Alone Beneath The Sky: Egerton to Darwen 17/10/15

10.3 miles, via Cheetham Close, Entwistle Reservoir, Darwen Moor & Sunnyhurst Wood.

So back to the West Pennines, with the intent to get in the conclusion to my Summer break, even though the temperatures and skies of the high season have retreated into the past, and I travel with an uncertain heart, believing that I should be down in Leicester after my Dad suffered a fall last weekend, with him now being admitted to hospital for observation and assessment. My Mum is entirely content for me to have this pre-planned weekend away though, so off we go to enjoy some fresh miles with My Sister, just the two of us on this occasion as Dr G and the girls are off doing cyclocross, which appeals to them much more than wandering, and I couldn't really blame them as the skies hang heavy. Away from Egerton at 10.40 am by the United Reformed church to strike a different path up to Cox Green Road, and once we hit the path to New Butterworth's farm, you could be forgiven for thinking we might be cutting a path towards Ramsbottom again. No, we are taking a sharp turn left as the moorland walk starts to get serious, heading up to the top of Cheetham Close, the hill which divides the Eagley and Bradshaw brooks and provides some rather sticky going as a fresh panorama is presented, another perspective gained on this corner of Lancashire. Only a 329m top, but worth it, before the muddy and slightly puzzling descent sends us down in the direction of Green Arms Road and the path in the direction of Entwistle reservoir, soon back into familiar territory as we hit the level path on the southern side. It's as about as different as it could be from the last time I came this way though, the water level being right up to path in February '14 but many feet below us on this occasion, indicating that 2015 might not have been as wet as we thought it was.

At the top of the reservoir, my sister had been thinking about taking the path up through Yarrowdale, but I guess that the path rising steeply up through the plantation to the left is the quicker route over to the A666 and she defers to the man with the map, soon crossing over the main road and hitting the rising track that sets course for the heart of Turton Moor. This is an odd track though, one which sets off with purpose, but eventually peters out having not reached any destination, so a path needs to be made across Cadshaw Brook to the sounder path to the north and despite there being three indicated paths crossing it, we cannot seem to find any of them and burn a good 40 minutes farting around in the long grass trying to find the way over, eventually doubling back to the lowest of the three, a substantial bridge that simply cannot be seen from the path above. So the main path, part of the Witton Weavers Way is met, taking us on towards the middle of Darwen Moor to the north, with My Sister vowing to not let me navigate again when we walk in territory familiar to her, and its a good path, following the stream as moorland takes over on all corners, no views down on any side. Just as we start to approach the western edge, a rougher path splits eastwards, for muddier going as we press on to gain views down the other side, descending to the clough of Duckshaw brook but not continuing down towards Darwen, instead cutting across on a recently built up cycleway back towards the western side.

Beyond the many shooting hides, we finally get sight of our ultimate destination, Darwen Jubliee Tower, and a scoot around the north western edge gives us a plethora of familiar aspects from the holiday season, and I'm glad I didn't try to include this ascent on the coastal trek, as these extra metres would have been too many. Still, above the town, the tower of 1887 stands, a popular point for locals who have fires in their souls, a healthy 372m up, and last seen when I came up here on a very cold day several Christmases ago. It's too brisk to linger despite the quality of the view, taking the rapidly descending path down towards Sunnyhurst, a much more challenging route than you would find in most country parks, and its outside the pub that the C2C path is stitched onto my West Pennine wanderings, heading into the Sunnyhurst Wood and taking the descending path down stream this time. It's an odd sort of park, wild in its upper stretches and rather Victorian and manicured in its lower portion, not the sort of place I would anticipate meeting a bandstand and ornamental bridges, but the Olde English Tea Rooms seems like a sensible destination, though it has such an odd arrangement of access and ordering that we both conclude that drinks elsewhere would be a better option. So on to the bottom of the park and out on the path to Earnsdale Road and down among the terraces to Blackburn Road, emerging by St Cuthbert's Church, some way north of the town centre, and despite it being only 3.20 pm, the shadows are already lengthening and the idea of seeking out the Mediterranean cafe in the town are put aside, with us both favouring a ride on the bus back to Egerton, where all folks to arrive at the same time, with everyone bringing a fresh achievement home with them.

5,000 Miles Cumulative Total: 1981.2 miles
2015 Cumulative Total: 579 miles
Up Country Total: 1821.5 miles
Solo Total: 1758.9 miles