Marl Pits Hillside Hike / 3.12 miles/ 145m elevation change/ Easy Hike/ Dog Friendly / Family Friendly/ Not pushchair accessible/ Time to complete 1.5 – 2.5 hours
Start Location Postcode BB4 7SN (free parking is available at Marl Pits Leisure Complex and Swimming Pool)
Click the button below to download the Marl Pits Hillside Hike GPX file to your smartphone and follow by using with the ‘Footpath Route Planner‘ App. Please note you will need to download the ‘Footpath Route Planner’ App in the app store first. Once you have downloaded this app, click the button below and save the route to the app.
Welcome to this hillside hike that takes in some of fantastic moorland and woodland above, Rawtenstall and Newchurch, in the heart of the Rossendale Valley.
The walk starts and ends at the car park of the Marl Pits Leisure Complex. Leave the car park and turn left, taking the road past the rugby club and athletic track.
Follow the road, using the footpath to the right of it, as it snakes up into the woods past the rugby pitches until it starts to level out at the top. You will notice a farm track appear on your right hand side. Turn right and follow this farm track.
Follow the Farm track until it forks. Here, take the path to your left and head uphill into the woodland.
Follow the path as it snakes through the woodland to the right of the football and rugby pitches.
The path will then bend around to your left and start heading uphill. Follow the path as it ascends until you reach a fork in the path, directly after a gate.
Take the right path and follow the steps as they ascend up the valley side.
This path will bend around to the left, follow the path as it starts to emerge out of the woodland. At this point you will experience your first breath-taking view over the Valley. Take a short break here and enjoy the view, you still have a bit of a climb to go before you reach the summit of this walk.
After your short break, continue along the path, passing through the gate onto the road. Follow the road to your right, heading up the hill.
Continue up the road as it bends around to the left, passing the houses on your left, and continue up the hill. The road will then bend around to the right, continue to follow this road, Chapple Hills lane, as it continues to ascend up the valley side.
Follow this road until a driveway appears on your right hand side, with a stile leading to a footpath to the right of the driveway. Climb over the style and follow the footpath as it follows the perimeter of the house. Take extra care at this point, as the path is narrow, has an uneven surface and the vegetation is a bit overgrown.
Once you are passed the house, follow the path as it heads towards the small woodland. Here you will cross a small collapsed style and straight away the path forks. Follow the path to your left as it heads up into the woodland.
Follow the path , as it bends around to the right and heads into the woodland. Here it’s a spooky setting, especially on a dark damp day.
Continue to follow this path, as it bends to its left after a small clearing, and heads straight up the valley side. The path will then start to emerge out of the woods, and you will find a wall in front of you.
Follow the path to your right, keeping the wall on your left.
The path will emerge into a small clearing and bend around to the right. Continue to follow it and head back into the small wooded area.
Pass through the small wooded area and follow the path, keeping the wall on your left for a short distance until you see a stile in the wall to your left
Climb over the stile and enter the field. Once in the field, immediately turn left and follow the footpath, keeping the wall, then fence on your left hand side.
Continue along the path until you reach a gate with a stile to the right of it. Climb over the stile into the next field.
Continue along the path, keeping the broken fence to your left, as it bend around to the right. The path will start to descend downhill and a half collapsed wall will start to appear directly in front of you. Head towards this wall.
As you continue heading towards the wall. You will see a rusty gate to your right between the wall and a fence. Pass through this gate and head onto the farm track.
Continue for a short distance on this farm track until it forks. At the fork in the track, take the right track, keeping the fence on your right.
Continue up this track until you reach a gate with a stile next to it. Climb over the stile into the next field.
Once over the stile, you will see another stile in the fence directly in front of you. Climb over this stile into the next field.
Follow the path straight across the middle of the field, heading towards the stile in the wall at the opposite end. Once you reach the stile, climb over it into the next field.
Again, Follow the path straight across the middle of the field, heading towards the sign post at the corner of the wall.
Continue to follow the path past this signpost heading towards the stile in the fence. Once you reach the stile, climb over it into the next field.
Once over this stile follow the path straight in front of you as it descends and bends around to the right. As it bends, you will see a gate in front of you.
Pass through the gate, remembering to close it behind you, and follow the path as it ascends back up the hillside.
Follow this straight path until you reach a gate with a stile next to it. Climb over the stile and head straight through the small gate directly in front of you.
Continue along this path until you reach a gate at the end of it which will lead you onto Edge Lane.
Follow Edge Lane as it bends around to the right and follow it until you reach a junction. Follow the road to your left and continue to head down the valley side.
Continue to follow Edge Lane, down the valley side, passing the farmhouses and cottages until you reach Newchurch Road.
Turn right down Newchurch road. At this point, you are coming to the end of your walk and may want to reward yourself with a refreshing drink. With the Red Lion pub across the road, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. So why not head over for a swift drink. If you do choose to do this, please take car crossing the road.
After your refreshment stop, Head west down Newchurch road towards Rawtenstall, and follow the road for 0.3 miles until you reach the entrance to Marl Pitts on your right hand side.
Turn right into Marl Pits and you will find yourself back at the car park where you started.
Congratulations, you have completed the Marl Pitts Hillside Hike.
Did you enjoy this walk? Why not leave us a review in the comments below and share your thoughts with your fellow hikers.
Follow/Like us on our Social Channels to stay updated with our latest walks @lancashirewalks
Lancashire Walks 
Can you only download the route if you have an Apple device?
LikeLike
Sadly yes at this moment in time, the app developer is hoping to get an android version out by the end of the year
LikeLike
Thanks for the directions. I did lose my way once out of the second woods. Alot of the gates have changed or been removed now. I went over the two styles close together but then at the end of that field I went into another and was on a cliff edge and could see waterfoot. Definitely had gone too far as followed this down and round and it led me much further down new church lane..a good 15m before edge lane. This time of year it was very boggy and muddy. Would definitely do again in warmer months with my toddler son. Today’s companion was my pooch.
LikeLike
My son and I did this walk today (early May) with our dog. It’s got some steep parts and it’s what I would call an “up and down” walk with steep parts on the way to the highest part of the walk a short bit of the walk on the flat over fields and then steep down hill section. If you have a dog then there are a few fields to walk through which have lambs in this time of year. I would avoid this walk in the spring as even though our dog was on a short lead I felt we were worrying the sheep a little. Also a few stiles so if your dog needs lifting over them like ours does, then its not a walk to do on your own! We didn’t find anywhere nice to sit and have a picnic on this walk so just ate sandwiches as we walked.
LikeLike