The first half of the Trail is relatively level and can be done separately to the second half which is hilly.
Both variations start from the village stocks in
Highergate Road but please avoid parking your car on the double bend.
The stocks date from 1722 and are close to the original centre of the village, which was a crossroads called Towngate.
Huncoat Bank and War Memorial
Cross the road to the inside of the bend and turn right to go round the front of the house called Bank Terrace. At the iron railings turn left up a curving grassy slope into the recreation ground and climb the slope to the War Memorial erected in 1922. From here there is a panoramic view of the surrounding area which includes Hameldon Scouts, Darwen Tower, the Forest of Bowland, the Ribble Valley, and Pendle Hill.
The Village Centre
From the Memorial bear left and walk down the slope towards the nearest buildings where a track forms giving access into Burnley Lane.
If doing only the hill section of the trail turn right and follow the road for ½ mile to Mill Hill CP.
Otherwise turn left and cross over before the road end to reach the Peace Garden on the corner with Lowergate. Here, set in the wall is the Barroclough Datestone of 1768 together with an interpretation board. Cross Lowergate Road and take time to view the cluster of historic homesteads around the oldest surviving building Hill House. Then head back towards the stocks and turn right at the end of Pipers Row to pass between Higher Hill House and the electricity sub-station.
Spout House Woodland
Keep straight ahead along the walled path leading into the fields.
On the left is an open view over Spout House Woodland and Within Grove. Ignore the first stile on the left to reach the end of the walled path, here turn left and follow the old hedgerow down the bank. (There is a clearer footpath down the bank on the far side of the next field strip but this is not properly a right of way). At the bottom the ground is very boggy when wet. Pass the old stone squeeze stile and bear right by the fence over two small footbridges. A new stile on the left is a permissive route into the woodland and may be used as an alternative when the land is boggy. Either way there is the stream in a ditch to cross before heading up to the stiles at the throat between old woodland and new plantation.
Within Grove playing fields
Keep straight ahead and over another stile into the playing fields. Turn right along the edge of the first football field and go down the slope in the right hand corner of the field.
Turn right along the Greenway cycle track which leads straight through a housing estate on the site of the old Huncoat brickworks and Perseverance Mill. Look out for the railway signal box and turn left over the level crossing.
Clough Brook (deep wooded clough)
Once over the railway turn right through a gateway into the old pit top nature reserve.
Huncoat Colliery was founded in 1885 and closed in 1968.
Go straight ahead initially on the main path into young woodland, then bend to the left to reach 3 flights of steps winding down into the bottom of the clough to the footbridge.
Nearer Holker House (RSPCA Sanctuary)
Cross the footbridge and go up the slope opposite passing a stile near to the RSPCA Sanctuary. Turn right across some fields to make a beeline for the distant motorway footbridge.
Go over the footbridge (constructed in 1983) and you should keep to the right of way alongside the motorway fence turning left at a ruined wall leading down to the canal bridge. (There is a trampled desire line diagonally across the field).
The Leeds Liverpool Canal (opened in 1801)
Cross Clough Bank Bridge and turn right onto the canal towpath heading east, (a less steep drop onto the towpath can be found by initially turning left and doubling back under the bridge). In ¾ mile Altham Lane bridge is reached (known locally as the Rabbit Run), Go under it and carry on along the canal for another mile.
The next bridge is Shuttleworth Hall bridge (119).
Go under the old bridge and also the new one walking on the towpath for a further short stretch.
Shuttleworth House (small hall and farm)
Leave the canal at Higher Shuttleworth bridge. Turn left and cross over the bridge you have just gone under along the lane past Shuttleworth House. At the T junction by the farm turn left to the end of the lane and go over the stile to the left into the fields.
Turn slightly right diagonally towards the distant canal flyover and right of the pylon.
On reaching the canal again turn right under the motorway underpass and follow a fenced track up to the right beside the railway.
The East Lancashire Railway opened this line through Huncoat in 1848.
Castle Clough Wood (deep wooded gorge)
Turn left over the railway line at the crossing point.
Turn left in the field and enter the woodland.
Turn right and follow the marker posts along a high level path above the gorge. Ignore
stiles into fields on the right and stay in the woodland until emerging onto a tarmac road.
If doing only the flat section of the trail turn right along this road and walk ½ mile back to the stocks.
Mill Hill (old lodge, car park and picnic spot)
Otherwise cross over the road go through the car park bearing right past some picnic benches.
At far end of the picnic site take the path down to a stream and across the footbridge.
Turn right through the woodland alongside the stream to reach a gate by another footbridge.
Turn left here, through a gate and up a little bank with gorse bushes. Keep near to the gully on the left and aim for the nearest farm buildings that come into sight. On approaching the low wall with a gate keep to the right outside the wall to avoid chained up dogs in the yard. Pass between poultry sheds and the wall to reach a stile onto the main Burnley road.
Hameldon Woods
Cross Burnley Road into the woods opposite.
These woodland trails were opened in 2003 and form part of the Forest of Burnley.
Turn left at the first junction and follow the main trail climbing steadily to the top of the woodland.
Herst (rough pasture)
Go over the stile and follow the path straight ahead to gain a rutted track running across the slope.
Turn right and follow this track which shortly curves left and climbs back round towards the hill.
