18th May 2024 - Anglezarke Moor
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.1 miles
Total ascent: 1546 ft
OS map used: 287 - West Pennine Moors
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: White Coppice-Stronstrey Bank-Moor Road-Jepson's Gate-Lead Mines Clough-Lower Hempshaw's-Higher Hempshaw's-Hordern Pasture-Spitlers Edge-Great Hill-Drinkwaters-Heapey Moor-Edge Gate Lane-Wheelton Plantation-Lodge Bank-Old Withnells Farm-Tootals Farm-White Coppice
There's a weekend of fine spring weather forecast, with tomorrow being the better of the two days. I'm going to make the most of it by heading out for a walk on both of them, today's being relatively close to home, Anglezarke Moor in the West Pennine Moors. Although I visited Anglezarke Moor last February after a gap of nearly four years, I'd not been to the hamlet of White Coppice to start a walk from for five years, so that's where I went. I almost forgot how to get there. To make the walk a bit longer and to explore some new territory, I decided to leave the path down to White Coppice from Great Hill to head north across Heapey Moor towards Brinscall before returning south across farmland to White Coppice. After setting off from White Coppice with blue skies and sunshine, the cloud built up through the morning so that the afternoon had a mixture of cloudy spells and some sunny intervals. A haze restricted the long distance views somewhat.
From where I parked in White Coppice I walked past the cricket club ground and crossed The Goit to take the footpath south beneath Stronstrey Bank to Moor Road. I then walked up Moor Road until I reached a sharp right hand bend where I took the bridleway from Jepson's Gate down to Lead Mines Clough. After crossing Limestone Brook I followed a track east across the hillside until it reached the ruins of Lower and Higher Hempshaw's and the path up to Horden Pasture, where I stopped for lunch. The moorland stretch of the walk came next as I headed north over Spitlers Edge to Great Hill. The path west from Great Hill took me down to the ruins of Drinkwaters, then from there I followed a footpath along a track north across Heapey Moor and to the top of Edge Gate Lane. I then walked down Edge Gate Lane until I reached a footpath on the left at a bridge over Hatch Brook, which I took down through Wheelton Plantation and across The Goit to the end of the road of Lodge Bank. From here I took the track south through woodland, then from its end a footpath south across fields, passing through Old Withnells Farm and Tootals Farm, for a descent along the hillside of The Lowe to White Coppice cricket club and a return to where I'd parked my car.
Total ascent: 1546 ft
OS map used: 287 - West Pennine Moors
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: White Coppice-Stronstrey Bank-Moor Road-Jepson's Gate-Lead Mines Clough-Lower Hempshaw's-Higher Hempshaw's-Hordern Pasture-Spitlers Edge-Great Hill-Drinkwaters-Heapey Moor-Edge Gate Lane-Wheelton Plantation-Lodge Bank-Old Withnells Farm-Tootals Farm-White Coppice
There's a weekend of fine spring weather forecast, with tomorrow being the better of the two days. I'm going to make the most of it by heading out for a walk on both of them, today's being relatively close to home, Anglezarke Moor in the West Pennine Moors. Although I visited Anglezarke Moor last February after a gap of nearly four years, I'd not been to the hamlet of White Coppice to start a walk from for five years, so that's where I went. I almost forgot how to get there. To make the walk a bit longer and to explore some new territory, I decided to leave the path down to White Coppice from Great Hill to head north across Heapey Moor towards Brinscall before returning south across farmland to White Coppice. After setting off from White Coppice with blue skies and sunshine, the cloud built up through the morning so that the afternoon had a mixture of cloudy spells and some sunny intervals. A haze restricted the long distance views somewhat.
From where I parked in White Coppice I walked past the cricket club ground and crossed The Goit to take the footpath south beneath Stronstrey Bank to Moor Road. I then walked up Moor Road until I reached a sharp right hand bend where I took the bridleway from Jepson's Gate down to Lead Mines Clough. After crossing Limestone Brook I followed a track east across the hillside until it reached the ruins of Lower and Higher Hempshaw's and the path up to Horden Pasture, where I stopped for lunch. The moorland stretch of the walk came next as I headed north over Spitlers Edge to Great Hill. The path west from Great Hill took me down to the ruins of Drinkwaters, then from there I followed a footpath along a track north across Heapey Moor and to the top of Edge Gate Lane. I then walked down Edge Gate Lane until I reached a footpath on the left at a bridge over Hatch Brook, which I took down through Wheelton Plantation and across The Goit to the end of the road of Lodge Bank. From here I took the track south through woodland, then from its end a footpath south across fields, passing through Old Withnells Farm and Tootals Farm, for a descent along the hillside of The Lowe to White Coppice cricket club and a return to where I'd parked my car.
Route map
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Walking past the ground of White Coppice Cricket Club
On the path below Stronstrey Bank
Heading up Moor Road
There are great views to the west across the Lancashire countryside as I walk south along Moor Lane
Having passed through Jepson's Gate, on the bridleway to Lead Mines Clough
Having left the bridleway at a stile there's a clear enough path up the hillside to reach Pike Stones
At Pike Stones. This scheduled monument is a chambered long cairn and was once a large burial mound. I've included a link to a site with some information about it. From this altitude it commands an extensive view..
Heading down to Lead Mines Clough with Yarrow Reservoir ahead..
Crossing Limestone Brook in Lead Mines Clough
Following the track to Lower Hempshaw's
Winter Hill
Looking back to Lead Mines Clough as I reach Hordern Pasture
Winter Hill on the other side of Hordern Stoops as I take the path up onto Spitlers Edge
On the path north onto Spitlers Edge
It's a beautiful spring afternoon for being up on the moors
Turning round for a view of Winter Hill
Looking across to Holcombe Moor and Turton Heights
and across to Darwen Moor
Following the flagged path north to Great Hill..
Anglezarke Moor
The hazy outline of Pendle Hill appears in the distance to the left of Darwen Moor
Looking back to Spitlers Edge with Winter Hill in the distance as I reach Great Hill
Taking in the view from Great Hill. That from northwest round to northeast is especially good, even if the haziness is spoiling it a little. Starting with the Fylde coast, then going right to the Forest of Bowland, then Pendle Hill and finally, Darwen Moor. The broad expanses of Wheelton Moor and Withnell Moor are below...
Winter Hill in the distance across the bulk of Anglezarke Moor
Looking across the valley of Dean Black Brook to the hillside with Round Hill on it
Leaving Great Hill I take the path west down to White Coppice
Lower down and the bronze age tumulus of Round Loaf can now be made out
Looking back to the top of Great Hill as I pass through the ruins of Drinkwaters
Leaving the footpath to White Coppice I take the one to Brinscall
The footpath follows a track north across the moor
Cotton grass covered moors
Following the track north, the village of Brinscall comes into view as it heads down to the top of Edge Gate Lane...
I leave Edge Gate Lane for a footpath down through Wheelton Plantation..
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..and then take a track south from the end of the road of Lodge Bank
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From the end of the track I follow a footpath south across fields
Passing through Old Withnells Farm I spot the footpath I'm looking for next to the gate ahead
A walk south through a field, and down the side of the hill "The Lowe" brings me back to White Coppice beside the cricket ground..
I couldn't resist taking a photo of the reflections in this fishing lodge when I got back to White Coppice