Irwell Vale - Holcombe Moor - Pilgrim's Cross - Irwell Vale

Alec Jackson

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Irwell Vale - Holcombe Moor - Pilgrim's Cross - Lumb - Irwell Vale

This route starts at Irwell Vale Railway Station and walks through the village and uphill to the edge of Helmshore. It then goes uphill to Holcombe Moor, passing an old well, a cairn erected in memory of a murdered woman and a cross erected in memory of pilgrims. Then it returns to the start point through a beech-wood and alongside and above the River Irwell and lastly along a cycleway between the river and railway, before following the river to the start point.

England - North England - Lancashire - West Pennine Moors

Features

Ancient Monument, Birds, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Moor, National Trust, River, Waterfall, Wildlife, Woodland

1/28/2021 - Simon Worrall

Walked January 2020. (The car park at Irwell Vale was closed until further notice as it it being used by the East Lancs Railway to marshall supplies for the track repairs which are being undertaken.) There is limited parking close by on the car park approach road. As referred to in previous comments there are a number of sections that will be very muddy after wet weather. NOTE - we got confused by the narrative in WP's 13 and 14. This is quite a long section of the walk down from Pilgrim's Cross and using the OS map (in the Walking World app) together with Viewranger we found the correct footpath (which is narrow and looks more like a sheep track) leading slightly upwards, off to the left towards some rocks above and around the base of Harcles Hill to WP14. However the ditch referred to in WP14, has, it would appear been infilled with gritstone so isn't evident as you descend the main footpath down from Pilgrim's Cross. The path over the moor towards WP14 is indistinct in places so our GPS and compass proved useful on this section as we encountered low cloud hiding Peel Tower as a reference point.

3/16/2017 - Mark Brookfield

I agree totally with Guy Besley about avoiding the stile at section 20. Stubbins Wood is National Trust and really lovely, especially the splash pools and waterfall lower down.

8/12/2015 - Geoffrey Robertshaw

This was a great walk. We had lovely weather, saw a Train on the East Lancashire Railway and saw lots of other interesting things as well. We took a detour at Ellen Stranger's Cairn to take in the Trigpoint at Bull Hill. Fantastic views all day long. Well done Alec

9/28/2014 - Guy Besley

Nice walk and well described, but very boggy over stone style at section 20 on map. Would recommend turning left along road at 17 then over style and down through Stubbins woods to pick up path at 21.

7/21/2014 - Norman Brannick

Completed this walk 21st July 2014. This was a cracking walk, I made it more interesting by combining it with walk ID 549, which made for a more challenging day out. There were no issues with directions on both walks, apart from the grading of walk 549 'Easy Walk' which may give the impression it is suitable for anyone who might not be as able bodied as myself, in particular WM 11 & 12 which was quite a steep climb on the cobbled road, however still a good walk..