Midge Walkers

Walk No.  146

Healey Nab -3rd October 2021.

Following a week that had been nothing but rain, it was no surprise that Sunday the 3rd started in the same vein. While the enthusiastic marathon participants still trotted around the London streets, 7 of our number and Molly the dog, met at Cross Hill Lane off Eaves Lane in Chorley, suitably dressed for the occasion, setting off at 2.15p.m. We had undertaken this scenic walk twice previously, September 2018 and February 2011 and couldn’t help but notice some major differences with regard to the property adjacent to our meeting point. The Shepherds Rest Pub had disappeared, as had the Stagecoach garage on Eaves Lane.

Moving down the Lane and over the canal bridge, we branched right into Cross Hall Fold and immediately veered left, to take a muddy path behind the properties and enter a field with the canal to our right. Continuing across the field and over a dilapidated stile, and along a hedgerow with the M61 to our left, brought us into a second field occupied by cows and a bull, all of which were suitably distracted and pretty much ignored us. Another stile gave us access from the field to a bridge over the motorway, with yet another at the other side allowing us to enter Bibby’s Farm, which is a Scout campsite for the Bolton District. The latest occupants were in the process of packing up, it being noted that the dampness certainly hadn’t subdued their enthusiasm.

Exiting the site along the main drive, we could view the masts of Winter Hill ahead and turning left into Back Lane, we continued passing several farm conversions, until arriving at a lane on the left pointing us to Kays Farm and Heath Fold Farm. Taking an outer perimeter track around these properties, the bridleway led us up a gentle incline, to arrive at a Nab Hill Memorial Forest where we found a suitable bench and stopped for our coffee break.

Regaining our feet, we left the site and took a stony track upwards, learning that back in the 1960’s, in the construction of the M61, by excavating this hill to a depth of 30ft and removing some 2 and a half million tons of rock, the height had been reduced, to now stand at 683ft. Stopping at a cairn on the summit, we took in the expansive views extending over Chorley to the coast. Unfortunately, today the views were shrouded with mist, somewhat obliterating their visibility. From here the route was all downhill, through the trees, ultimately culminating in a stile leading into a field, where we angled left.

At the bottom of the field a former mill lodge glistened in the sunshine, which had been with us on and off for some time. Taking a route around the end of the water led us down some steps to emerge at the side of Lower Heapey Business Park onto Froom St. Proceeding over the motorway bridge we turned left to follow the canal bank and return to our starting point at just before 5.00p.m., having covered a distance of 4.5 miles.

We were thankful to have avoided any really adverse weather and also thankful that despite the forecast, at least some had turned up to take advantage of what really was a very nice picturesque walk.