Midge Walkers

Walk No.  143

Walk around Clayton Brook 16-02-2020

Fortunately, the adverse weather conditions of storm Dennis, forecast for Sunday the 16th didn’t materialise in our area and as such our planned walk proceeded with 17 participants and Molly the dog setting off at around 2.20p.m. from the Asda car park at Clayton Green. Using a gate at the far right-hand corner of the site, we exited into a wooded area behind the store, following a somewhat muddy stepped track down into a valley, over a footbridge, and up the other side to join a bridleway known as Cam Lane. After a short distance a large set of gates prevented us entering the drive of a very large house in elaborate grounds and somewhat wrongly labelled as Cam Lane Cottage. Research found that this unique residence, set in 3.5 acres, with far reaching views over Cuerden Valley, houses 7 reception rooms, 7 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, a leisure complex, swimming pool, snooker room and gym, with tennis courts and palm trees in the garden area. How that constitutes a cottage, I am not sure, but it has apparently recently changed hands, after being empty for some years, and extensive work seems to be underway to refurbish it.

Our route took us alongside the high perimeter wall, to follow a path down through the trees to its junction with another, where we turned to the right and continued along a single-track route, to soon arrive at another cluster of buildings under reconstruction, but these definitely were badly in need of it. Continuing past these, the track eventually emerged onto the A6 Preston Rd, where we turned left and crossed over the M65 bridge to the roundabout at Four Oaks Rd leading us into Walton Summit. On reaching the next roundabout we turned right into Tramway Lane and proceeded to the first turning on the left, which was Kellet Lane. After a while the road veered left, but we turned right into Brindle Rd, passing several properties incorporating the name “Seed Lee” in their title. Going through a gate at the top of the road we branched left along a path, which led us over a bridge crossing the M61. This path continued following the edge of the motorway slip road, past a pond, and terminated at a gate, where we stopped in the sunshine for our coffee break.

On resuming, and passing through a tunnel under the M65 and reaching the opposite side, we branched left, the road still being called Brindle Rd until it changed into Pippin St, where a couple of fairly ancient stone cottages were seen. Following a fingerpost to the right took us down a farm track and through the yard of Chesham House Farm. We were greeted with the usual pungent country smells often associated with such places and a rather large lake of brownish coloured liquid, necessitating us carefully picking our way along the edge to make further progress. One of our members, however being more adventurous thought SHE would try an alternative route, which, despite advice to the contrary, when she was almost up to her knees in the stuff, probably realised that it hadn’t been the best of ideas after all. Doubtless when our leader got her home he would point out the error of her ways.

Leaving through a metal gate and across two fields interlinked by gates, brought us to the edge of the M61, and having crossed a complex double stile arrangement, we passed through another tunnel bringing us onto Clayton Brook Rd where we turned left. Continuing to Westwood Rd, we branched right until we passed St Bede’s Primary School and Nursery on the left and the new Lidle store built on the former site of the Pines Hotel on the right Crossing the A6 Preston Rd into Clayton Green Rd we soon regained our starting point.

We had been more than fortunate with the weather and although the wind chill had probably made it feel colder than it actually was, the 4.5 mile round-trip, on predominantly flat ground had proved enjoyable to all. With the added delights of the farmyard escapades, one can only wonder if our leader found it necessary to drive home with the roof off or just with the windows open??