Whebla three

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Whebla here.

Train to Blackburn from Preston. Alight and walk near to the Cathedral and the road towards Ewood Park. Pick up the canal after 3/4 mile and the walk remains on the towpath until half a mile from Wheelton centre and the Red Lion.
The poor weather forecast did not detract from a pleasant canal walk - pools of water had to be negotiated from time to time and there were short stretches of muddy walking. But attractive gardens reaching down to the canal continued through Mill Hill, further along at Withnall Fold, the derelict paper mill and chimney stack was interesting to see with a nature reserve on the towpath side. On several bridges the rope marks could be seen from horse drawn boats. Upgrading of the towpath is being done by volunteers using crusher run with a fine silt finish. The downside was the drone of the M65 and it wasn’t until the canal went under the motorway near Riley Green that the noise faded and then ceased. Top lock, the pub, looked inviting just before Johnson’s Hilllock locks, but an hourly bus at the Red Lion in Wheelton goes near Chorley station.

The first mile of the route from Blackburn was direct but all along roads, although there were a couple of interesting buildings and structures along here. There was a tiny section of quiet road at the Wheelton end, but apart from the ends, the entire route was along the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. This was muddy in places, but we encountered some volunteers putting down gravel to improve this.
The north eastern third of the route was suburban but pleasant. The middle third was very pleasant except for traffic noise from the M65. The south western third was very nice. Near Higher Wheelton we glimpsed what we thought was a viaduct, but I later found out it is part of the Thirlmere Aqueduct bringing clean drinking water nearly 100 miles from the Lake District to Manchester.
This was an enjoyable route, but the only facilities are if you leave the canal at Feniscowles, and a nice bench just beyond there. Wheelton has a pub and café and buses to Chorley and Blackburn.

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