Rimington

Here’s a frequently used observation I share with fellow Dotcom Walkers. “Take a picture of this beautiful scene and ask someone to guess where in England it has been taken. Very few will guess Lancashire.” The following walk is a case in point which is a delightfully scenic exploration of the area to the south of Rimington.
pasting

 

Start/Finish: small layby immediately south of Bustards Farm on the approach to Rimington from Chatburn BB7 4DS
 

Fact file:

Distance: 7 miles

Time: 3 - 4 ½ hours

Summary: Although the gradients are never steep the first half of the walk involves an ascent of over 500ft - so not quite strenuous.
Map: OS OL41 Forest of Bowland

 

 Map by kind permission of Johnston Press

Directions:

1. At the back of the layby cross a stile bearing right heading more or less south

 

to pick up

 

a waymark post. After a wooden kissing gate close to the end of a track cross the next field to a stile in a fence. Maintaining this course go to a stile partly hidden by hawthorn in the next field (or go through a nearby gate to its right) and then follow the direction of a waymark post over a rise, across a wooden stile to drop into a wooded valley.

 

Cross Ings Brook over a wooden footbridge

 

and then follow a path than enters the steep side valley formed by Twiston Beck. Keep on this path

 

as it passes through pastures to arrive at Twiston Mill.

 

2. Turn right on Twiston Lane.

 

After 150yds turn left through a wooden gate

 

and then go over a footbridge. Climb up to a wooden gate on the left and go through it still climbing alongside the fence/hedge to the next corner. Here turn left onto a green lane. At the next corner turn right by a waymark post with Downham's shield displayed on top. Follow the path as it edges along the pasture

 

with a fence to the right and in the next field turn left climbing to the top of a spur

 

to pick up a path leading towards Hecklin Farm. After crossing a wall near the top of the hill the path descends keeping to the right of the main complex. Now in wall country (as opposed to fences) follow a series of stone markers

 

which bring you behind the farm (from your line of approach)

 

to cross its drive in the direction of Raven's Holme as seen on a stone marker more elaborate than the rest. After a stone stile continue climbing

 

to edge around Raven's Holme and then descend to a footbridge

 

in a steep sided valley. After crossing this climb up to an isolated field barn.

 

Another footbridge on the left is crossed just after the barn with the path going up steeply to the stone farmhouse of Brownlow. Turn right and cross a stile in a fence and following the side of the valley cross two fields

 

to arrive on Twiston Road.

3. Now in the very shadow of Pendle with Big End looming above you the walk will take on an entirely different character as you cross first Twiston Moor and then Rimington Moor. Turn right as you reach the road and then left onto the track

 

leading to Coolham Farm.

 

As you reach the farm bear right onto a track

 

bringing you to a wall corner. The path goes alongside a wall end

 

to a squeeze stile on the left but it will be simpler to use the gate. Now with the wall to your right bear left slightly to angle away from it to reach a stile leading onto a green lane. After just under 300yds turn right onto a path

 

that weaves its way through sedge grass alongside a wooded valley. After a ladder stile pass through young oak trees to drop steeply to a brook and then climb to another ladder stile.

 

With a wall to the left cross the broad expanse of Rimington Moor

 

to arrive at a path junction in slightly under ½ mile.

 

Turn left over the wall and following a grassy path

 

descend to a broad farm track close to a plantation.

 

4. In case you hadn't realised it you have commenced the long descent back to the village. Turn left on the track to pass through the pristine farmyard of Higher Gills. Keep ahead through a metal gate and then cross to a wooden one. Through this bear right to the far corner of the field crossing a stile to follow the footpath alongside hedgerow

 

for over ½ mile to intercept a lane leading towards Twiston. Before you reach the road the path levels out and after a footbridge climbs the rise to a wooded stretch of the lane. Turn left.

 

In 100yds turn right onto a path

 

that leads to the farm complex called Hollins. As you reach the buildings cross a drive to join a path alongside the edge of pasture. At a wooden gate go right and stay on the path as it contours alongside Tewit Hill (surmounted by a utility building) and then continues to Stopper Lane. At the lane turn left for Rimington. After houses on the left a footpath will cut a corner to put you in the village.