Witton Park
Around Blackburn it is difficult to avoid the Witton Weavers Way, a long distance path divided into four easy to manage sections. The local authority have published a series of leaflets describing the walk which are widely available in libraries and information points throughout Blackburn and Darwen and beyond. This walk mainly follows the first of the sections - the Beamers Way which starts at Witton Park. However the route here described adds one significant variation in that it takes you up Billinge Hill.
Time: 2½ - 3 hours
Terrain: Mainly gentle field and woodland walking with an optional ascent of Billinge Hill.
Start: Witton Park, main entrance car park. From junction 3 M65 take A674 towards Blackburn. Follow it as it passes through Feniscowles and Cherry Tree. Just after Cherry Tree the road dips down. Witton Park is on the left opposite a large factory.
Map
From the car park walk towards the running track and sports pavilion. Just beyond these amenities the path enters a wooded area. If you have time you may want to look in at the visitors' centre which is straight ahead.
If not turn right here onto a roadway that leads behind the pavilion.
After a few minutes walking turn left into Big Carr Wood. As the path leads upwards it forks in a little under 200m. Take the left fork across a brook and follow with the edge of the wood on your left. Leave the wood by a metal kissing gate and cross two fields to enter a lane.
Turn left and take a bridleway into the woods that cover Billinge Hill. By keeping on the bridleway you will arrive at the car park on Killiard Lane, but we suggest a detour to the top of the hill by taking any likely looking path on the right and keep ascending until the summit is reached. Views are somewhat restricted by trees but you will be able to pick out Darwen Tower to the south. Retrace your steps to the bridleway which leads onto the car park. Cross the car park to follow a footpath that crosses pastureland to put you above a disused quarry.
Here the views are particularly extensive, (so much so that you'll wonder why you were directed to scale Billinge Hill - but it is too late now!).Preston's sprawl is especially striking, while the Bowland Fells to the north impose on that skyline. As always in the east Pendle. The path descends to a corner to the left of a property and on reaching the lane turn left. Almost immediately enter woodland turning onto a public footpath on the right. This drops down gently to reach a junction of paths indicated by a signpost. Here turn right and quickly arrive at a low stile giving out onto a field. Keep ahead on the path with field boundaries where they exist on the right. After 700m you come to a lane. (Pleasington Road)
Here turn right and walk up to the right bend in the road. On the bend turn left into a drive. Where the drive forks bear left bringing you to Close Farm.
Keep to the right of the house and on entering the field beyond bear left at the end of a wall to pass through a gap.
Keep ahead with a hedge on your right. The path descends across a dip to a stile in a wall bearing left away from the hedge. After crossing a gully, which can be very muddy after wet weather, the path follows a wire fence on your right for 700m. On the other side of the fence are the steep wooded slopes of the Darwen Valley. The path drops down, past a scout hut, to river level, passing through the garden of a farmhouse.
Just before a footbridge crossing to Hoghton Bottoms, turn left along a broad track. With the river on your right follow it to a stone bridge. (Note on this stretch you will encounter two eroded gullies that will require careful negotiation)
At the bridge turn left onto a track leading gently upwards. When the trail meets a wall (boundary of Pleasington Golf Course) turn left and then cross a stile to enter broken woodland on the edge of the course. On leaving the course keep ahead to the left of a fence leading up hill.
As the path levels out keep ahead until a stile is reached that gives out onto a track in front of an imposing thatched house. You now enter a modern housing development and soon after reach Pleasington. (If refreshment is required turn right for the Butler Arms) Cross the lane and continue forward on a path that is fenced on both sides.
After crossing a sandy area, the path descends to a lane bringing you to the edge of the extensive playing fields that lead down to Witton Park.
Head for the bridge, cross it and continue with the river on your left. To reach the car park conveniently you will need to recross the river at the next bridge.
Butlers Arms
A very pleasant pub and surprisingly busy considering its location - the word has obviously traveled!
Nicely appointed with a mixture of carpets and flagstones, wood cladding, stone and wallpaper. The menu was varied and the food good - we had club sandwich and cheese sandwich.
There was a welcoming array of 4 cask ales: Jennings Tom Fool (4.0%), Theakstons Cask Mild (3.5%), Deuchars IPA (3.8%) and Camerons Castle Eden Ale (4.2%). We chose the Deuchars and very nice it was too being served in good condition and at the correct temperature. Deuchars is brewed in Scotland by Caledonian brewery. In our experience few scottish ales suit our (rather fussy) taste but this one makes up for it being a genuine light bitter but with slightly unusual but pleasant after taste.