Distance: 5 ½ miles 9k
Grade: Mainly easy with a few short climbs
Map by kind permission of Johnston Press
Directions:1. Leave the car park passing the useful little building (toilets) with Jumbles Reservoir on your left. After passing the Information Centre
follow a broad track
that hugs the shoreline passing through a pleasantly wooded area as you proceed northwards.
After half a mile the track reaches the end of the reservoir with a wide footbridge on the left
crossing Bradshaw Brook. Keep ahead to enter steep-sided and wooded Bradshaw Valley.
As the route comes close to the settlement of Turton Bottoms
it crosses the stream by a cobbled bridge and then a short distance ahead forks right to re-cross it
over a packhorse bridge. As you reach a cobbled area bear right to pass Printer's Court a row of attractive cottages
and then turn left onto a footpath. You reach a lane which bears left,
and then turn right towards a modern and luxurious housing development.
Bear right to join a track and then at a wooden gate turn left
up a flight of stone steps to climb to a rise just below an isolated mill chimney, a remnant of the Old Russia Lodge Mill and one of the few mill chimneys in the area not knocked down by Fred Dibnah. Go left through a gate and follow the path to enter pasture
above a pair of mill lodges on the left. Climb to a wooden gate to the left of a tall conifer and then follow the path to a metal kissing gate before dropping down to a footbridge. Cross this and turn right following a stream up to an elaborate weir.
Turn left and left again, climbing steeply through woods
to reach a kissing gate leading onto a track opposite the imposing Barlow Institute. Turn left and soon after enter a field.
Skirting the wall to the right pass through a wooden kissing gate on a narrow path. Keep to it as it turns right passing by cottages
to put you on Bolton Road.
At the Black Bull turn right onto a footpath. This leads down to the end of Wayoh Reservoir.
Turn left to cross the dam.
At the far side continue on the reservoir's service road. This leads first to Embankment Road and then Greens Arms Road on the edge of Chapeltown. Turn left and walk into the village. At the Chetham Arms turn right to follow a track
leading downhill to a level crossing
over the Blackburn-Bolton railway line. Cross and keeping left of an ultra-modern development take a footpath into pasture. Keeping to the wall on the left
climb to arrive at a gate leading onto a broad track. Turn left.
Now on the Witton Weavers Way (The Warpers Trail), in 300yds the track meets a lane. Here bear left as it takes you over the railway by means of castellated bridge.
This decorative feature was insisted by the landowner when the Blackburn to Bolton line was constructed in 1848. The lane beyond drops down to Chapletown Road (B6391) passing Turton Tower on your left.
This was originally built in the 15th century as a pele tower. Over the years changes and additions have created the fine country house you see today.
onto a footpath close to a World War II pillbox. The path climbs at first, then soon drops through woodland to arrive at Jumbles Reservoir. Before the broad footbridge (passed on the far side near the start of the walk)
turn right on a path following the shore to your left. The route passes a small reservoir on the right to reach a car parking area for the sailing club.
From here turn left over a footbridge to join a broad track.
Keep ahead
until a wooden fence on the left signals the start of properties
which are on Grange Road. After passing Grange Manor on the left take the second footpath on the left
which takes you into Ousel Nest Meadows. Follow the path as it drops to below the dam end of Jumbles Reservoir
to a green painted footbridge.
On the far side climb steeply through trees to arrive at the starting point.