| Walk: | White Coppice, Solomon's Temple, Roddlesworth Reservoirs, Darwen Tower, Hollinshead Hall, Great Hill | ||
| Start Point: | White Coppice cricket ground car park | Grid Ref: | SD 619 190 |
| Distance: | 12.5 miles | Ascent: | 1,750 feet |
| Weather: | A cold, crisp and sunny day | ||
| Comments: | With a cold, dry day forecast I decided on a visit to Darwen (Jubilee) Tower to check out the new dome that had been put in place. I took one of the usual routes to Solomon's Temple then tried out some different paths through Tockholes Plantation. Passing above Earnsdale Reservoir I soon reached the Tower but was unable to get a closer view of the new dome as the entrance to the Tower was barred. After making my way across Darwen Moor and down to the ruins of Hollinshead Hall I took the track to Adam's Delf to ascend Great Hill. This track was initially very muddy due to the passage of large machinery but it gradually improved. The cross shelter on Great Hill is in the process of being improved but work seems to have come to a stop. It was then an easy walk back down to White Coppice. | ||
Scroll down to see photos of the walk
Alongside the River Goit
Icy track on Wheelton Moor
Solomon's Temple
An icy Rake Brook Reservoir
An argument seemed to be going on from the noise these geese were making
No fishing today - they are hiding under the covering of ice
An icy bridge takes me across Rive Roddlesworth
Darwen Tower, a grade II listed building, first erected in 1897 to commemorate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria
The original dome, made from wood, blew off in high winds in 1947 and was replaced by a fibreglass top in 1971, which blew off in high winds in November 2010.
A new dome, made from powder-coated stainless steel, was put in place on Friday 13th January 2012
Unfortunately the entrance to the tower was barred on my visit
It looks more like a bright autumn day than the middle of winter
Hollinshead Hall
The repairs don't seem to be making any progress as nothing has changed since my last visit in December