Kirklees Valley Trail

Overview

Prior to the industrial revolution, the Kirklees valley in Bury contained a water-powered corn mill but little other development.

Typical of the valleys of south east Lancashire, Kirklees Brook was a focus for water power-based industrial development in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was also attractive to the water-hungry industries of bleaching, dyeing and printing. By 1850 there were eight factories between Greenmount and Woodhill.

The 20th Century saw the decline of valley constrained enterprises and nature colonising their remains. Whilet Bury’s Kirklees valley has always had wildlife value, the industrial remains, particularly the lodges (former industrial poinds) and stonework have allowed a more diverse range of habitats to develop, to the extent that much of the valley is now a Site of Biological Importance.

This booklet takes you on a 4-mile tour of the valley, starting at Tottington bus terminus, describing the points of interest to be found along the way. The points are located on a map on the inside back cover. Parts of the route are steep and un-surfaced, so boots are advised. You are also advised not to stray from marked paths as some of the remains are hazardous.

Accessibility and facilities

While the full circular walk described in the leaflet is not suitable for wheelchair-and pushchair-users, the reclaimed railway line from Bury to Tottington to Greenmount forms part of National Cycle Network Route 6. As such, it is fully surfaced, level, and therefore accessible for a wide range of users. Click here to see NCN Route 6 on an interactive map.

There is a friendly tea room with toilets (open Monday to Saturday) in Tottington Centre (the library building) near the walk start. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Kirklees Country Café is open (from 10am to 2pm at the time of writing). There are other pubs and cafes in Tottington and in Bury town centre.

How to get there

To work out how to get to and from the walk start point, simply click the Google Maps link below. Then click ‘Directions’ and enter your postcode or location in the relevant field. For public transport options, click on the train icon.

Alternatively, input the postcodes below into the TFGM journey planner at https://my.tfgm.com/#/planner/