12th January 2025 - Twiston Moor and Pendle Hill
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.4 miles
Total ascent: 2126 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Downham-Hecklin Farm-Ravensholme Farm-Brownlow Farm-Black Moss Road-Lower Black Moss Reservoir-Barley-Lower Ogden Reservoir-Upper Ogden Reservoir-Pendle Way-Pendle Hill-Downham Moor-Worston Moor-Burst Clough-West Lane-Downham
Today is the last day of the spell of cold weather. It's already milder than yesterday with just a light frost this morning and I expect the cover of snow will become increasingly soft during the day. I decided to head to Downham in the Ribble Valley, and do a walk from there across Twiston Moor to Barley and then back across Pendle Hill. It's one that I've done several times, with variations of how I get to the top of Pendle Hill and back to Downham. Given the shortness of the day I took a quicker way of getting from Downham to Barley than I had before, using some footpaths that I hadn't used before, and I didn't take the long way back across Pendle Hill either. The forecast was for a fine winter's day, but cloudier, breezier and less cold than yesterday. I set off from Downham with some blue skies and Pendle Hill free of cloud. This persisted through the morning, but by the time that I reached Barley it had become dull and overcast with low cloud. The return to Downham from Barley via Pendle Hill was done in thick hill fog until I reached Worston Moor, when it cleared to give some great views across the Ribble Valley. By now the snow was really soft and I did some of the descent from Worston Moor on my backside rather than waiting to slip and fall.
From the car park in Downham I made my way to Pendle Road and then along Town End Road to take a footpath southeast across fields, passing Clay House to reach Lane Head just below Pendle Road. A footpath east from there was then followed across fields, passing Hollin's Farm, Hecklin Farm, and Ravensolme Farm to reach Brownlow Farm, from where a footpath took me up to the road down to Twiston from Four Lane Ends. After a visit to the western end of Twiston Moor via Coolham I walked south along the road to Four Lane Ends and turned left to walk east along Black Moss Road. At the first left hand bend I took a permissive path on the right down to Lower Black Moss Reservoir, and from there I walked down a track from the reservoir to the village of Barley. After a break for lunch in Barley I took the bridleway up the lane to Lower Ogden Reservoir, then the track up to Upper Ogden Reservoir to take the Pendle Way up Boar Clough, and to the trig point on the summit of Pendle Hill. From the trig point I made my way north to the gate in the wall onto Downham Moor, and then west across the moor to a gate which I went through onto Worston Moor. I walked southwest across the moor past the circular shelter to reach the Scout Cairn, which was my cue to head down. A path traverses the side of the hill and down by Burst Clough to reach the road end by Angram Green. I then walked north and east along West Lane back to Downham.
Total ascent: 2126 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Downham-Hecklin Farm-Ravensholme Farm-Brownlow Farm-Black Moss Road-Lower Black Moss Reservoir-Barley-Lower Ogden Reservoir-Upper Ogden Reservoir-Pendle Way-Pendle Hill-Downham Moor-Worston Moor-Burst Clough-West Lane-Downham
Today is the last day of the spell of cold weather. It's already milder than yesterday with just a light frost this morning and I expect the cover of snow will become increasingly soft during the day. I decided to head to Downham in the Ribble Valley, and do a walk from there across Twiston Moor to Barley and then back across Pendle Hill. It's one that I've done several times, with variations of how I get to the top of Pendle Hill and back to Downham. Given the shortness of the day I took a quicker way of getting from Downham to Barley than I had before, using some footpaths that I hadn't used before, and I didn't take the long way back across Pendle Hill either. The forecast was for a fine winter's day, but cloudier, breezier and less cold than yesterday. I set off from Downham with some blue skies and Pendle Hill free of cloud. This persisted through the morning, but by the time that I reached Barley it had become dull and overcast with low cloud. The return to Downham from Barley via Pendle Hill was done in thick hill fog until I reached Worston Moor, when it cleared to give some great views across the Ribble Valley. By now the snow was really soft and I did some of the descent from Worston Moor on my backside rather than waiting to slip and fall.
