Fairy Glen

Harrock Hill and Fairy Glen from Parbold -

HARROCK HILL & FAIRY GLEN from PARBOLD

Distance: 7 miles. - Start: Parbold Station.

This walk takes us up the side of the Upholland ridge, passing by Hunter's Hill quarry, before reaching the top at Harrock Hill.. We then follow the ridge south over High Moor to Parbold Hill and cone down the delightful Fairy Glen, returning to Parbold along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

From the station walk along The Common past the parade of shops then turn right to go up Tanhouse Lane. At the top cross the main road, go through the white gates beside the school and up the track. Cross over the stile at the top and walk up the field with the hedge on your left. After about 250 yds. the hedge falls away to the field corner, cut across to meet the field corner which juts out. From there the hedge falls away again, cut across as before but keep your eyes open for a footbridge in the hedge which takes you over the brook. From the other side, slightly right, you will see a clump of trees surrounding a pond in the middle of the field; the footpath makes to the top right-hand corner of these.
Wher1 you reach the trees make for the stile that you will see on the horizon straight ahead. Continue in the same direction over this stile heading for another clump of trees surrounding a pond. The stile onto Stony lane lies behind these trees but most of the year cattle congregating by the stile make it a very messy job to reach it; an alternative is to skirt round the left of the trees and climb over the fence onto the roadway.

Turn right up Stony Lane. There is a footpath just before the houses on your left but, except in very dry weather, it can get very muddy, a better bet is to walk a little further. up the roadway and take the stile on your left just past "Swallows Nest". As you cross the stile, way over on the opposite side of the field, you will see a patch of gorse with an electricity supply pole rising above, that is your target; the path crosses the wall via a stile just to the left of it. The stile takes you onto a path running along the top of the wall, turn downhill and follow the path almost to the boulders marking the entrance to Hunter's Hill quarry. Just before the boulders turn sharp right back on yourself and follow the track around the left side of the quarry.

It is many years since the quarry was worked and the locals make good use of the site; it is criss-crossed with a network of paths. As the path climbs superb views of the Lancashire plain open up on your left; on a good day you should be able to see the Lake District. The upper quarry is often used for scrambling by motor cyclists.

The path eventually emerges onto Bannister Lane near the top of Hunter's Hill where you turn left; yes it is downhill but it is in a good cause! Continue down the hill skirting the grounds of Harrock Hall. The Hall had already been the home of the Rigbye family for four generations, in 1567 one member, Colonel Alexander Rigbye was a Commander in Cromwell's Army.
Turn right into Jackson's Lane and, after about 400yds., turn right beside a grassy island with a footpath sign in the middle and walk up the drive. A wall appears to bar your way in front of the house but to the left you will find a stone stile which takes you into the farmyard. The track leads to a stile beside a gate beyond which is a sunken pathway up the side of' Harrock Hill. Another stile partway up takes you to the other side of the fence. At the corner of the wood a ladder stile crosses the wall on the left. and immediately over this a stile on the right takes you between the wood and the wall. It is worth taking the 50yd. detour, on the left where the wood ends, to the top of Harrock Hill; the old mill has a charm of' its own while the views are magnificent .

Return to the path beside the wall and follow it over a stile on your right beside a rusty gate. The path goes along the fence to the field corner then turns right in front of a wood it turns left after the stile at. the end of the wood and follows a fence to cross another stile in the field corner. The sunken pathway is very overgrown and most people walk on top of the bank to the left. As you climb the rise you will see a radio mast and an underground reservoir ahead. your path turns right in front of the metal fence around the reservoir and goes between two fences. Walk on downhill along the well defined path to the stile giving onto the drive of Harrock Hall Farm and turn left.

The drive meets the road beside the High Moor restaurant, turn right for 200yds. and take the broad track on the left. Keep straight along this, it soon turns into a footpath. In a short while it turns slightly right in front of a pond and some trees then almost immediately left over a stile to go round the top of the pond. Walk towards the hedge coming in from the right and turn half right to follow the right hand side of it. In about 500yds. you will pass an open barn, the path crosses to the left side of the hedge and leads to the A5209 just below the Wiggin Tree restaurant Turn left here.

Parbold Hall lies across the road; the view that you see does not do it justice since this is the rear. The track to Fairy Glen goes off to the right in about 500yds., it follows the top edge of the woodland initially and inviting glimpses are obtained below. As soon as you see a white cottage look out for a stile and some steps on your left, these lead to the valley floor and the sparkling but strangely named Sprodley Brook. It really is an enchanting place, especially in springtime and well deserves the name Fairy Glen.

At the bottom of the steps take the path down the right side of the brook. Do not cross the first bridge but take the second and continue down the valley. Cross back again over the third bridge and follow the fence on your left up the bank to cross a stile into a field.

As you stand on the stile, over the brow ahead you will see the top of a large oak tree, head in that direction and cross the stile to the right of it. Look ahead again to see a band of conifers; you will find another stile by the right corner of these, climb over it and immediately turn half left over yet another stile to go between fences and reach a roadway This roadway was used to transport vast amounts of Manchester's rubbish to the old quarry on Parbold Hill; the quarry is now full and presumably the roadway is redundant. At the moment the filled quarry looks raw and ugly; sour smells waft up from it but time is a great healer and one day perhaps...

Across the road the path dodges between the fencing panels and heads down besides a fence to cross a stile and enters a narrow patch of woodland. It climbs up the opposite bank to emerge beside some houses. Follow the drive past the front of the houses and turn left at the junction to cross first the railway then the canal. Turn right along the towpath on the far side of the canal heading back towards Parbold.

It is worth taking a short detour at bridge 39 to see the site of the old Douglas Chapel; turn left off the towpath, through the farmyard and at the rear you will find a stone with a cross marking the spot. Return to the towpath and follow it under the main road. Shortly afterwards the canal turns sharp left, notice the short leg on the right. When the canal was being constructed the original plan was to go to the Ribble valley by a route passing Mawdesley and Eccleston but the builders ran out of funds, All that remains of the original plan is the short stop at Parbold. Leave the towpath at the next bridge beside the old windmill and turn right along the road back towards the centre of the village and your starting point.