Bridge Post Office.

Dunsop Bridge.

Thorneyholme.

I soon saw it in the distance but had to negotiate some very wet ground to get there. I had a print of a 1884 photo of the bridge with me and tried my best to find the photo location to take a view today. The cast iron bridge has a public footpath over it and a stile on the south side. I stopped for a while to have my sandwiches and try some drone photos. It was really too windy for the drone so I took 2 shots and landed it. Continuing south I kept an eye out for the stepping stones shown on the map.

Turnstile over the bridge.
Pipe Bridge.

Blackburn Corporation Waterworks 1882
William Booth Bryan - Engineer.

Pipe Bridge in 1882.

The bridge this morning 20 Feb 2025.

There was no sign of them. I�m glad I put my full waterproofs on when I set off as the rain started and soon was heavy. Across the fields I reached Burholme Farm and was walking on tarmac. The wind was in my face and the rain was torrential. At Burholme Bridge I crossed the Hodder and turned north with the wind behind me. It was still uncomfortable walking in the intense rain and having to walk in the centre of the road in places due to flooding. On the final km the rain eased a bit and I was thankful to reach the car.