Nick Burton explores Darwen’s Jubilee Tower which marks Queen Victoria’s 60 years on the throne and the fight for access to the moors

  • Turn left out of the car park then left to the start of Hollinshead Terrace.
  • The little terrace row was built for the cotton mill that once stood on what is now the car park.
  • Turn right at the start of the houses to go through a gate and follow a stone track gradually uphill to another gate.
  • Continue straight ahead through the trees to the junction of tracks at the sign for Darwen Moor where the track swings left and doubles back on itself.
  • This path is known as the Stepback Path and the stream below it is known as the Stepback Brook.
  • Legend has it that Cromwell told his troops to ‘Step Back!’ here in readiness for a skirmish in Tockholes village in the valley below.
  • Swing left then take the steep steps on the right.
  • These wind up the hillside, swing right, and the track continues diagonally climbing the steep sided hillside to reach a bench and another junction of tracks.
  • Turn left along the adjoining track and follow the ridge path that soon swings right and follows the northern edge of the moor all the way to the tower, which is at first hidden from view.
  • The Tower was built from locally quarried stone in 1897.
  • It gives extensive views in all directions, particularly if you climb to the top. Including Holcombe Moor, Winter Hill, Bowland, Blackpool Tower and the Ribble Estuary.
  • Continue the walk by heading down the path on the north side of the moor towards Blackburn. Keep to the left fork and the track soon swings steeply left downhill to reach a gate at the bottom of the moor.
  • Pass through the gate then turn left through a stile/gateway, crossing a field straight ahead to join a reservoir road.
  • Turn right along this and it drops to another track in front of a stone Waterman’s Cottage built by Darwen Corporation Waterworks.
  • Turn left along this adjoining track going through a gateway. Keep to the left forking track and approximately 1/4 mile past the cottage you leave it on the right at a stile and field gate.
  • The waymarked path now leads downhill through fields, crossing two stiles, to reach the inlet (Stepback Brook again) of Earnsdale Reservoir.
  • Go through the kissing gate after crossing the little stone bridge over the brook, then turn left uphill through a field leading to the farm (Ryal Fold) at the top of the hill.
  • Cross a stile and go through a gate then turn left and follow the farm track as it swings around to reach Tockholes Road at the side of the Royal Arms pub.
  • Turn left at the road to reach the car park and the choice of refreshments at the pub and cafe.

Nick Burton’s new book, Wainwright’s Way from Blackburn to Haystacks, is priced £13.99