Start: Boundary Mill. From the M6 Junction join the M65. Boundary Mill is at the end of the motorway. You cannot miss it.

Summary: Distance 10k 6 miles
                  Time:  2 ½ - 3 ½ hours
                  Terrain: Mainly easy walking across farmland.

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: From the car park walk towards the main store and continue alongside the right side of the building. On the right at the rear there is a pedestrian exit. Take it and keep ahead to join a cycle path that leads behind Colne railway station

 

(another possible starting point) and then Colne Leisure Centre. On reaching the A56 Primet Hill go straight across into Bridge Street. This dips down past a playground to cross Colne Water before rising up to climb quite steeply through a residential area.

 

500m from the bridge take a public footpath on the right.

 

 Now on a farm track the views begin to open up immediately with Pendle Hill prominent to the north west.

 

On reaching Higher Knotts keep ahead to take a footpath leading past a wooden shed on the left that drops to a footbridge.

 

After crossing a pasture the path descends to a gully and then bears left through shrubs to briefly join a track.

Once in the open bear right with Height Side on the right. After crossing a stile continue to the next wall where there is a junction of footpaths.

 

 Turn left with a wall on your right. Ten minutes of steady climbing will bring you to Southfield Lane. The way ahead is to cross to a footpath diagonally opposite. However we recommend you turn sharply left over a stile and finish off the ascent of Castercliff - a modest hill of 279m but one commanding a superb view.

Returning to the lane cross to the footpath

 

and bear right from the wall to reach a stile behind Hill End farm.

 

 Follow the path as it leads to another stile and then across a large field to a squeeze stile in a wall.

After crossing a farm track leading to Sweet Clough on your left, the path enters a plantation. This leads down to the tarmac drive of Fox Clough.

 

After crossing a cattle grid walk towards the house and then take a rough grassy track to the right.

 

This leads across (eventually) to Hill Top on the edge of Trawden - 1100m away. The track is well waymarked throughout - and there are no junctions with other paths to confuse the issue.

 

When you reach the lane turn left. Now on Mire Ridge walk back towards Colne passing a burial ground on your left. 400m after the cemetery where the road bends right keep ahead on a footpath.

 

This descends through pastures to reach a track. Turn right. Where the track bends to the right keep ahead on a footpath that will bring you out by Carry Bridge on Colne Water.

 

Do not cross but take a footpath leading along the left bank of the river. At the next bridge keep ahead on a public footpath that weaves its way through the yards of a factory.

 

Once through this you may wish to continue along Green Road which will put you on Bridge Street where you can turn right and return to Boundary Mill. However a short diversion into Colne centre is recommended. Cross the river following Spring Gardens Road around below a playground.

 

Here turn left onto Exchange Street. On reaching Church Street in front of an impressively built Town Hall cross the road and turn left. Soon you will come to the memorial of Wallace Hartley the Bandmaster on the Titanic, who with his fellow musicians selflessly played on during the last hour when the ship sank in 1912.

 After a moment or two of reflection continue down hill to the leisure centre or station. 
 
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