Winter walk from Turton Tower ending at great pub with roaring fire

And the best part? There's a fantastic pub along the way with a countryside view and a roaring fire, perfect for warming yourself up at the end of all that strenous walking!

The 15th century stone pele tower was once owned by the Manchester merchant Humphrey Chetham who founded the famous library and school of music that bears his name in the city centre.

The tower stands on the wooded hillside between the moors and the valley of the Bradshaw Brook which winds its way between the 19th century reservoirs of Entwistle and Wayoh and the later (1970s) addition of Jumbles.

This walk explores a section of the valley along with Turton village and Wayoh Reservoir. There is the option of making a longer walk by completing a circuit of Wayoh Reservoir.

Look out for the heron and the darting kingfisher along the riverside path between Turton Bottoms and Jumbles.

1. Pass through the gate at the rear of the car park passing Turton Tower on the left. Go through another gateway straight ahead following a woodland path parallel to the Bolton-Blackburn railway over to the left.

The path soon reaches new houses built on the site of the old Turton train station. The path skirts right around the houses and reaches a cobbled road. Turn right along this and very soon a track forking left is reached. 

Take this and it leads up to Turton’s main street to the left of the Chetham Arms pub (and there's no rule against stopping in two pubs in one walk.)

2. Turn left through the village passing the Old School on the left. Keep to the main street beyond the village for about a quarter of a mile.

When cottages are reached on the left turn right down Embankment Road which leads through ornate gates and downhill to the dam of Wayoh Reservoir. There is the option of adding two-and-a-half miles to the walk by turning left at the dam and following the shoreline path all the way around Wayoh.

3. For the shorter route, simply follow the dam to its far side and turn right at the end to join the track that leads out by the side of the Black Bull pub to the main street between Edgworth and Turton Bottoms.

Turn right downhill following the pavement towards Turton Bottoms at the bottom of the hill. Pass the wine bar on the left and cross the road bridge over the Bradshaw Brook. Before the road starts to climb uphill again turn left down signed Vale Street. This leads past cottages to another bridge over the brook by the access to a new residential estate.

4. Turn right on the far side of the bridge and join the riverside path. Keep Bradshaw Brook on the right and follow the lovely woodland path downstream.

Follow this for nearly ½ mile until it reaches the bridge at the top end of Jumbles Reservoir. Turn right and cross this bridge. On the far side go straight ahead up the steep set of wooden steps through woodland. The path emerges in a field and skirts a pond on the right before dropping downhill to a pill box by the B road.

Go through the stile/gate and cross the road with care to the pavement on the opposite side. Turn left and walk uphill to the entrance to Turton Tower. Turn right to return to the car park on the right.