18th May 2025 - Twiston Moor and Pendle Hill
Walk Details
Distance walked: 14.6 miles
Total ascent: 2391 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Downham-Springs Farm-Lower Gate-Twiston Lane-Twiston-Smithy Fold-Twiston Moor-Black Moss Road-Lower Black Moss Reservoir-Barley-Barley Fold-Newchurch in Pendle-Pendle Way-Saddlers Height-Driver Height-Spence Moor-Mearley Moor-Worston Moor-Downham Moor-Pendle Hill-Downham Moor-Pendle Road-Downham
For my walk this weekend I've decided to stay local and make the short drive across to the village of Downham. I first walked from Downham across Twiston Moor to Barley and then back across Pendle Hill in 2023, in fact I did it twice, and twice last year as well. Having really enjoyed it the first time, I made the route a little bit longer for the second occasion to make the most of the good weather that day, and stay up on the moors as much as possible. That's the route that I decided to do today, except for using some different footpaths to get from Downham to Twiston. The forecast was for another fine spring day, and that's what I got. A mixture of warm sunny spells, patchy cloud, and good visibility, although a bit of haze restricted long distance views. It's now impossible to ignore the effect that the lack of rain during spring has had on the countryside. Becks and brooks were just a trickle, even the squelchy Spence Moor had dried out, and the pool on Downham Moor is not much more than a muddy puddle.
From the car park in Downham I made my way up Main Street to the Assheton Arms, turned right along a track to pass a row of cottages, and took a public footpath from its end up a field along the edge of a wood. At the top of the field I turned right and made my way east, passing Hall Royds Wood and Hey House Farm, to take the footpath east across the top of Wooly Hill to Springs Farm. From there I took a footpath down to Twiston Beck, crossed it via a footbridge, then the footpath east up the hillside opposite, and east and south across fields to reach Twiston Lane at Lower Gate. I then made my way south along the road through Twiston, turned left and took the lane to Smithy Fold, then from the end of the lane a track up onto Twiston Moor. I then made my way south across Twiston Moor using a walled track and footpath to a stile in the wall at the southern end of the moor, which after crossing I turned right and followed the footpath to Black Moss Road. There was then a brief walk west along Black Moss Road to take a permissive path on the left 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 briefly walked south up Cross Lane to take a bridleway on the left at Bridge End, then a footpath on the right up a field to Barley Fold and along a track to Cross Lane, which I walked down into Newchurch-in-Pendle. I left Newchurch-in-Pendle by taking the Pendle Way west up onto Saddlers Height, but the trail was soon left as I kept to the moorland by following the footpath west across Driver Height, and up and across Spence Moor. From Spence Moor I made my way north, crossing the path to Ogden Clough, then taking the path across Howcroft Brook and up onto Mearley Moor. I then followed the wall north towards the Scout Cairn on the top of Worston Moor, onwards over Downham Moor and to the trig point and summit. After taking in the view I made my way back to Downham Moor to take the footpath down to Pendle Road. I then took the footpath opposite that makes its way across fields to head back to Downham.
Total ascent: 2391 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Downham-Springs Farm-Lower Gate-Twiston Lane-Twiston-Smithy Fold-Twiston Moor-Black Moss Road-Lower Black Moss Reservoir-Barley-Barley Fold-Newchurch in Pendle-Pendle Way-Saddlers Height-Driver Height-Spence Moor-Mearley Moor-Worston Moor-Downham Moor-Pendle Hill-Downham Moor-Pendle Road-Downham
For my walk this weekend I've decided to stay local and make the short drive across to the village of Downham. I first walked from Downham across Twiston Moor to Barley and then back across Pendle Hill in 2023, in fact I did it twice, and twice last year as well. Having really enjoyed it the first time, I made the route a little bit longer for the second occasion to make the most of the good weather that day, and stay up on the moors as much as possible. That's the route that I decided to do today, except for using some different footpaths to get from Downham to Twiston. The forecast was for another fine spring day, and that's what I got. A mixture of warm sunny spells, patchy cloud, and good visibility, although a bit of haze restricted long distance views. It's now impossible to ignore the effect that the lack of rain during spring has had on the countryside. Becks and brooks were just a trickle, even the squelchy Spence Moor had dried out, and the pool on Downham Moor is not much more than a muddy puddle.
