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ROCHDALE CANAL

A walk that presents interest to both canal enthusiasts and industrial archaeologists and takes in some wild Pennine scenery.
1:25 000 South Pennines Outdoor Leisure Map. Approx. 5 miles

Directions to walk: Park in Hollins Road. Walsden (GR934221). If approaching on the A6033 Todmorden to Rochdale road. Hollins Road is about 0.7 miles after the A681 Bacup road forks off to the right. Opposite the prefabricated Walsden Library on the right is a road signposted Lumbutts and Mankinholes. This is Hollins Road.

1. Walk up Hollins Road to the canal bridge. Just prior to it a ginnel on the left gives admittance to the towpath. Turn right along it. Accompany the towpath for about a mile and a quarter until you come to a little stone bridge in open country with the ramparts of Warland high up on the left on the other side of the canal. Cross the bridge and take the path sloping to the right on the left of a wall. This bears left to a gate at the top corner of the field. Cross this and accompany the wall along into a short ginnel leading to a road. Cross straight over and continue on the road leading uphill. The Water Board "No admittance" notice by a gate concerns motor vehicles only. The macadam ends at a large redbrick waterworks building. However, keep on the track which bears right past a farm, through a blue gate and on up the hill.
2. When you arrive at the foot of the reservoir embankment, leave the track and climb the embankment by a narrow path slanting to the left. At the top turn left along the track beside Warland Reservoir.
3. You are now on the Pennine Way. Continue on this track past the end of the reservoir and to one side a culvert. Where the track bends right, leave the Pennine Way and proceed left on a clear path along the left bank of a large ditch. In due time this path bears left and then right to take you along the embankment of Gaddings Reservoir.
4. At the far corner take the good path dropping half-left. Follow it down. Presently, after crossing a causeyed path the path develops into a broad track and curves right down to a wall. Turn left along the top side of the wall.
5. Then go right into a walled-lane leading to a large farm. Shortly before the farm, where the lane is split-level and, cross a stile in the fence across the lane. Directly beyond this is a stile on the left, cross it and follow the wall on your left to the remains of a stile in the corner. Continue down the hillside to a gateway on the left. Go through it and across the field to a stile by a gate. Stay on the old track until to reach a stile by buildings. Pass between the house and the barn and go right then left on the track. At the T-junction by the poplars, turn left and at the main road go left to cross the canal bridge and find the car.
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