6th July 2020 - Boulsworth Hill
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.0 miles
Total ascent: 1917 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: The Atom, Wycoller-Wycoller Hall-Pennine Bridleway-Pot Brinks Moor-Great Saucer Stones-Boulsworth Hill-Abbot Stone-Pennine Bridleway-Lumb Laithe Farm-Lumb Spout-Alder Hurst End-Meadow Bottom Farm-Lanehouse-Boulsworth Road-Lodge Hill Farm-Wycoller Dean-Pennine Bridleway-Wycoller Hall-The Atom, Wycoller
Thank goodness I'd booked today off work, because the weekend had some quite unseasonable weather. First, grey and wet, and then, very windy with sunshine and showers. Today was an improving sort of day, with the wind having eased from yesterday, and a mixture of cloud and sunny spells, and mostly dry. I decided to stay local and have a walk up Boulsworth Hill from Wycoller. Rather than start from the main car park above the hamlet, which was shut during the height of the lockdown restrictions and may still be shut, I started from the car park for The Atom. The dry spring would now seem to be a distant memory, with the moors being back to their usual boggy self, and plenty of water in the brooks and becks, which made a visit to the waterfall of Lumb Spout worthwhile.
From the car park for the panopticon of The Atom I followed the footpath down to the ruins of Wycoller Hall, and then turned left and took the Pennine Bridleway east along the track by Wycoller Beck and above Smithy Clough. I kept on the Pennine Bridleway when it turned right and made its way southwest to cross Turnhole Clough and run above Saucer Hill Clough until it descended and reached the track to Mean Moss Farm. Here I left it behind and took to the open moor, following a path up Pot Brinks Moor to Great Saucer Stones. After a break for lunch I made my way across the moor to the trig point on the top of Boulsworth Hill. I then made my way down by the path past the Abbot Stone and back to the Pennine Bridleway, which I followed east until I reached Lumb Laithe Farm. Here I took a footpath on the left and followed it north down through fields, past the waterfall of Lumb Spout, through woodland by Trawden Brook, and up to a lane at Alder Hurst End. I walked north along this lane towards Trawden until I reached the road of Lanehouse, where I turned right and walked up this road past Lodge Moss Farm and to Lodge Hill Farm, where I took a footpath on the left and followed it east across the moor to Wycoller Dean. I then took paths down to Wycoller Beck, which I crossed by the clapper bridge, and made my way back to Wycoller Hall by the Pennine Bridleway, and from there back up the path to the car park.
Total ascent: 1917 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: The Atom, Wycoller-Wycoller Hall-Pennine Bridleway-Pot Brinks Moor-Great Saucer Stones-Boulsworth Hill-Abbot Stone-Pennine Bridleway-Lumb Laithe Farm-Lumb Spout-Alder Hurst End-Meadow Bottom Farm-Lanehouse-Boulsworth Road-Lodge Hill Farm-Wycoller Dean-Pennine Bridleway-Wycoller Hall-The Atom, Wycoller
Thank goodness I'd booked today off work, because the weekend had some quite unseasonable weather. First, grey and wet, and then, very windy with sunshine and showers. Today was an improving sort of day, with the wind having eased from yesterday, and a mixture of cloud and sunny spells, and mostly dry. I decided to stay local and have a walk up Boulsworth Hill from Wycoller. Rather than start from the main car park above the hamlet, which was shut during the height of the lockdown restrictions and may still be shut, I started from the car park for The Atom. The dry spring would now seem to be a distant memory, with the moors being back to their usual boggy self, and plenty of water in the brooks and becks, which made a visit to the waterfall of Lumb Spout worthwhile.
From the car park for the panopticon of The Atom I followed the footpath down to the ruins of Wycoller Hall, and then turned left and took the Pennine Bridleway east along the track by Wycoller Beck and above Smithy Clough. I kept on the Pennine Bridleway when it turned right and made its way southwest to cross Turnhole Clough and run above Saucer Hill Clough until it descended and reached the track to Mean Moss Farm. Here I left it behind and took to the open moor, following a path up Pot Brinks Moor to Great Saucer Stones. After a break for lunch I made my way across the moor to the trig point on the top of Boulsworth Hill. I then made my way down by the path past the Abbot Stone and back to the Pennine Bridleway, which I followed east until I reached Lumb Laithe Farm. Here I took a footpath on the left and followed it north down through fields, past the waterfall of Lumb Spout, through woodland by Trawden Brook, and up to a lane at Alder Hurst End. I walked north along this lane towards Trawden until I reached the road of Lanehouse, where I turned right and walked up this road past Lodge Moss Farm and to Lodge Hill Farm, where I took a footpath on the left and followed it east across the moor to Wycoller Dean. I then took paths down to Wycoller Beck, which I crossed by the clapper bridge, and made my way back to Wycoller Hall by the Pennine Bridleway, and from there back up the path to the car park.
Route map
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Pendle Hill in the distance from The Atom
The hillside of Fosters Leap above as I join the Pennine Bridleway
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Waterfalls on Smithy Clough Beck...
Following the Pennine Bridleway above Smithy Clough
Looking back with Pendle Hill in the distance
Looking down Wycoller Dean from the Pennine Bridleway above Turnhole Clough
Following the Pennine Bridleway west above Saucer Hill Clough
The view opens up to the distant Yorkshire Dales as I make my way up to Great Saucer Stones
My climb to Great Saucer Stones is rewarded with a great view to the north of Pendle Hill, the Forest of Trawden, and the Yorkshire Dales..
Looking east to Wolf Stones and Crow Hill
After a break, a couple of more photos of the view to the north before I move on..
The summit is just ahead from Weather Stones
Thieveley Pike and Hameldon Hill in the distance from Boulsworth Hill
The moors around Calderdale to the south
Extensive views from the trig point across to the Yorkshire Dales and Pendle Hill...
Pendle Hill from the trig point on Boulsworth Hill
The Coldwell Reservoirs and Pendle Hill from the Abbot Stone as I make my way down
and looking across the Forest of Trawden to the distant Yorkshire Dales..
Following the Pennine Bridleway east beneath Boulsworth Hill
Pendle Hill and Trawden ahead as I follow a footpath north towards Trawden Brook
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Just a short distance from the path is the waterfall of Lumb Spout. It's worth a look....
On the lane down to Trawden
Looking north to Pendle Hill and Trawden as I cross the moorland to Wycoller Dean
Late afternoon sun on the moors..
The hillside of Foster's Leap ahead as I approach Wycoller Dean
Heading down into Wycoller Dean
As I follow the path from the ruins of Wycoller Hall up to the car park for The Atom I get a view of Pendle Hill with vaccary walling in the foreground..
A fine end to the afternoon to take in the view of Pendle Hill from The Atom