Midge Walkers

Walk No.  182

Kem Mill-Cuerden Valley 9-6-24  

10 of our regular members assembled on Factory Lane at Whittle le Woods. The factory has long since gone and is now replaced with high calibre housing.Today was young Jack’s chosen day to carry out his sponsored  walk supporting Christian Aid and despite mentioning his toes curling up in  his small boots, we had no doubt of his abilities. The last time we attempted this walk the weather beat us and we were rained off part way through.  

We set off at 1.50 p.m, passing through the car park to join a path between two fields and subsequently at the top of a rise, branch left through a tree lined route, emerging at the front of Lisieux Hall, formerly Crook Hall, before being acquired by the Brothers of Charity and now partially used as a Care Home. Continuing along the road to a path on the right brought us to the entrance to a former sand quarry, now being used as a refuse tip with an ever increasing mountain of rubbish. Taking a path around the external perimeter brought us to a property, Clayton Hall dated 1152, now a livery stable, and with further progress, we arrived at the estate of Clayton Spring Meadows following the road to Old Lancaster Lane.

Crossing into Shady Lane, we continued to the entrance to the Cuerden Valley Estate and followed Berkeley Drive past the Visitor’s Centre and the new Valley View Cafe to follow the path down to the bridge over the River Lostock and occupy a couple of the pick-nick benches to partake of our refreshments in the sunshine.

Following the usual photograph, we continued along the valley route to ultimately emerge on to Town Brow where we tuned right for a short distance and took a path to the left along a tarmacked, tree lined route, which led us to the site of Lower Kem Mill. The remains of this establishment, destroyed by fire in 1914, stand as a memorial to a sector of the cotton industry at one time common place in Lancashire towns.

As the skies darkened, we hastened along the track arriving back at our starting point approximately 2 ½ hours after commencing. We had covered a  distance of 5 ½ miles and as we departed, the rain started. Thats what I call precision planning and just demonstrates the lengths our leader goes, to ensure our enjoyment.