Start: The Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Garden on the corner of Cann Bridge Street (A675) and Shop Lane.

From Preston Centre take the A6 south towards Chorley. Where the A6 turns to the right at the Capitol Centre keep ahead on the A675 towards Blackburn. Past beneath the motorway and immediately arrive in Higher Walton. The Cann Bridge Street car park is limited to two hours so useless unless you intend to run the route.  Suggest park in small housing estate along Bannister Hall Lane.            

 Fact file: Distance: 11 k 7 miles
                  Time:  3  - 4  hours
                 Summary:  Easy walking but with a winter mud alert.
               Maps: OS Explorer 286 Blackpool & Preston, OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors .

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions:  From the garden cross the River Darwen and turn right onto Kittlingbourne Brow towards Bamber Bridge. After 100m turn left onto a footpath leading across a large pasture.

 

 Bear right as the path gently climbs towards trees. After a stile next to a metal gate

 turn left onto a farm track. This quickly swings right past a derelict barn and continues to a large white house.

 Keep ahead as the track turns left towards the house crossing a stile next to a makeshift gate.

 After 50m turn right over a stile and cross pasture to another in a barbed wire fence.

Here ignore the waymark sign and turn left and continue with the hedge on your left. In 200 metres cross a stile

 and turn left onto a track close to the drive of Tottering Temple Farm. This track, Shuttling Fields Lane leads to the farm complex of Middle Shuttling Fields. Where the track divides

 bear right and then as you reach the top of a rise turn left to enter the farm yard through a metal gate. 

 Keep ahead past the farm buildings and continue on a track that drops to Drum Head Brook.  Once over it turn right onto a footpath leading past a property with excessively noisy dogs. 

 The path leads into what was found to be an excessively muddy field when the route was checked.

 Keep ahead with a hedge on the right and then after a stile

continue with a hedge on the left. After the next stile close to holly bushes follow a more defined path that leads onto a housing estate close to Gregson Lane.

Turn right on Bank Head Lane

 and then after 200m turn left onto a track leading down to Cooper Farm.

 Immediately after the farm house turn left onto a footpath (obscured by a caravan when checked)

 that leads down through trees to a footbridge crossing Drum Head Brook.

 After the bridge turn right over a stile

onto a footpath that follows a parallel course to the brook. Ahead is the Preston - Blackburn railway line which is reached following the path to the top of the escarpment and contouring around. (Keep to the right of fields).

Cross the railway with care and keep ahead to reach a farm track. Turn left.  The track runs parallel to the railway passes through a large farm

and reaches Oram Road. Turn left re-cross the railway and then close to a mill turn right onto a footpath.

For 200m the path stays close to the railway then bears left, crosses a culvert

and reaches Gregson Lane close to Hewn Gate Farm. Turn right and immediately after the farm house turn left into the farm yard.

Keep ahead on a footpath leading across fields to reach a kissing gate close to the graveyard of St Joseph's RC church. (One of the oldest Catholic Parishes in the UK and with close links with the martyr St Edmund Arrowsmith.

On reaching the drive turn left and follow it past cottages across parkland.

After a metal gate

 turn left to follow the drive down to the A675.

Cross the road turn left and turn right over a stile. Cross the field and the next stile

and then turn left to follow the hedge towards Coupe Green. Cross a footbridge

on the left, turn right and then passing a large property on the right (Hey Barn Cattery and Kennels) to reach another footbridge on the right. Over this turn left onto  a track. Where the track swings left into Coupe Green turn right onto a footpath

 that will take you into woods and to a footbridge over Beeston Brook.

Follow a waymark post across a field

to a neck of woodland and another footbridge.

 In the next field bear right to the corner of more woodland and turn right with the hedgerow on your left. (Some changes in field use hereabouts is not reflected on the OS map)

When you reach a footbridge on the left cross it

 and aim for a large farm ahead. This is Fleetwood Hall. Cross a stile on the right close to the property.

 This leads to a drive and then a lane - Roach Road. Turn left.
The lane leads down to the industrial community of Roach Bridge.

Cross the eponymous bridge over the River Darwen and turn left onto a broad farm track.

Passing an attractive cottage on the left the footpath  returns to the riverside.

 At Darwen Side Farm keep ahead until the far side of a barn and then bear right to pick up a track. When this bends to the right keep ahead on a path

bringing you back to the river after crossing a footbridge.

Soon along this reach the noise of water drowns out the roar of the motorway as the river cascades over rocks with all the drama of a wild highland river.

Keep on the path to reach Carver Fold. The right of way leads behind the farm

and when it reaches the lane turns left passes Coachmans Cottages and enters the drive of Bannister Hall Lodge.

 Follow the lane through a factory complex

and then alongside the river leading back to Higher Walton.