West Pennine Moors

The West Pennine Moors is an area of the Pennines covering approximately 90 square miles (230 km2) of moorland and reservoirs in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The West Pennine Moors are separated from the main Pennine range by the Irwell Valley to the east. The moorland includes Withnell, Anglezarke and Rivington Moors in the extreme west, Darwen and Turton Moors, Oswaldtwistle Moors and Holcombe Moors. These moors are lower in height than the main spine of the South Pennines. At 1,496 feet (456 m), the highest point is at Winter Hill. The area is of historical importance with archaeological evidence of human activity from Neolithic times. The area is close to urban areas, the dramatic backdrop to Bolton, Blackburn and Bury and neighbouring towns affording panoramic views across the Lancashire Plain and the Greater Manchester conurbation. The moorland is surrounded by the towns of Bolton, Chorley, Darwen, Horwich, Ramsbottom, Haslingden and Oswaldtwistle. Notable structures include Rivington Pike Tower, Winter Hill transmitting station, Peel Monument near Holcombe and the Jubilee Tower on Darwen Moor. United Utilities owns around 40% of the land for water catchment. The company operates four information centres at Rivington, Jumbles Country Park, Roddlesworth and Haslingden Grane.

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Yarnsdale

Yarnsdale is a dale or valley in Lancashire. The name is derived from the heron or hern. It contains a small sandstone quarry, also known as Cadshaw Quarry at grid reference 706.178, situated to the north west of Turton and Entwistle Reservoir in the borough of Blackburn with Darwen. It is used mainly by rock climbers and hikers who use it as a short cut between Turton Moor and the reservoir, passing the Strawbury Duck Hotel, (known for Black Sheep bitter), at Entwistle. There is a station on the East Lancashire Railway line at Entwistle. Yarnsdale contains Fairy Battery – an outcrop of rock popular with climbers. The site was the secret meeting place of non-conformist worshippers in the 17th century. Opposite the outcrop on the other side of Cadshaw Brook is a quarry complex with extensive mine caverns, now filled in. The Witton Weavers Way long-distance path passes close to the north.

Hiking Landmark

Cadshaw

Cadshaw is a village in the unitary borough of Blackburn with Darwen, in Lancashire, England.

Neighbourhood

Turton and Entwistle Reservoir

Turton and Entwistle Reservoir is a water reservoir in the village of Edgworth, Lancashire, England. The reservoir's existence is due to the Entwistle Dam. When constructed in 1832 the Entwistle Dam was the highest in Britain; it rises 108 feet from the base. The reservoir contains almost 750 thousand imperial gallons (roughly 3,400,000 litres) and, with the Wayoh Reservoir just below, satisfies around 50% of Bolton's need for drinking water. Entwistle Dam was designed by Thomas Ashworth, a local land surveyor, overseen by Jesse Hartley, the Liverpool Docks engineer. Other works were by Joseph Jackson, an engineer and surveyor from Bolton. It was built for the Commissioners of the Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, a group of local mill owners who obtained an enabling act of Parliament, the Turton and Entwistle Reservoir Act 1832 (2 & 3 Will. 4. c. xxiv) to regulate the supply of water in Bradshaw Brook for water power for the finishing textiles. Records suggest it was built entirely of puddle clay with no distinct core. Earth dams usually have a waterproof cutoff under their earthworks designed to stop seepage under the dam but it is doubtful whether there was any such a cutoff at Entwistle. The reservoir has a rock-cut outlet tunnel driven through the valley side rather than a culvert or pipeline and a siphon draw-off pipe. The dam is 108 ft high and 110 metres long at the crest. The present overflow channel and valve tower were added by the Bolton Corporation Water Works who took over the reservoir in 1864.

Hiking Landmark

Entwistle railway station

Entwistle railway station (first opened in 1848) is 5+3⁄4 miles (9.3 km) north of Bolton and serves the village of Entwistle. It is also the closest station to Edgworth. Owing to the remote location and low passenger numbers, Entwistle was a request stop for several years. After 21 May 2023, it was no longer a request stop. It is served by Northern services on the Ribble Valley line towards Blackburn and Clitheroe in England.

Train