Holme Chapel to Todmorden
Approx 15 km (4 hours)
I started out from my nearest rail station (Burley Park) at 0947. I just and no more caught a connection to Todmorden which got me there just before 11.00. It’s a short walk to the bus station, where I found a 592 about to leave at 11.10 and I was standing by the roadside at Holme Chapel by around 11.30, for the price of the concession rail ticket (35p). The Pennine Bridleway sign was visible just down the road from the bus shelter. There was an engaging looking hostelry in Holme Chapel, but it was well before opening time!
The Pennine Bridleway is well signposted from the village. It runs close to the railway line for a bit, then takes off gently. At A be careful to take the diversion round the farmyard as the dogs are very big! Soon after, the path gains height and at a point where there is an excellent view of Burnley, you will find a memorial to Lady Mary Towneley, who was responsible for promoting the creation of the Pennine Bridleway. The next stretch takes you parallel to Easden Clough. There is a slight drop as you skirt Cow Side Farm (B) then the track brings you close to the A671 road, where a sign will tell you that there is permissive access to Easden Clough as it is part of the Burnley Forest, a community woodland development which you will find scattered around Burnley at various locations.
Continue alongside the road to the point where the bridleway crosses the A671 at a safe point. Here you can digress to look at Clough Bottom reservoir by sticking to the slightly circuitous bridleway (the safe route) or by cutting across the Access land more directly. However, note that this bit of land is called Bent Hill Rough – and it is! If you find tussocky moorgrass too exhausting to walk on, stick to the Bridleway. The woods round Clough Bottom Reservoir are sheltered and nicely laid out with a nature walk. Lunch spots abound.
Go back to the main route at the road crossing and you will see a bridleway taking off up the fieldside onto Deerplay Moor (C). This forms part of the Burnley Way. When I walked it I was astonished to find a prominently labelled Ladies loo beside the wall! Just along the path I found that it (and a Gents a discreet distance away) had been provided for sheep shearers, so it may not be there permanently. The bridleway climbs gradually up Thieveley Pike, where there are fine views over a vast area of countryside. I looked for the Beacon marked as an antiquity, but failed to find any convincing relics.
The bridleway follows the ridge of the hill more or less, but then drops down just before Heald Moor (D). At this point a footpath should keep straight on. I found it a little difficult to trace and strayed into some tiring moorgrass, so keep an eye open at this point. There are old mine workings visible at Heald Moor, but your path line should be well above them.
I stuck to the route of the Burnley Way and headed for Portsmouth, though you could take any route you want on this Access Land (but remember the grass warning!). I thought I might cross to the other side of the valley, but then changed my mind and changed direction (E) where I hit the Green’s Clough track. There is no prospect of cutting across this deep clough. I had intended to work my way back to the woods above Portsmouth, but I failed to find the footpath leading along the East side of the clough, and decided instead to take the easy route and make for the end of Flower Scar Road (F). I was interested to see if it was being misused by off-roaders, as I had found on an earlier visit. I was pleased to find that the Rossendale end of the road was gated to prevent four-wheeled vehicles from using the road, though a couple of bikers were hanging around suspiciously. There is now an informative display panel about the road and its history. I followed it all the way to its Calderdale end. There is another gate near the old mine workings (G), but this stretch is still besmirched by fly-tipping. At the Calderdale end of the road, where it meets Tower Causeway, there is no gate (I have sent a query to Calderdale about this).
The route takes to the roads now, and continues along Parkin Lane. The hostelry symbol on my map at Sourhall (H) suggested a quenching draught, but I fear the estate agents have taken this pub over. The road now commences a precipitous descent to Todmorden and brings you into the town at a point conveniently close to the railway station, where you should not have too long to spend before you catch a train back to Leeds.