From the car park in Downham I made my way to Pendle Road and then along Town End Road to take a footpath southeast across fields, passing Clay House to reach Lane Head just below Pendle Road. A footpath east from there was then followed across fields, passing Hollin's Farm, Hecklin Farm, and Ravensolme Farm to reach Brownlow Farm, from where a footpath took me up to the road down to Twiston from Four Lane Ends. After a visit to the western end of Twiston Moor via Coolham I walked south along the road to Four Lane Ends and turned left to walk east along Black Moss Road. At the first left hand bend I took a permissive path on the right down to Lower Black Moss Reservoir, and from there I walked down a track from the reservoir to the village of Barley. After a break for lunch in Barley I took the bridleway up the lane to Lower Ogden Reservoir, then the track up to Upper Ogden Reservoir to take the Pendle Way up Boar Clough, and to the trig point on the summit of Pendle Hill. From the trig point I made my way north to the gate in the wall onto Downham Moor, and then west across the moor to a gate which I went through onto Worston Moor. I walked southwest across the moor past the circular shelter to reach the Scout Cairn, which was my cue to head down. A path traverses the side of the hill and down by Burst Clough to reach the road end by Angram Green. I then walked north and east along West Lane back to Downham.
Route map
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A snowy winter's morning in Downham. Not as cold as yesterday though.
Leaving Downham I take the footpath southeast across fields next to Pendle Road..
Looking back across the Ribble Valley to Grindleton Fell
Following the footpath uphill towards Hollin's Farm
Passing Hollin's Farm
and Hecklin Farm
Pendle Hill above
Passing another farm. This time, Ravensholme Farm.
Views across the snow covered Pendle countryside..
Heading down to cross the brook below Brownlow Farm
Before I do, looking back across the valley of Pendle Hill Brook to Ravensholme Farm
The snow is soft underfoot as I follow the footpath from Brownlow Farm up to the road to Twiston
Looking back across the Ribble Valley to Grindleton Fell
The final couple of fields to cross to reach the road to Twiston. The footpath meets the road to the left of the building ahead.
To my right I have a great view across to Pendle Hill..
Heading up the track to Coolham and the western end of Twiston Moor
Looking back across to Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill from the western end of Twiston Moor above Coolham. Low cloud is quickly surrounding it.
Stang Top Moor ahead as I walk south along Black Moss Road
Following the track down to Lower Black Moss Reservoir from Black Moss Road
By Lower Black Moss Reservoir
Making my way down into Barley, where I'll stop for lunch at The Cabin
Reflections in Lower Ogden Reservoir..
..and Upper Ogden Reservoir
Making my way up Ogden Clough
Really poor visibility as I follow the Pendle Way up Boar Clough
At the trig point on Pendle Hill. It only appeared out of the gloom when I was nearly next to it.
Deep snow as I cross the wall onto Downham Moor
It seems brighter as I head west through the fog on Downham Moor
The fog briefly clears as a couple pass me going the other way
The sun tries to break through
No need to use the gate to cross onto Worston Moor
After crossing onto Worston Moor the cloud clears and I have a view across the Ribble Valley
Making my way across Worston Moor to the Scout Cairn..
Leaving Worston Moor via the path down to Burst Clough
Looking back to the Scout Cairn
Heading down and the cloud begins to clear
The effort of getting up here is rewarded with fantastic views of the low winter sun shining across the Ribble Valley as make my way down.....
A rosy pink light on the snow covered hillside
The snow is very soft underfoot as I follow the path down to Burst Clough
Looking back to Worston Moor
The sun disappears for good. That thirty minutes of sunshine while coming down off Worston Moor was the highlight of the day.
The final descent down towards West Lane
The northern slopes of Pendle Hill from West Lane
Back in Downham in the last of the light