Newton in Bowland
At the beginning of the 20th century Blackpool was in crisis – a victim of its popularity. The problem: there were insufficient supplies of drinking water to meet the needs of the millions of visitors who flocked there each summer. The situation became so dire that water had to be carted in. In seeking resolution to this problem the town’s options were limited. Water could be piped in from the Lake District but Manchester had secured that source; while the West Pennine Moors had been bagged by Liverpool. So the Bowland Hills were examined as a potential for water collection. The result the damming of the River Hodder close to its source and the creation of Stocks Reservoir. This walk will take you this amenity which has played such an important part in the development of the resort.
Start: Village car park Newton -in-Bowland. From the M6 junction 31a follow signs for Longridge, Chipping, Whitewell, and Dunsop Bridge. Newton is 2m further along the Hodder Valley.
Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette
Summary: Distance 12k 7 ½ m
Time: 3 - 4 hours
Terrain: Undulating. The walk begins with a modest climb. After the reservoir it's down hill all the way. Mainly footpaths and farm tracks.
Directions: Car park to Stocks Reservoir.6k 4m. From the car park walk back into the village.
Opposite the junction with lane coming from Waddington turn right onto a drive. After a short distance a waymark post indicates a fork.
Your way is right on a path that leads rather intrusively through a garden.
Follow the waymark signs to a metal gate.
Go through it and continue with the hedge on your right. The path begins to climb steadily. 500m from the garden keep ahead as your path crosses another close to the field boundary.
The way now follows a wall on the left.
Keep ahead and then after passing through a plantation of young trees bear left over a stile and cross the next field to a ladder stile.
Once over this turn right.
With the wall on your right walk 600m across pastures to the farmstead of Pain Hill.
Cross a stone stile and then walk down a gentle slope to a plank bridge followed by two stiles - one in a wall and one in a fence.
Now follow the track up to the substantial complex of Parrock Head.
After passing through a gate, bear right onto a drive. This leads to a lane which you cross.
The route now traverses three fields with a wall to your left to reach the farmstead of Myttons which is on your right. Keep ahead across its drive.
After a second drive (leading right to Bridge End) continue to reach a footbridge across a small brook. From here the footpath leads up to a lane close by a dilapidated barn.
Turn right. Now on Wood House Lane walk 200m and turn right onto a public bridleway.
After a stile the route crosses a rise to drop to a farm track leading left around Shay House.
Keep on the track as it leads across Croasdale Brook and then onto Bentham Road. Turn right and then left into the United Utilities facility of Stocks Reservoir.
The service road leads to a junction just below the dam.
Turn left and walk up hill and then just before a handsome house turn right to reach the top of the dam.
Reservoir to Newton. 6k 4m From the water's edge drop to a wooden gate and on reaching a track turn left.
At its end cross a stile and climb up the steep slope before you.
As the ground levels out turn right onto a track leading down hill to Hammerton Hall with a wall on your left.
After Hammerton Hall
continue along a good track to Holmehead Bridge.
After crossing the Hodder turn left after 100m onto an unsigned footpath. With a wall on your right follow this path to Slaidburn.
On reaching the village turn left over Croasdale Brook and then right by the war memorial.
If refreshment is required then look no further than Hark to Bounty Inn an excellent country pub. At the youth hostel turn left towards Newton. Keep on the road past the church and then where the road bends to the right keep ahead along a track.
Stay on this through Great Dunnow Wood bringing you once again by the river. After almost a mile from the road turn right onto a footpath leading up to the village close to the car park.