Click the links to see brief videos of the commemoration event in Chatterton. Turn the speaker on! Chatterton Band 1 Chatterton Band 2
View or print the walk leaflets for the West Pennine Way by clicking Walk Leaflets.
A set of these A3-size leaflets can be obtained by sending a self-addressed envelope with 2 first-class stamps on it to the address shown below. The envelope needs to be 22cm by 11cm.
Christine Taylor
c/o Greenmount Old School,
Brandlesholme Road,
Greenmount,
Bury BL8 4DS.
VILLAGE LINK
To view the Village Link website and its walks, click the Village Link logo.
PILGRIMS' WAY
Follow the route of the Pilgrims 
from Whalley to Manchester.
For detailed information on this walk click
Pilgrims' Way
or click the picture.
Walk Reports
Wednesday 27 May 2026
Third of Nine Circular Walks to Complete the West Pennine Way – Belmont to Rivington
Twelve walkers set off from San Marino’s car park in Belmont on a lovely sunny day with a welcoming breeze. We crossed the man road and ascended Winter Hill along the West Pennine Way, admiring the wonderful views. On reaching the broadcasting transmitter we turned left, pausing at the memorials before we followed the paving stones to our left across Smithills Moor and the steep ascent up to the reservoir.
Reservoir Rivington Moor
We kept the reservoir to our left as we walked alongside its southern edge before turning right and descending steeply through the woods and out onto the road. We turned right and had our coffee stop at the stone marking the 1896 trespass to reclaim the right of way over Winter Hill.
coffee stop
We diverged slightly from the original West Pennine Way route as the Wilders Wood path is closed and instead walked along the road past Gilligant’s Farm. We continued following the West Pennine Way marked route, bearing left on the path at Holdens Farm, crossing the footbridge and ascending gradually up to Two Lads, two cairns thought to be the site of ancient burial mounds. After admiring the view before us we made the steep and tricky descent to Pike Cottage. We turned right on the stony track before ascending Rivington Pike. We did not linger at the tower in the wind but admired the views before we made our way down the steps and back onto the track which we followed right before bearing left to enter Rivington Gardens where we had our lunch on the shaded rocks by the fountain overlooking the Italian Lake.
Lunch
After lunch we continued to the Pigeon Tower.
Pigeon Tower
This marked the end of the current section of the West Pennine Way. We made our way back by turning left onto the track and following the main higher track (Belmont Road) skirting the edge of Rivington Moor with Winter Hill now on our right. On reaching Rivington Road we turned right before crossing the stile on our left to follow the path bearing right as it ascended Hoar Stones Brow, overlooking the road below us to our right as we headed back towards Belmont. Upon reaching Rivington Road again, we turned left then right at the main road to continue the gradual ascent back to the car park having completed a thoroughly enjoyable, varied and quite challenging twelve mile walk further enhanced by being able to have admired the views in the lovely weather.
Friday Evening walk 22nd May 2026
Jumbles, Kingfisher Trail
It was a beautiful spring evening for this walk with48 people taking part. Starting from the Jumbles Car
Park on the Kingfisher Trail, following the Bradshaw Brook, after crossing the main Harwood to Bolton Road we continued on the Kingfisher Trail through Bolton’s arboretum. We were very pleased that the ‘Handkerchief’ tree was still out in full bloom.
Leaving Jumbles
Kingfisher Trail
Handkerchief Tree Bolton Arboretum
We were disgusted at the state of a field and the amount of litter left by travellers who had camped there before Bolton Council could evict them. At least they hadn’t damaged or taken the beautiful metal bench with the shape of animals cut into the back rest.
The bench
Crossing the first metal footbridge we left the Kingfisher trail and went up the steps to the main road near Canon Slade School.
Crossing Eagley Brook
Back to Jumbles
Continuing up the Road just after the school, then across the Bolton to Blackburn railway, before following a country lane down to an abandoned mill lodge. We walked along one side of the lodge before dropping down to the Eagley Brook, from where we returned to the Jumbles Car Park via Bromley Cross and Shady Lane.
Friday 15th May 2026
Come Walking Series of Walks, Clarence Park & Chesham Woods.
Thirty six walkers started this evenings walk at the Lido in Clarence Park and made their way into Chesham Woods, which is actually made up of six cojoined woods.
The start of the walk at the Lido
Entering the woods
Split leaf beech tree
Paying the toll
One of the many bridges
The happy wanderers
View of Peel Tower
Back to the Lido along Greymont Road having covered 3.5 miles
Monday 11th May 2026
First of the Village Link Circular Walks.
As is usual the walk began from Greenmount Old School where thirty walkers crossed Brandlesholme Road and joined the start of the Kirklees Trail. The walk is part of the Village Link route, which states in their website:
Kirklees Trail
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If you wish to visit the website, either use the link from our website or go to, village-link.com..
We continued down the trail to Shepherd Street, where we turned left and walked to Tower Farm, now called Tower Court. The distinctive building, that is undergoing repair work. It was built in 1840 by Joshua Knowles as a stables and barn.
Tower Court
After turning right at the tower, we crossed the footbridge, over Kirklees Brook, and continued past several old mill lodges until we reached the bottom of Kirklees Street. Here we stopped to view the Wishing Stone, a remnant of the mill, before turning left and heading down to the footbridge, where we turned right just before the bridge.
The Wishing Stone
On reaching the top of a steep slope we turned right thought the woods and headed back to the Kirklees Trail. After walking for a short distance, we right turn into Greenhalgh Lane, which we followed to Tottington Road. Once across the road to walked along Wash Lane to the Bolholt. At the end of the lane, we turned right and made our way through the fields the Owlerbarrow and once across the road we followed the route into Walshaw and the end of this section of the Village Link.
Heading to Kirklees Trail
Walshaw
After enjoying our morning coffee stop, in the Memorial Gardens, we turned right down Bank Street and joined a narrow footpath, at the bottom of the road, and made our way through the picturesque fields, that are destined to become a housing estate of some twelve hundred houses.
Coffee stop
Potential housing estate
At the end of the path, we turned right on Scobell Street and crossed Tottington Road and made our way back onto the Kirklees Trail, where we turned left and headed back to Greenmount, having covered 6.5 healthy miles.
Back to Greenmount