Snow was sweeping down and the temperature was Arctic as I left the car park early in the morning.

All along this walk I was able to see animal footprints in the snow. There are very few days when this is possible so this walks was a real bonus. I found prints of weasel, badger and roe deer.

I was now ready for a helping of cotton history, which I found at Narrowgates. Now a private residence, the old mill and the cottages built for its workers are in a wonderful time warp. A look at the nearby river will reveal traces of when the mill was water-powered and the chimney shows that steam eventually took over. The enterprise failed only when the mill became too small to compete with the huge town-based cotton mills linked first to the canal and then the railway.

The snow continued to fall as I followed the pretty riverside footpath, which was once nearly flooded as a huge reservoir was planned in the 1930s. A look at the shape of the valley shows that this was a perfect site for a reservoir so why did this not happened?

After the First World War the cotton towns were still expanding and there was a demand for more and more water. Nelson demanded a new reservoir and a new road (now the main road to Barley) plus a protective area of conifers were planted. Plans for the reservoir were approved and then came the depression of the 1930s. The plans were scrapped.

At the hamlet of Whitehough (with its camp school) the route crosses a bridge and follows a footpath with a river on the left. Look out for a swampy area which is all that is left of the Thorneyholme mill pond. The old mill is now part of the attractive farm complex which has a bed and breakfast facility. The cottages at Thorneyholme Square were built for the mill workers.

At Thorneyholme Farm turn right and right again to join the Main Road. Thorneyholme Hall in on the left and the groom’s cottage on the right and on the opposite side of the road. Until the reservoir road was built, the hall and groom’s cottage were not separated and also on the left is the old carriage house, now also private housing. Continue up hill to Thorneyholme Square on the right.

At the square look left to see the footpath to Heys Lane. This is the only original stretch of road in Pendleside which was walked by the Pendle witches in 1612 on their way to trial and execution at Lancaster. Heys Lane is still officially open to all traffic despite being replaced in the 1930s.

After the farm to the left of Heys Lane look out for old quarries on the left. If you think that one of these resembles an open air pulpit, that is just what it was. This is where non-conformists held illegal services when they literally refused to conform to strict Church of England rules during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Heys Lane passes between Boothman Wood with its recently established fishing ponds and lodges and Heys Lane plantation. This is full of dead conifer trees, originally planted as part of the reservoir plan. These are now being replaced by native deciduous trees which will look much more attractive and will attract more wildlife. I found lots of footprints in the snow including, those of the brown hare and lots of “slots”, as the footprints of roe deer are called.

Here I was very lucky as I saw three roe deer ploughing their way through a deep snow drift.

Continue along Heys Lane, passing a row of cottages to reach the Barley-to-Newchurch Road.Turn right, pass the village hall on the left and approach Barley bridge. Turn right and return to the car park complex on the left.-