THIS walk links the hills and valleys of mediaeval Pendle Forest, a secretive district forever linked with 17th century witchcraft. The villages of Barley, Newchurch and Roughlee were once plagued by superstition and odd tales of local witches like Old Demdike, Chattox and Alice Nutter.

They were all taken to Lancaster Castle and hung after an infamous trial. A mysterious atmosphere still pervades the valley below brooding Pendle Hill and every Halloween night a torchlight procession traditionally climbs up the steep end of the hill from Barley village.

The witches have now spawned a local tourist industry and we pass the gift shop at Newchurch -- only a stone's throw away from the village church where witches were accused of robbing graves.

DISTANCE: 5 miles

START: Barley information centre car park (O.S. Grid Ref: 823403). This is clearly signposted in the centre of the village and is alongside the bridge on the south side of the village. There is also toilets and a riverside picnic area. Barley village is situated on a minor lane a few miles directly north of the A6068 between Padiham and Barrowford in East Lancashire.

Follow these route directions in conjunction with the O.S. Outdoor Leisure Map (41) Forest of Bowland.

Start at the main car park entrance and turn left along the lane only as far as the next access on the left by a gate to follow a signposted bridleway that leads into a cobbled cottage courtyard. Pass the cottages and go through a gate to continue straight ahead along a riverside path for about quarter mile until an access lane to stone cottages are reached on your left just before a bridge over the stream is reached. Turn left at the cottages and the lane climbs gradually and swings right past houses. Halfway up the hill between houses look out for a tiny red brick building on the right and leave the road here on the same side to join a footpath indicated by witch waymarkers. These indicate the Pendle Way footpath route.

Follow this path along the edge of a shady woodland. Ignore the first stile passed on the right but climb gradually to cross further stiles and continue to follow the witch waymarkers, following the line of a fence beyond the woodland and then dropping down right to a driveway. Turn left along the driveway to reach a lane. Turn right along the lane and this is now followed downhill for nearly half mile, passing a caravan park and meeting another lane in Roughlee village. Nearby Roughlee Old Hall was the home of condemned witch, Alice Nutter.

Turn right at the lane junction and pass in front of the Bay Horse Inn. Do not cross the bridge but keep going straight ahead along the narrow lane with the stream to your left. This lane is now followed for another half mile past the caravan park until a crossroads of lanes is reached at a cottage. Turn right at the crossroads and climb uphill along the lane signposted for Barley. Just before the phone box is reached, leave the road on the left along the unsigned walled track below the phone box. This climbs uphill, becomes stony and enters woodland. Beyond the woodland Pendle Hill comes into view ahead.

Beyond the woodland look out for a wooden stile in the stone wall on your left just before the track starts to drop downhill. (However, if you want to shorten the walk here you can ignore this stile and simply continue along, the track which drops downhill to the bridge in Barley village. This shorter route is a total distance of three miles). Cross the stile on the left and follow the wall side uphill. Head for the farmhouse directly ahead and cross the stile in the field corner to the right of the farm buildings. Turn right along the drive past buildings on your right and the drive climbs to a road.

Turn left along the road and follow it downhill to the tiny village of Newchurch. Pass along the main street and on your right look out for a waymarked path leading up steps alongside toilets. The Pendle Way is joined again here. At the top of the steps take the path forking left and cross a stile leading into a field. Bear right uphill through the field and over the brow head for a gate in the wall on the opposite side.

Do not go through the gate but turn left along the waymarked route keeping the wall on your right. Another stile is crossed and continue with the wall on your right until you reach the corner of a conifer woodland.

At the woodland corner, turn right and cross the stile now following the field edge with the wall and trees on your left. This leads downhill and just before the bottom corner of the field is reached cross the stile on your left and enter the woodland. A good stone path now winds downhill through the woodland and drops steeply through zig-zags to emerge from the woodland at the head of a reservoir. Cross the steps and footbridges over the stream to reach a reservoir road beyond a kissing gate. Turn right along the road and it is now followed for nearly a mile, passing above Lower Ogden Reservoir on your right. The access road winds down to Barley village hall. Cross the road to return to the picnic area and car park.