We are the Hike on Lancashire Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Starting from the Woodland Trust Barrow Bridge Car Park (should the car park be full, additional road parking can be found lower down on Barrow Bridge Road, below the bus terminus), we walk up through the pretty village of Barrow Bridge and then climb the 63 steps that the mill workers used to climb daily to work. We then head up to the Walker Fold Car Park for a 10-minute break (there is a toilet and a coffee van here!).
Next, we take a range of paths to gradually climb towards Winter Hill, joining the service road to the transmitting station and TV mast. Following past the mast, we head to the trig point. Here, visibility permitting, We'll enjoy views over north-east to Belmont Reservoir to Darwen Tower, and west towards the coast.
Retracing our steps, we start making our way downhill, eventually reaching several farmhouses before reaching Colliers Row Road. We then head towards Barrow Bridge before turning left, weaving our way down to Smithills Hall estate. Next, we cross over Smithills Dean Road. passing between some houses and through a woodland down to Smithills Croft Road. Turning right, after a short distance we reach the prominent 246-feet high (originally 306-feet high) Barrow Bridge chimney, which was part of the old Halliwell Bleach works rather than the village's cotton mills. Here, we turn into Barrow Bridge Road and walk the final half-mile back to the car park.
Woodland Trust Barrow Bridge Car Park
