Big Burnley Walk - Long Route

Start/End - Thompson Park Pavilion

1. Head into the park towards The Boat House, keeping the lake to your left. Cross the bridge and turn right following the footpath out of the park towards Bank Top.
   
   
2. Keeping the river on your right, pass under a bridge and continue to a fork in the path where a right turn will lead you under the road, with the river to your right and fence to your left.
   
   
3. Join and continue along Netherwood Road. Please be aware of traffic. There are footpaths closer to the river which we recommend strolling along.
   
   
4. Continue past the metal bridge where the road will take you over the river Don.
   
   
5. Continue slightly uphill on the road, before taking the public footpath on your right which will lead you to a small wooden bridge.
   
   
6. After you cross the bridge, keep right, and continue along the footpath towards Rowley Lake.
   
   
7. Use the footpath around the lake, keeping the lake on your right. At the far side of the lake, you will cross a small metal bridge and follow the winding footpaths gently uphill. Keep an eye out for a left turn to join the footpaths up towards the Thornton Arms on Brownside Road.
   
   
8. Turn right as you enter Brownside Road.
   
   
9. Turn left as you meet Brunshaw Road with the Spar shop on the corner. Cross over to Brunshaw Avenue.
   
   
10. Travel down Brunshaw Avenue, turning left at the first side street, where you will see green space and woodlands ahead of you.
    
    
11. Turn right and join the footpaths down into Towneley Park, to cross Park Bridge Road. Follow the footpaths alongside the river with the children’s play area on your right.
    
    
12. Cross the wooden bridge by the Rotunda café and travel up the Avenue; towards Towneley Hall.
    
    
13. Head uphill behind Towneley Hall towards Foldy’s cross exiting the park through the car park to Todmorden Road.
    
    
14. Turn right onto Todmorden Road and after 30m find a safe space to cross. You will see a footpath sign on what looks like the corner of a small road/driveway. Turn left up this road and pass through the metal gate.
    
    
15. Continue straight ahead. You will have a fenced meadow on your right and New Road on your left. Continue on this footpath until you reach a horse access stile.
    
    
16. Turn left to join Lower Timber Hill Road, before joining Moseley Road.
    
    
17. Turn left on Moseley Road and after approximately 20m, you should see Howarth Road opposite you on the bend. Cross and continue along Howarth Road where you will reach a recreational area on your left and rows of terraced houses on your right.
    
    
18. Turn left up Berry Street to join a footpath at the bottom of Healey Wood. Follow this footpath around to the right, joining Rosehill Road.
    
    
19. Turn right and continue down Rosehill Road to meet Manchester Road.
    
    
20. Safely cross Manchester Road and enter Scott Park. Make your way downhill to the bridge over the river, continuing straight ahead to exit the park onto Fern Road and join Coal Clough Lane.
    
    
21. Turn Left up Coal Clough Lane until you reach Cog Lane. Travel down Cog Lane to meet Accrington Road.
    
    
22. Cross Accrington Road, and stand facing the Woodtop Pub. Turn right and immediately left after the beer garden to follow the road down what is a continuation of Cog Lane.
    
    
23. Pass under the bridge of the trainline, before joining the canal towpath on your left. Travel along the canal for 1.5 miles.
    
    
24. Keep an eye open as you pass under a motorway bridge for a footpath on the right which is almost back and slightly uphill on yourself.
    
    
25. Take this footpath and cross the bridge onto Mollywood Lane, before turning immediately left to join the Padiham Greenway.
    
    
26. Travel along the Greenway to a crossroad in paths. Take the footpath on your right onto Knotts Lane, following the path over the bridge to join Scott Street.
    
    
27. Travel a short way along Scott Street, and you will see gates to access the Sweet Clough Greenway across the road on your right. Travel along the Greenway to Kiddrow Lane.
    
    
28. Cross Kiddrow Lane and continue through the gates directly in front of you, following the footpath round to Middlesex Avenue. Cross again and enter Lockyer Park through the gates directly ahead.
    
    
29. Take the left at the fork in the footpath, leaving the park to join Sycamore Avenue. Cross and travel up Lockyer Avenue before turning right onto Padiham Road.
    
    
30. Cross Padiham Road to travel along Watt Street and enter Ightenhill Park.
    
    
31. Taking the paths to your left, continue through the park and exit to join the corner of Ightenhill Park Lane and Ighten Road.
    
    
32. Follow the footpath down what looks like a farm track, where you will join a footpath on your right. You should now be travelling downhill with trees on your left and garden fences on your right.
    
    
33. Cross the bridge at the river Calder and turn right. Continue along the trail arriving at Crow Wood Hotel and Spa. Turn right and travel along the pavement towards the roundabout.
    
    
34. Turn right, continuing anticlockwise round the roundabout before taking another right to join Rectory Road. Turn left traveling through the underpass underneath Princess Way.
    
    
35. Turn left again, and then a right turn onto March Street. At the top of March Street turn right onto Oswald Street and then left onto Daneshouse Road.
    
    
36. As you approach the bridge which crosses the canal, to your left you will see some steps between the building and the bridge. Take the steps before turning right to join the canal towpath.
    
    
37. You will stroll along the canal towpath for approximately ¾ of a mile before taking the gate on your right back into Thompson Park to finish at the Pavilion.