To commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme this walk revisits the roadside memorial to Private James Miller, the Lancastrian from Withnell village who won the Victoria Cross when he died in the conflict in 1916.

Before the Great War he worked at the Withnell Fold paper mill. The walk also links the lost farms of Withnell Moor with the disused Feniscowles-Chorley railway line which had a station at Withnell which was actually closer to Abbey Village.

The West Pennine Moors hereabouts, in the lee of Great Hill, provide extensive views northwards to Black Combe in the Lake Distrrict and from the Ribble Estuary, Blackpool Tower, eastwards to Pendle Hill.

1. From the Hare and Hounds join the lane which starts directly opposite, signed as Dole Lane. Keep to the pavement on the right hand side and this leads gradually uphill and bends right heading for Withnell village.

Do not follow it all the way into Withnell but cross over with care and join the lane that begins on the left on the brow of the hill, signed as Twistmoor Lane.

Watch out for quarry traffic here. Follow this only for a very short distance as far as the first signed path on the left.

2. Turn left and follow this track uphill past a stately little house on the right.

Keep going straight ahead uphill and through a field gate/stile. Keep to the main sunken track that leads to the moors and provides good views over to Darwen Tower.

The track bears slightly right away from the wall and after nearly half a mile a junction of tracks is reached at a ruined stone wall. From here there are good views north.

3. Turn sharp right at this junction, following the rough path, boggy in places, with the ruined wall on the immediate left. Pass two gateposts on the left but ignore them, just keep the wall on the left to reach an old farmhouse without its roof.

Cross the stile in the fence and skirt around the farmhouse to join another track. Turn right along this to reach a field gate/stile at the end of a lane.

4. Turn right downhill here following the lane all the way to the bottom of the hill past a plantation on the left.

The lane, Well Lane, leads to a junction of roads in Brinscall village.

Continue straight ahead along the main village street passing the playground on the left. Pass Lodge Bank on the left hand side then cross over and turn first right up Withnell Fold Old Road, which begins at the corner of the shop.

This residential cul-de-sac climbs uphill and when it ends it continues straight ahead as a path between gardens.

It crosses an estate road and continues uphill to another estate road.

5. Cross the residential road and join the footpath signed pointing right that follows a farm access road. Follow this straight ahead past a farm, with a good view of Withnell Quarry over to the right on the other side of the valley.

The track eventually meets Bury Lane close to Withnell Church. Cross over and just to your left here is the roadside memorial to Private James Miller.

6. To continue the walk turn right down Bury Lane following the pavement past the houses.

Near the bottom of the hill turn left into Pleasant View, a row of terraced houses overlooking the old railway line.

Walk along the terrace and at the end a set of steep steps on the right takes you down to the railway line, turn left along these and follow the line back to the road at Abbey Village near the old Withnell station. Turn right along the main village street to return to the Hare and Hounds pub.