A Blog on the Landscape!: October 2025

Tuesday 14th October 2025.

To get to the start of the walk for 9.15 meant we had to get a bus to Castleton (Manchester), then the train coming from Rochdale to Bromley Cross. First the bus went passed "Not in Service" then two turned up so late that we thought we would miss the train. The train turned up 6 minutes late, which is not unusual for Northern, and all four carriages were full with only the odd seat available and many standing up. Do I miss commuting? Not a chance.

We had to stand all the way to Salford Crescent station until the majority of people got off to go to Uni. Then we were able to move down the train to meet Martin, Sue, Rick and John who had got on the train at Manchester Victoria.

Bromley Cross was quiet and we made our way through the suburbs, passed a new housing development at Toppings and onto the trail besides Eagley Brook. Eagley Brook area used to be a hive of industrial activity with Tape and Thread making at Eagley Bridge Mill and the Bleach Works. On Hough Lane Eagley Mills is now residential making use of a beautiful old building. Today the vale is a green dog walking space and very pleasant too.

The signal Box at Bromley Cross.

Today's team L-R, Me, Rick, Sheila, John, Sue and Martin.

Weir on Eagley Brook

Eagley Mills.

The route led us down an old cobbled street off Hough Lane and passed a fine old school. A little further at a sports centre an unusual sign had us wondering.

Old school building.

A few old bricks were found in the hedgerow with one of them named, "Phillipson Bolton. The brickworks was actually in Bromley Cross just north of the railway station. Now a car parking area for a round at Jumbles Reservoir. It isn't a really old brickworks, it dates from just after the First World War. Operations started in the quarry at Ousel's Nest where sandstone was used for buildings and ballast. That was between 1880 - 1914. The Phillipsons then joined the army.

They transferred to making bricks when the war ended and it is said that some prisoners of war were put to making bricks. The brickworks was operated until 1965.

Phillipson brick. Look very similar to Accrington. Quality.

Site of the brickworks. Upper centre.

We reached the Old Bleach works at Dunscar which has now been transformed as a timer merchants. The building looked in decent condition and a wrought iron fencing had the initials HH worked into it. I thought it might have something to do with the Hardcastle family who owned the works.

At the A666 we turned left for a short distance leaving the road at a splendid pair of victorian gate posts into what may have been private at one time. On the way to Horrocks Fold we passed a reservoir which is now a fishing lake. Nobody fishing today.

Un-named reservoir near Horrock's Fold.

After a short road walk and passing a field of playful donkey's, horses and sheep we came into Smithill's Open farm. They do lots of activities for children here and we took advantage of the coffee shop. At the cafe a little further on a Ferguson TE20 with a Continental Engine in it from the Standard Motor Company. It was the same engine as used in the Standard Vanguard Car. It was in a sorry state. It dates from around 1948 but the serial number plate had been removed for some reason.

Ferguson TEA 20 in dubious livery and condition.

At the cafe we found where they keep people who dislike the food.

Complaining customers? Maybe.

A John Deere in the background.

We took our time walking through the very pleasant grounds of the country park leading to Smithill's Hall. The Hall dates back to the 15th century and has been owned by numerous local wealthy families. Today it is owned by Bolton Council. It is open to the public and is worth a visit but we didn't have enough time to spare ourselves.

Front of the Hall. (Image courtesy of wikipedia)

Smithill's country park.

Crossing over Smithill's Dean Rd we walked past some stunning houses into Smithill's village. The footpath leads through woodland past some old mill ponds named Victoria Lake and Dean Brook which used to be feeders to the ponds at Halliwell Bleach works, now long gone. At a road junction at Barrow Bridge a huge chimney and grounds was passed. It is all up for sale for a fee of £300,000.

The chimney was built in 1863 by Peter Ainsworth who owned Halliwell Bleach works. The works used Chlorine Gas as part of the bleaching process. One of the earliest to do so. The chimney was shut down with the closure of the works in the 1960's. Now a local landmark and listed building.

The photograph below was from Historic England by Mr DH Swain. We tried to get a photograph ourselves but the trees closed off the view for us.

Chimney at Barrow Bridge.

