THE wooded valley of the River Calder meanders its way through the parkland below Gawthorpe Hall, one of Lancashire’s finest Tudor houses.

It was built from 1600-1606 on a manorial site associated with the Shuttleworth family since medieval times. James Kay Shuttleworth funded the building of All Saints Church, Habergham in 1845.

Habergham Eaves was its own rural township between the growing textile towns of Padiham and Burnley and Gawthorpe Hall has Bronte connections with Charlotte Bronte regularly visiting the house in the 19th century.

The Bronte Way long distance path actually ends here having crossed the Pennines from West Yorkshire. The walk also includes a section of the Burnley Way footpath.

1. From the church follow the pavement away from the road junction past the entrance to a business centre.

Immediately after this turn left on the path signed for Cornfield Grove, this follows a track behind a school. Go straight ahead at the crossroads of tracks and follow the access to Top o’th’ Close Farm.

2. Go through the gate to the farm then turn immediately right behind it to a stile waymarked as the Bronte Way. Turn left after the stile and follow a track towards pylons.

At the next path junction fork left still following the Bronte Way and pass under the pylons. Cross further stiles to reach a white house on a lane. Turn left along the lane and follow it downhill to cross the River Calder at a wide bridleway bridge.

3. Turn left after the bridge and follow the river bank which joins a rural lane leading back in the direction of Padiham. There are views across the river to Gawthorpe Hall.

When the lane enters woodland you can leave it on the left following the waymarked Burnley Way through the Grove Lane Plantation where there are some interesting wood carvings. The path eventually rejoins the lane by a high mesh fence.

4. Turn left here along a concrete walkway with the fence on the right. Turn right along the riverbank and cross the Calder again at the nearby footbridge. Go straight up the steps on the far side of the river to join a residential avenue.

Turn right and the avenue leads to the A671 Padiham Road. Turn left along the pavement for a short distance until the lodge entrance to Gawthorpe Hall is reached. Turn left and follow the driveway to the hall straight ahead for about half a mile. Past the car park a field gate is reached from where there is a good view of the hall.

5. Turn right at the gate and walk away from the hall up an adjoining driveway marked as the Bronte Way. When it forks continue straight ahead.

The driveway crosses a cattle grid and follows a woodland track soon arriving at a park lodge on the A671 road to the right of the church.

n Nick Burton’s Guide to Lancashire Pub Walks (Countryside Books, £5.95) is available to buy now. Nick will be selling signed copies of this new walking guide at the Christmas Craft Fair in the New Inn, Clitheroe, on Saturday, November 25 from 12noon - 4pm. Come along to get a copy dedicated and signed as a unique Xmas present!