Ashurst's Beacon from Parbold

East of Eccleston

Dean Wood and Ashurst's Beacon

East of Eccleston -

 

EAST OF ECCLESTON

Distance: 6 miles - Start: Eccleston Methodist Church.

This walk explores the flat fertile meadow land that lies between the Rivers Lostock and Douglas. Despite the lack of height there are some good views of the hills to the north and west to be seen. The walk also goes through or past several attractive areas of woodland which are rich in wildlife.

From Eccleston Methodist Church walk down Bradley Lane to its junction with Parr Lane then turn right. Before going any further, pause and reflect at the story behind this innocently named lane. Parr Lane was named after Doctor Richard Parr who was Rector of the local church at the time of the Civil War; he was ejected from the living by Cromwell and with the help of the Earl of Derby fled to safety in the Isle of Man, a puritan being appointed in his stead. It was not until 1660 that the situation returned to normal.

Walk along Parr Lane for about 80yds and turn left down the farm track which goes beside Bradley Hall Farm. Just beyond the farm buildings the track forks; your way lies ahead on the green way beside the wood. Where the wood ends continue downhill to cross the stream and the stile then walk up the field heading slightly left. As you breast the rise you will see the field corner ahead with some power lines crossing beyond; cross the stile that you will find in the field corner beside an old iron gate. Continue with the hedge and ditch on your right and just beyond the power lines look out for a footbridge over the ditch. Continue alongside the ditch on the other side to cross a stile then, where the ditch and hedge ends, cross the short field ahead to the bridge over the River Yarrow.

Cross the narrow field beyond and turn right along the hedge parallel with the river. In about 100 yds a stile on your left takes you to the other side of the hedge and almost immediately another one takes you back beside the river. The path now heads along the river bank, taking a short cut across the neck of a large meander, and, where the land starts to rise on your left, joins a farm track which leads you, via a stile, onto a stony track. Turn right and almost immediately right again beside the stone gateposts to go down a short path to the footbridge back over the River Yarrow. Across the bridge turn left then follow the main track round to the right and continue past Commissary's Farm to the roadway, where you turn left over the M6 motorway. The noise and frenetic activity of motorway traffic makes you long for the peace of the open countryside but it is difficult to escape round here.

Immediately beyond the bridge a track leads down beside the motorway; there is an overgrown stile at the end, turn half left here to walk beside the hedge and ditch, thankfully moving away slightly from the roar of the traffic. At the end of the field turn left along the field boundary for a few yards then right over the stile to follow a line of oak trees. Cross the stile in the fleld corner and head towards the buildings of Charnock Old Hall. Go through the gateway just before the barn, make your way round to the track and turn right to go past the farmhouse. This is the highest point of the walk, you are only 250' above sea level but the views from here are extensive. Looking back, to your left you can see Preston and the Lancashire plain and, on a good day, the fells beyond. To your right Winter Hill stands proud and nearer to hand the tower of Charnock Richard church points to the sky.

The track ends at a white cottage. Go over the stile beside it and follow the path marked out with piles of stones, this leads you straight to Dam Wood. The odd structures that you see over the fields on your right as you approach the wood are part of the Park Hall leisure complex. Inside the wood the path meanders but is easy to follow generally keeping on the right hand upper slopes of the valley. Near the end of the wood the path runs along the right hand boundary fence, close once again to the roar of motorway traffic. Cross the ladder stile into the field, the motorway signboard over the hedge tells you that the buildings ahead belong to Charnock Richard Service Station. The path however doesn't go all the way there but crosses the ladder - stile on your right and climbs over the motorway footbridge. You are now in the grounds of Park Hall where a short path takes you to a roadway and you turn left beside a lake. The road leads you alongside the woods and past a car park to the exit.

Cross the main road by the exit and a few yards to your left you will see a footpath sign which leads you right into a fleld. The way ahead is not obvious but turn half right and walk across the field roughly parallel with the line of trees on your right towards the opposite corner of the field. There is a steep banked stream running in the trees with a farm on the other side; the path stays in the meadow as the land drops away then heads right to cross a stile in the far corner of the field. Immediately over the stile look to your left for a footbridge over another stream cross it and follow the muddy path first beside the stream then up the left bank into the open field. Walk away from the hedge up the rise and look for a stile beside a galvanised metal cattle trough, cross this then follow the hedge past a pond surrounded by trees to the roadway.

Turn right along the road and immediately take the left fork through Heskin Green and at the junction opposite the Village Stores turn left towards Wigan. A footpath goes off to the right where the houses end; it runs parallel with the right hand hedge to the bottom of the field where it crosses a stile then a bridge and then another stile. It continues along the edge of the next field; the foursquare building to your right is Pyebrook Hall. At the field corner your route turns right along the track which passes close by the Hall. At the end of the track turn left along the road for 100 yds. then right over the stile into the field.
The path follows the hedge on your right across two fields, through a narrow strip of woodland and over another field to a track. The path then crosses the stile opposite but if I you haven't already been there it is worth a short detour to the right down the track to see Heskin Hall. Return to the stile and cross the meadow, heading for the open gateway slightly right, and walk on beside the beech trees of Spring Wood, a beautiful sight in the springtime. At the end of the woods the buildings of Eccleston are in sight; head for the stile beside Syd Brook and walk along the banks of the stream to cross the first footbridge. The enclosed path takes you to the main road in the village where a left turn brings you back to the Methodist Church.