Barrow Bridge had us walking a distance on the road but it is a delightful place and has won numerous best village awards. Dean Brook flows through the village and many houses have wooden drawbridge style pathways across. Many of the cottages are remnants from the days of the cotton spinning and doubling mills which were synonymous with the growth of the village since the 1820's.

The mills were demolished around 1900 but closed much earlier.

Barrow Bridge cottages, courtesy of Bolton.org.

Dean Brook at Barrow Bridge.

At the end of the village the path splits at a huge staircase with 63 steps. My knee felt everyone of them.

63 steps at Barrow Bridge.

At the top of the steps the route ascends High Shores Clough between Dean Brook and Dakin's brook. It was good to have open views of the moorland and eventually to see the highest point we would walk up to today, Winter Hill TV mast at 450 metres. The route is pleasant and somebody had planted clumps of winter Crocus's. We crossed Colliers Row Road at Walker's Fold. A small hamlet of cottages and the home of John Ormrod of Eagle Street College, Bolton. He met Walt Whitman here, an American Poet. So the plaque on the wall states.

The path starts as a good one which we followed upwards along Burnt Edge but soon becomes rocky and harsh underfoot. We took an alternative path down the escarpment through Walkers Fold Wood to handrail Dean Brook. It was a good decision as the route is far better than the rocky route higher up and we also had a visit from the sun which had been missing up to now. Some tree felling notices were around but no work was being undertaken.

We eventually rejoined the original path and stopped for a few minutes to read the information boards and to admire the sculptures and read the poetry written by a year 6 student. All excellent words.

The route continues to Holden's Farm and along the road to the well manicured Gilligants farm where after 100 metres the path turns back on itself at a wide gate and onto moorland. We picked a grassy bank here and stopped for lunch to the sound of buzzards and robin's.

Winter Hill Mast visible as a thin line on the far hillside. Click to enlarge.

Crossing Dean Brook on the alternative route.

Walkers Fold Wood

The lovely surroundings of Dean Brook.

Gilligants Farm

Our well deserved rest spot.

The next objective was to get up to Winter Hill Mast. We found the track to have been laid of York stone (or similar) across all the boggy moorland. Thanks to whoever did it because even though we have had much dry weather it was still boggy.

As we gained height the surrounding hills and towns were slowly disappearing into the misty conditions but it wasn't a problem for us locally. The top of the mast was in the gloom but we could see across to Rivington Pike.

Winter Hill Mast

On the horizon to our left the mounds or cairns known as Two Lads became part of the walk, even though it isn't on the set route it is a shame not to go there as the extra distance is negligible

Apparently the Two Lads name has been changed over the years, once being known as Wilder Lads and also Winter Lads. The oldest recorded account of them date from the 1770's but the mounds probably go back to Druid days. Click HERE for more on the cairns. I also completely missed the chance to visit the old site of the Rivington Brick and Tile works which was located just a few hundred metres from Two Lads.

Lad 1.

Lad 2.

View west from the Lads.

The steep way down from Two Lads brought us to a minor road with quite a unique coffee shop. A bit out of the way but it must do well. It's called . The cafe building used to be a Pub, originally called The Sportsman and more recently The Rivington Pike Dog Hotel kennels.

It was a shame that we couldn't stop on this occasion but we will go back soon.

A short hike from the cafe and we were back into woodland. Wilders Wood which seems quite ancient and leads through Ormsters farm which could be just as old. Then a stoney path into Shaw wood that is so picturesque with the Young River Douglas beside us. Across a footbridge was a huge staircase, the tread heights being quite high and caused my knee to complain for the first time today.

Into Wilders Wood

Ormsters farm barn

Stairway to heaven.

The Young River Douglas.

Our timing couldn't have been worse! Just as we reached the main road and Rivington and Blackrod High school, the hundreds of teenagers were being shepherded into buses and cars. It was so noisy and I don't think I've seen such a mass of people since I came out of a Man Utd match. I wouldn't be a teacher for any money.

We dodged our way through the throng and across the busy road finding solitude once more on the minor road to Jepson's Bridge. Once across the A673 we could hear the hum of the M6 motorway. At this point I knew we didn't have too far to go to get to Blackrod Station. A field, a footbridge over the railway and another field and we were sat on the platform waiting for the train to Bolton where we said our goodbye's to the others. They were going to Piccadilly Manchester and we were heading to Rochdale.