Nick Burton is your guide to a walk around White Coppice

START: Wheelton village, by the clock tower memorial, in the centre of the village just off the A674

DISTANCE: 7½ miles (allow 3-4 hours)

MAP: OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors

The countryside around White Coppice, where the West Pennine Moors end and the rolling pastures of West Lancashire begin, is great walking country. This route links the villages of Wheelton and Brinscall with the picturesque hamlet of White Coppice, with its little reservoirs and famous cricket pitch. Along the way the walk passes under a section of the disused Blackburn to Chorley railway and follows a long section of the Goit, the manmade waterway constructed in the 19th century by Liverpool Corporation to link Anglezarke and Roddlesworth Reservoirs.

1. Facing the Red Lion pub turn right following the pavement uphill to the A674 bypass. Cross this busy road with care, continuing uphill along the lane, Chapel Lane, directly opposite. Pass the vicarage on the left then Heapey church on the right. After passing the church and old school house turn first right down the signed footpath. This follows the drive downhill past houses and a good view right to Blackpool Tower. Pass a farm on the right and go through a gate/stile directly ahead. A path now goes downhill and under a viaduct of the old Blackburn to Chorley railway. Keep going straight ahead to meet a lane at a gate.

2. Cross over the T-junction and continue along the lane, Higher House Lane, directly opposite. When this starts to climb uphill turn left at the access barrier to the anglers’ car park, also waymarked as a footpath. Walk straight ahead through the car park and then along a track to another car park. Go through the gate in the right hand corner at the back of the second car park and join a path following the shoreline of a reservoir on your left. At the top end of the reservoir cross the track and continue straight ahead following the shoreline path of the upper reservoir, keeping this on the left. At the top end of this reservoir swing left crossing footbridges and a boggy field leading to the cottages at White Coppice.

3. Turn right along the lane but ignore the lane turning right at the junction. Instead go straight ahead along the lane through the hamlet. At the next lane junction continue straight ahead along the track that passes a nursery on the left and reaches the famous cricket ground. Walk straight ahead through the little car parking area around the right hand side of the cricket pitch with the pavilion on your right. Go through the gates at the top end and you reach a bridge over the Goit.

4. Do not cross the bridge but turn left to follow the well used path/cycleway alongside the Goit. Although you pass many crossing points this path along the left hand side of the waterway can be followed for the next two miles back to Brinscall village. When you reach Brinscall Lodge, a large duck pond on the left, you can leave it. This is next to the new playground behind Brinscall Baths. Turn left skirting around the corner of the lodge to reach the baths car park. Turn right along the lane to reach the village.

5. Turn left and follow the lane uphill, past the tea rooms, only as far as the war memorial at the corner of Dick Lane. Turn left and follow Dick Lane which becomes the treelined avenue to Brinscall Hall. When you reach the farm at the end of the lane turn right and go through the gate. Continue straight ahead along the tree-lined avenue that climbs gradually uphill and swings left giving a good view south to Healey Nab and Rivington Pike. At the end of the avenue join the track leading straight ahead to reach a lane.

6. Turn left along the lane following it downhill to the Dressers Arms. Take care as there is no pavement along this lane at first. Cross the A674 bypass with care.