TPW 3 – MITTON BRIDGE to BARLEY

1. Keep straight on past the hall and down the road to cross Mitton Bridge.

2. Immediately past the Aspinall Erms a kissing-gate points the way upstream.

3. The thin path follows the field edge to the far end, deflected by a wooded bank above the river.

4. A further field-side and kissing-gate lead on to a footbridge over a beck, to then enter a large riverside pasture.

5. Bear left across to the small waterworks building from where a grassy track runs upstream to a shapely aqueduct.

6. Continue upstream on a broad track which leads to Shuttleworth Farm.

7. Pass left of the buildings to follow the drive out past several houses – including the curiously named Fishes and Peggy Hill – and continue upstream beneath the well screened local refuse site.

8. The river here disappears in a great bow, backed by the tree-cloaked eastern end of Longridge Fell.

9. Our road heads straight on, absorbing the tip road.

10. Just past the lone Mill House here, a popular path slips into the trees on the left, following the beck upstream to escape the tip wagons.

11. It rejoins the road at a stone arched bridge.

12. Just beyond, turn left along the drive towards Siddows Farm.

13. At the early fork, go right a few yards then take a kissing-gate on the left, crossing a small field to one at the far corner.

14. From here a path slants down to the river, which is followed upstream to Edisford Bridge.

15. Join the road and turn right towards Clitheroe town centre.

16. Turn right along Lancaster Drive (opposite the imposing church of St Pauls’ at Low Moor).

17. Continue on as Garnett Road to a crossroads at the end.

18. Cross and resume along Mytton View to meet Kemple View, where a tall footbridge crosses the railway.

19. Across the bridge, a snicket heads away to join a rough road alongside Primrose Mill, and thence onto Woone Lane.

20. Turn right passing a sizeable millpond on the left.

21. As the road swings sharp left, now as Primrose Road, turn right along a rough road after the mill to enter the yard at Lower Standen.

22. After the house turn left along the access road out onto the A671.

23. Go right just 50 yards after Lower Standen, and cross to a stile and gate opposite.

24. Head away with the hedge, on through successive kissing-gates to enter an extensive tract of Standen Hall’s parkland.

25. Maintain the same line across the centre to join an enclosed cart track.

26. Go right on this which leads pleasantly out to a road junction.

27. Cross straight over along the short-lived road onto the A56 Clitheroe bypass.

28. Cross with care and escape along the side road to Pendleton.

29. Keep on to the head of the village, to just short of a small green by the little church.

30. Just before the church bear right on a cart track, leading to a pair of gates by an old building that was once more than a basic barn.

31. From the stile by the right-hand gate head up the long field, close to the tree lined stream on the right.

32. Passing through some curious hollows to a footbridge on the beck is reached.

33. Across it, slant up to the hedge above, and follow it left until reaching a stile in it.

34. Cross the short field top to a stile then turn uphill again, an old hawthorn hedge leading along to the farm at Wymondhouses.

35. From a wall-stile pass to the left of the house and head up the rough pasture behind.

36. An old way slants up to a stile in a gateway in the wall above.

37. The stile accesses an old sunken way, which shadows the wall uphill across the grassy moor.

38. At the top it rises to a wall junction, and from the stile/gate it continues up a final pasture to swing left to emerge at a gate onto the crest of the Sabden road at the Nick of Pendle.

39. Go right a few yards and cross to the broad track directly opposite.

40. This heads of firmly and decisively along the crest of the broad moorland ridge.

41. This moorland track links ancient Bronze Age sites, one being the scrappy pile of stones which we climb to on Apronfull Hill.

42. After a few near-level minutes from Apronfull Hill, a green track branches off right for Deerstones, contouring round to a stile/gate in the sturdy ascending wall.

43. Across it, a concession path offers an alternative route by simply remaining with the wall. Preferably, head directly away on the slender but clear footpath running a level, embanked course to arrive above the edge of Deerstones.

44. The path now scales the gentle edge to quickly reach the highest point of the edge.

45. The way ahead involves a slight descent, aiming for a prominent ladder-stile on the skyline eastwards. (An unofficial alternative is to simply cross directly to join the wallside concession path, just yards away.)

46. From the stile a path heads directly away across Spence Moor, initially rather moist. It soon picks up and enjoys a fine march.

47. On the brow of the summit of the moor, and indeed the summit of the entire Trans-Pennine Way, is reached at a fairly unexceptional 1509ft/460m.

48. The path begins its descent by angling down to the wall, where a ladder-stile awaits.

49. From it descend a less appealing section, keeping left of a reedy line alongside a long crumbling wall.

50. There is no complete escape from the mire here until reaching, with relief, a stile by a gate at the bottom.

51. Head away to the left on a clear path contouring across the sloping moor.

52. The path leads to a stile in an intervening fence and an old wall on Driver Height, and continues in similar fashion to an identical arrangement a little further.

53. This time turn left down its near side, or to avoid some initially marshy moments, perhaps a little before it.

54. Either way, moisture is sure to be encountered as Ogden Clough is fully revealed below, featuring the higher, more dramatically sited of its two reservoirs.

55. At the bottom a stile gives access to the grassy embankment of Upper Ogden Reservoir, completed in 1906.

56. Across it, join a firm access track and turn right.

57. An uncomplicated walk leads out into Barley village passing en route along the length of Lower Ogden Reservoir, opened eight years after its higher neighbour.

58. On emerging, go left a few yards along the village street.