From the car park in Downham I made my way up Main Street to the Assheton Arms, turned right along a track to pass a row of cottages, and took a public footpath from its end up a field along the edge of a wood. At the top of the field I turned right and made my way east, passing Hall Royds Wood and Hey House Farm, to take the footpath east across the top of Wooly Hill to Springs Farm. From there I took a footpath down to Twiston Beck, crossed it via a footbridge, then the footpath east up the hillside opposite, and east and south across fields to reach Twiston Lane at Lower Gate. I then made my way south along the road through Twiston, turned left and took the lane to Smithy Fold, then from the end of the lane a track up onto Twiston Moor. I then made my way south across Twiston Moor using a walled track and footpath to a stile in the wall at the southern end of the moor, which after crossing I turned right and followed the footpath to Black Moss Road. There was then a brief walk west along Black Moss Road to take a permissive path on the left 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 briefly walked south up Cross Lane to take a bridleway on the left at Bridge End, then a footpath on the right up a field to Barley Fold and along a track to Cross Lane, which I walked down into Newchurch-in-Pendle. I left Newchurch-in-Pendle by taking the Pendle Way west up onto Saddlers Height, but the trail was soon left as I kept to the moorland by following the footpath west across Driver Height, and up and across Spence Moor. From Spence Moor I made my way north, crossing the path to Ogden Clough, then taking the path across Howcroft Brook and up onto Mearley Moor. I then followed the wall north towards the Scout Cairn on the top of Worston Moor, onwards over Downham Moor and to the trig point and summit. After taking in the view I made my way back to Downham Moor to take the footpath down to Pendle Road. I then took the footpath opposite that makes its way across fields to head back to Downham.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Looking across to Pendle Hill as I leave Downham
The permissive footpath that I'm taking goes across this field to the right of Hall Royds Wood ahead
To my left, a view across the Ribble Valley to Waddington Fell, West Bradford Fell, and Beacon Hill
A view of Pendle Hill to my right
Approaching Springs Farm
From Springs Farm I follow a footpath down to cross Twiston Beck in Torrid Bank Wood
Looking across the valley of Ings Beck to Rimington
Views north across the Ribble Valley towards the Forest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales..
Pendle Hill ahead as I take the footpath down to Lower Gate
and Weets Hill in the distance to my left
In the hamlet of Twiston
From Twiston I walk along the lane to Smithy Fold
A field to my left gives me a view north across the Ribble Valley
As does the footpath up onto Twiston Moor
Pendle Hill ahead as I follow the track up onto the moor
There are great views to the north and northeast across the Ribble Valley to the eastern fells of the Forest of Bowland, Ingleborough and Penyghent..
..and to the moors above Settle and Malham, although there is a haze and a bit of cloud getting in the way at the moment
I take the walled track of an "occupation road" south across Twiston Moor, with views across the Ribble Valley behind me..
Pendle Hill looms large above Twiston Moor
The walled track ends and I take the footpath to the southern end of Twiston Moor and out to Black Moss Road..
After a short walk west along Black Moss Road, I then follow a footpath and track down to Lower Black Moss Reservoir
Pendle Hill from Lower Black Moss Reservoir
I walk down the track from Lower Black Moss Reservoir to Barley Lane
After a stop for lunch in Barley, I'm on the track up from Bridge End, which has a good view across to Pendle Hill
Taking the footpath up to Barley Fold
Pendle Hill from Barley Fold
Newchurch-in-Pendle as I leave it behind by taking the Pendle Way
Barley, the Black Moss Reservoirs, and Stang Top Moor from Saddlers Height
Heading west across Saddlers Height
A bit further on and Ogden Clough comes into view
and to my right, the eastern face of Pendle Hill
Following the footpath west across Driver Height
Looking back to Saddlers Height from Driver Height
Views to the southeast and south of Hoof Stones Height, Thieveley Pike, and Great Hameldon above Nelson, Burnley, and Accrington
Heading up onto Spence Moor, and the normally boggy ground here has really dried out
Taking in the view southeast to Boulsworth Hill, Hoof Stones Height, and Thieveley Pike, above Colne, Nelson, and Burnley
Crossing Spence Moor and the Forest of Bowland appears ahead...
Looking across to Black Hill and Sabden, with the West Pennine Moors in the distance
and down Howcroft Brook to the Ribble Valley
At the Clayton-le-Moors Harriers cairn at the western end of Mearley Moor
The bulk of Pendle Hill rises to the northeast
Heading north across Mearley Moor and I can make out Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales in the distance
Looking across the Ribble Valley to the Forest of Bowland
The Scout Cairn on Worston Moor ahead
The Ribble Valley below as I cross the top of Mearley Brook
At the Scout Cairn, with the Forest of Bowland in the background
Looking back to Mearley Moor
Looking back across Worston Moor as I head for Downham Moor
This pool on Downham Moor has become a favourite spot for me to stop and take photos. It's not much more than a muddy puddle today, and definitely the lowest that I've seen it.
Heading east across Downham Moor to the summit of Pendle Hill
Looking back across Downham Moor
At the trig point on the summit of Pendle Hill
Great views to the north across the Ribble Valley as I follow the path down towards Pendle Road...
Looking northeast across Twiston Moor and Rimington Moor to Weets Hill
Taking in the view looking north to Ingleborough as I head down to Pendle Road..
After crossing Pendle Road I follow the footpath back to Downham
Looking back up to Pendle Hill
Returning to Downham at the end of a lovely day