Colne 

Another route from Boundary Mill to pass the time while your partner goes shopping! 

Start. Boundary Mill Stores BB8 9NW
 

Distance: 5 miles 8k

Time: 2 ½ - 3½ hours
 

Grade: Moderate. Mainly easy walking but with two sustained ascents.

Map: OS OL21 The South Pennines

 

 

Map by kind permission of Johnston Press 

Directions:

1. From the front of the store turn left and using footways and pedestrian crossings make your way down the left side of the car park towards the entrance. Here turn left onto a public footpath which takes you through a residential area to Greenfield Road.

 

Turn right. As the road bends left keep ahead on a cycle route. This soon brings you onto a dual carriageway. Using the pedestrian crossing cross to a continuation of the cycle route but soon bear left into Greenfield Road Local Nature Reserve.

 

Follow the path to the far side. As you leave the reserve turn right to follow a lane past houses to soon after reach a corner below the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

 

Join the canal and turn right passing below three bridges in quick succession each representing a different era. Pass the first lock but at the second cross over a bridge

 

and follow a path through a field to its left corner. Here go through a gate to a residential area.

 

2. At the first junction turn right into Grange Avenue and then access a footpath clearly marked after the first bend. This path crosses several fields in a more or less straight line (parallel to the canal to your right) to reach a road on a bend.

 

Turn left and then immediately right onto a footpath. Follow the wall on the right

 

but after the first field cross a pair of stiles to continue the line of travel with the wall on the left. When you enter a field with a farmhouse to the right locate a stile in the hedgerow ahead to descend to a sunken lane. Turn left. Now starts a long climb. After a footbridge he path narrows. Keep on it to a corner in front of the Cross Gaits Inn.

 

Turn right at the corner to follow a path that goes alongside Barnoldswick Road.

 

After crossing the drive of New House Farm keep on the path to reach a small gate. Through this turn right and go through a metal gate.

 

The path follows the hedge on the left round the corner of the field to a stile in the fence. Over this descend sharply to a brook and climb the steps to a lane

 

in front of a large property on the far side. Cross the lane pass the front of the house and pass through its yard.

 

After two fields the path bends to the right and after a stile continues to the right side of a farmhouse.

 

Turn left in front it to reach a stile

 

leading into a tree covered track. Follow this the way upgrades itself past another farm. At the junction

 

turn right to gently descend a little over 150 yds to another junction.

 

3. Just before Sand Hall on the right turn right on a footpath that soon brings you at Slipper Hill Reservoir. Follow the shore of the reservoir

 

to where steps lead down to a stile by a metal gate. Through the gate turn left onto a lane and after crossing a track turn right onto a path

 

leading into fields. Another sustained climb follows. Aim at first for a fence corner and then with the fence on your left keep climbing negotiating marshy ground to a stile in a wall. Across this climb the final brow to a stile in a fence. Turn around for one of the great views of Lancashire and that means one of the great views of the world. From the brow drop to a stile in the field corner to Red Lane. Cross to a drive way at the handsome lodge

 

and follow the cycle route that soon brings you to Alkincoates Park. As you descend on the cycle path keep ahead to a circular space which has the shield of the Parker Family (which once owned Alkincoates) marked in the centre. Bear right from here to reach a path that follows edge of properties

 

to arrive on the line of the old Skipton to Colne Railway. Turn left onto it. After passing below Barrowford Road

 

this emerges onto Vivary Way opposite Boundary Mill. Cross with care.