At a junction by a large rock and just before reaching a pond strike up the steep grassy slope to your right to
find a rising path leading to the top of a gully. Exit the gully past heaps of tumbled rocks.
Hameldon Scouts (disused stone workings)
At the top of the hill amid old stone workings a cairn on a little mound comes into sight. Before reaching this turn right along an old narrow track-bed which aims initially for the distant farm but gradually curves left to the head of a small gorge.
Windy Harbour (farm buildings)
Cross the wall stile and stream near a small waterfall and turn right along the gorge edge keeping the farm to your left. Cross a wooden stile and keep to the edge of the slope heading for the pylon at the far end. The path along here can be rough and overgrown but with use may consolidate in time. Climb over another stile near a sign "Keep Out, Quarry Workings" and turn left alongside the wall to reach a rough stony road.
The Kings Highway (ancient road)
Turn right down the stony road for 200 yards and just beyond a bend go through a gap in the wall on the left into the field. Keep left by the wall and at the next farm road (Miry Lane) turn left. Go through the gate and then immediately right over a stone wall stile, then bear diagonally left across the field over a stile in a new fence. After the next stone squeeze stile keep right initially to go round the edge of the field gradually curving left towards the next farm.
Slate Pits Farm (farm buildings)
Turn right down the farm lane keeping left when you approach the main road to cross it by the underpass. This is the Accrington Easterly Bypass which opened in 1985.
At far end of the underpass turn immediately right through a gate overlooking three small lodges.
Keep close to the fence on the right as it dips down and then up again to a stile in the right-hand corner.
The Coppice
This open land is a country park bequeathed to the Borough of Accrington in 1909.
Follow the fence alongside the motorway straight on over the summit to the front of the hill.
From here there is an aerial view of Huncoat.
Turn left along the edge of the hill top and when nearing trees keep them on the right to pass the O.S. trig column (843 feet) and derelict shelter erected by Lady Macalpine in 1911.
Aim for the monument on the end of the hill.
Peel Park
The monument is to the benefactor of the country park William Peel of Knowlmere. From this point there is an aerial view of Accrington.
Turn left keeping above the treeline to follow the main path which gradually descends.
At a major cross-paths turn down to the right through the trees. These were all planted in 1972/73.
Keep straight on down the main track which gradually descends to the park entrance beyond the bowling green.
Hillock Bank (site of an old Farm)
Go through the gate, across the spare land used as a car park for the bowling green and then bear right along the rough road between allotment pens. When the road swings left keep straight on by the fence past more pens and along a passageway which comes out at the Whitakers Arms pub. Turn left by the pub car park down to Burnley Road.
The present pub buildings date from the time of the turnpike construction in 1838.
Cross over Burnley Road and turn right past the main gate of the cemetery (opened in 1864).
Cemetery and Within Grove
Look for the footpath sign through the gap in the cemetery wall opposite to Hillock Vale Mill Shop. If you have a dog do not let it foul the cemetery. Cross the grass diagonally right to reach the driveway leading down to a cross-roads. Turn right and then look for an iron gate on the left leading to a ginnel through the houses. Turn right past the front of the shops and straight on at the cross roads along Oakhurst Avenue (between the Newsagents and the church). When the road bends right branch off straight across the top of the playing fields keeping all houses to the right.
Spout House Woodland
After the children's play ground aim for the trees ahead and go over a stile into woodland.
Turn right and follow the main track over a small bridge to the top of the woodland.
Seek out the Baptist Union foundation stones set in the high garden wall just to the right of where you emerge into the lane before turning left to follow the signed footpath round the yard of Spout House Farm.
Keep in the walled lane known as Cleggs Lane climbing behind the houses until you come back to the electricity sub-station on the corner. Turn right and the Trail ends back at the stocks.
Background and other information notes
The Huncoat Trail is a 9 mile circular walk roughly following the old parish boundaries of the historic village taking in the best of the local countryside, landscapes and viewpoints. It is not a history or heritage trail as such but does include and draw attention to things like the stocks, datestones, industrial relics, old byways and examples of architecture.
The route includes Spout House Clough, Clough Brook, the Leeds and Liverpool canal towpath, Hapton Castle Clough, Hameldon Woods, Hameldon Scouts, the Kings Highway, the Coppice, Peel Park, Hillock Vale and the original village centre of Towngate. The Trail begins by the village stocks in Highergate Road but can be split into two separate walks each of 5 miles one being relatively flat and the other more hilly.
Officially launched in September 2004 by a party of 56 walkers the Trail was created to foster a good image of the area and improve the amenity value for residents and visitors alike. A guide leaflet incorporating a map and directions to follow the Trail was published in July 2005 and during the Autumn of 2005 the way-marking was completed with distinctive engraved plates.
On 9th October 2005 the first anniversary was marked with a 'Day of Walks' when groups of villagers and local rambling clubs started a tradition which has been repeated every Autumn since.
The Trail was conceived and devised by local resident Roy Chetham. It was promoted by the Huncoat Community Forum in conjunction with the PROSPECTS Foundation and the Huncoat Area Council.
Funding was provided jointly by Lancashire County Council Green Partnership Awards (Grants for environmental action in Lancashire) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Community Chest (Hyndburn & Ribble Valley CVS/HyCEN).
Cooperation was received from the authorities of Hyndburn Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, Burnley Borough Council and United Utilities.
Devised by Roy Chetham