8th February 2026 - The Rough and Spence Moor
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.1 miles
Total ascent: 1904 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines and 287 - West Pennine Moors
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Back Lane-Read Heights-Whins Lane-New Hall Farm-Read Heights-Readwood Farm-Withams Farm-Clerk Hill Road-The Rough-Nick of Pendle-Pendleton Moor-Deerstones-Spence Moor-Sabden Fold-Lower Lane-Old House Farm-Lowerhouses Farm-Haddings Lane-Stump Hall Road-Back Lane
With the weather this weekend not good enough to make planning a walk other than fairly close to home worthwhile, I decided to stay local and do a route that took in some of the moorland around the village of Sabden and the valley of Sabden Brook. I have done a variation of this a couple of times before, the last being nearly seven years ago in March 2019. For this occasion I used some different footpaths and bridleways for making the circuit. The bit from Trapp Lane to Readwood Farm, and then from Spence Moor down to Sabden Fold and back to the car park on Back Lane were all new to me, and keeping to them was a bit tricky in places. The forecast was for a mild and cloudy day, with the low cloud on the hills hopefully lifting and breaking into the afternoon. It proved to be accurate. Although there were a few glimpses of the sun in the morning, the cloud did lift off the hills and break up to give some more sunshine during the afternoon.
From the car park on Back Lane below Black Hill I briefly walked west along the road, then took a footpath on the left into a field, and followed it by Well Wood, across Trapp Lane, and then down through fields to Whins Lane above Read. After a walk west along Whins Lane to a left-hand bend, I took a footpath up a track on the right to New Hall Farm, then one through the wood above the farm and across a field to Back Lane. Across Back Lane I took the footpath opposite down to Readwood Farm, then from there down through woodland to a footbridge over Sabden Brook, and up through fields to Withams Farm on Whalley Road. After crossing the road I took the footpath opposite and followed it up to Clerk Hill Road, where I turned right and walked along the road to Bramley Farm and onto the bridleway to the Nick of Pendle. Once I reached a gate on the left that could let me get onto access land, I went through and made my way up to the trig point on The Rough. After a stop for lunch and to take in the view I followed the path northeast to the Nick of Pendle, crossed the road, and then made my way up across Pendleton Moor, making a short diversion to Deerstones. I then took the footpath across the top of Spence Moor, down to and through Cock Clough Plantation to Sabden Fold Farm on Lower Lane. After a brief walk south along Lower Lane I took a bridleway on the left, and followed it past Old House Farm and Lowerhouses Farm to Haddings Lane. A walk up Haddings Lane brought me to its junction Stump Hall Road, and a walk west along this took me to Back Lane and the car park below Black Hill.
Total ascent: 1904 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines and 287 - West Pennine Moors
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Back Lane-Read Heights-Whins Lane-New Hall Farm-Read Heights-Readwood Farm-Withams Farm-Clerk Hill Road-The Rough-Nick of Pendle-Pendleton Moor-Deerstones-Spence Moor-Sabden Fold-Lower Lane-Old House Farm-Lowerhouses Farm-Haddings Lane-Stump Hall Road-Back Lane
With the weather this weekend not good enough to make planning a walk other than fairly close to home worthwhile, I decided to stay local and do a route that took in some of the moorland around the village of Sabden and the valley of Sabden Brook. I have done a variation of this a couple of times before, the last being nearly seven years ago in March 2019. For this occasion I used some different footpaths and bridleways for making the circuit. The bit from Trapp Lane to Readwood Farm, and then from Spence Moor down to Sabden Fold and back to the car park on Back Lane were all new to me, and keeping to them was a bit tricky in places. The forecast was for a mild and cloudy day, with the low cloud on the hills hopefully lifting and breaking into the afternoon. It proved to be accurate. Although there were a few glimpses of the sun in the morning, the cloud did lift off the hills and break up to give some more sunshine during the afternoon.
