Walking Maps

Aitken Wood

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Walk Description

The route through Aitken wood is moderately steep but the views of Pendle on a fine day make it all worthwhile! Much of the route is on hard surfaced tracks but some sections are un-surfaced and may become muddy in wet weather. There are several gates and kissing gates on the route but at the time of writing only one stile, at the Whitehough end of the walk. Allow up to 1.5 hours.

1. On leaving the car park, walk through the picnic area and the village.
2. Turn first right past the Methodist Church taking the track signposted private road which leads to Black Moss Reservoirs.
3. At the junction turn right and follow the path towards Black Moss Road.
4. Turn right through the kissing gate and follow the track up the hill.
5. At this point follow the way marked path down hill through the wood.
6. Pass through the Kissing Gate and follow the way marked route towards the conifer wood ahead of you.
7. Pass through the wood and continue ahead to the wall stile. Turn right and follow the track back to Barley.

About this walk

The Plantation

37 hectares (91 acres) of forest around the reservoirs were planted before 1935. Part of Whitehough forest was planted in 1901 with Sycamore trees - the remainder, planted in 1935 with Sitka Spruce, Norway Spruce and Scots Pine. Slacks Wood and Heys Lane were planted in 1900 with Beech and Sycamore. Heys Lane was replanted in 1981.

Aitken Wood bird life

In the woodland look out for common birds such as blue tits, coaltits, blackbirds and robins, whilst during the summer keep your eyes peeled for the migratory redstart in areas of broad-leaved trees, including hedgerows containing plenty trees. In the conifers listen out for the goldcrest, our smallest breeding bird, weighing only 5 or 6 grams. It has a very high-pitched trill which it uses whilst moving through the tops of the trees.

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