From the car park on Back Lane below Black Hill I briefly walked west along the road, then took a footpath on the left into a field, and followed it by Well Wood, across Trapp Lane, and then down through fields to Whins Lane above Read. After a walk west along Whins Lane to a left-hand bend, I took a footpath up a track on the right to New Hall Farm, then one through the wood above the farm and across a field to Back Lane. Across Back Lane I took the footpath opposite down to Readwood Farm, then from there down through woodland to a footbridge over Sabden Brook, and up through fields to Withams Farm on Whalley Road. After crossing the road I took the footpath opposite and followed it up to Clerk Hill Road, where I turned right and walked along the road to Bramley Farm and onto the bridleway to the Nick of Pendle. Once I reached a gate on the left that could let me get onto access land, I went through and made my way up to the trig point on The Rough. After a stop for lunch and to take in the view I followed the path northeast to the Nick of Pendle, crossed the road, and then made my way up across Pendleton Moor, making a short diversion to Deerstones. I then took the footpath across the top of Spence Moor, down to and through Cock Clough Plantation to Sabden Fold Farm on Lower Lane. After a brief walk south along Lower Lane I took a bridleway on the left, and followed it past Old House Farm and Lowerhouses Farm to Haddings Lane. A walk up Haddings Lane brought me to its junction Stump Hall Road, and a walk west along this took me to Back Lane and the car park below Black Hill.
Route map
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After a short walk west from the layby on Back Lane I take a footpath along the edge of Well Wood, and then down through fields to Whins Lane above Read...
From Whins Lane I take a footpath up the track to New Hall Farm
Crossing Read Heights above New Hall Farm
Across Back Lane and on the footpath down to Readwood Farm
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A footpath from Readwood Farm takes me down through woodland to a footbridge over Sabden Brook..
After crossing the footbridge, on the footpath up to Withams Farm on Whalley Road
Across Whalley Road, and on the footpath up past Hollins Farm to Clerk Hill Road
Looking back across to Read Heights
Making my way north along Clerk Hill Road to Bramley Farm
To my right, a view south to Read Heights, and Great Hameldon in the distance
Past Bramley Farm and on the bridleway to the Nick of Pendle
Looking across the valley of Sabden Brook to Read Heights, with Great Hameldon and the West Pennine Moors in the distance as I head up onto the moorland of The Rough
As I reach the top of the moor I get a view across the Ribble Valley and Clitheroe to the Forest of Bowland..
The site of Jeppe Knave Grave
Great Hameldon and the West Pennine Moors in the distance from the trig point on The Rough
Pendle Hill and Spence Moor to the northeast
The village of Sabden below
Looking southwest to Whalley Nab and Wilpshire Moor, with the Ribble Valley on the right
and up the Ribble Valley, with Grindleton Fell and Beacon Hill on the left
Heading for the Nick of Pendle
Across the Nick of Pendle and on Pendleton Moor
Looking across the Ribble Valley to Longridge Fell, Parlick, Fair Snape Fell, Totridge, and Waddington Fell from Pendleton Moor
and back to the Nick of Pendle and The Rough
Before crossing Spence Moor I've made a short detour to Deerstones
Churn Clough Reservoir, Sabden, and the wooded Black Hill below
Looking west to The Rough and Pendleton Moor, with the Ribble Valley beyond
Looking across Pendleton Moor to the Forest of Bowland
Following the footpath from Deerstones across Spence Moor...
Great moorland colours as the sun puts in an appearance
After crossing Spence Moor I take a footpath down by Cock Clough Plantation to Sabden Fold...
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The footpath enters the woodland, and heads downhill to cross the brook at the foot of the clough..
Approaching Sabden Fold Farm on Lower Lane
After a brief walk south along Lower Lane I take a bridleway along the track to Old House Farm
Looking back to Old House Farm and Spence Moor
Lowerhouses Farm
Following the bridleway up to Haddings Lane
Looking back to Lowerhouses Farm and Spence Moor
From the top of Haddings Lane I turn right onto Stump Hall Road and follow it west..
To my left, a view across Burnley to Great Hameldon
and to my right, across the valley of Sabden Brook to Driver Height, and Saddlers Height
Making my way west along Stump Hall Road
Looking back along Stump Hall Road to shower clouds in the distance to the east
Spence Moor to the north
Not too far to go as the wood on Black Hill comes into view