5 walks in East Lancashire under 7 miles

The national guidelines state you can continue to exercise alone, with one other person or with your household or support bubble but should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.

The guidance says you are allowed to “travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space).”

Here in East Lancashire, there are dozens of beautiful country walks on our doorstep.

Here are five of East Lancashire's best walks under seven miles.

1) Darwen Tower

Darwen Tower

For Darreners, a walk up to Darwen Tower is available on the door step, with stunning views from the top where, on a clear day, the Isle of Man and the hills of North Wales can be seen

The Tower is famous for celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and to many local people it also celebrated the freeing of Darwen Moor in 1896.

The 2 mile walk begins at Darwen Town Hall. From here, walkers will pass the war memorial and around the lake before getting to the top of the hill to see the tower.

On the way back, the route goes past Sniddle Hill Farm and Holly Tree Farm before returning back to Darwen Town Hall.

2) Tolkien Trail

The Shireburn Arms, in Longridge Road, Hurst Green

Named in honour of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, the Tolkien trail explores the Ribble Valley landscape, which many believe inspired the creation of middle earth.

Although Tolkien is also believed to have taken inspiration from other areas of the country, during the second world war, J.R.R Tolkien spent much of his time writing in a guest house and a classroom at Stoneyhurst College.

The 5.5 mile trail, which takes about 3 hours to complete, starts and finishes at the Shireburn Arms in Hurst Green. Explorers will see St. Mary's Hall, Clitheroe castle, the River Ribble and Cromwell's Bridge during their walk.

3) Rawtenstall and Oakenhead Wood

Autumn at Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall, Rossendale.

The 2.75 mile walk, which should take just over an hour includes mild to medium gradients and is aimed towards walkers who are slightly more advanced.

You will start the walk at the bottom of New Hall Hey Industrial Estate while walking through both Whitaker Park and Oakenhead Wood.

A route map can be found in explorer OL21 SD 803/222.

4) Pendle Hill

Pendle Hill trig point by Neil Barker

Infamous in its name, this 2 and a half hour walk takes you to the heart of the Pendle witch trials of 1612, where ten people were executed on the moors about Lancaster, having been found guilty of witchcraft.

Starting near Barley, the 5 mile walk passes the Ogden reservoirs before beginning to climb the infamous hill where, from the summit, Blackpool tower and the Lakeland fells can be seen on a clear day.

The walk then proceeds down back towards the village of Barley.

5) Towneley Park

Peter Haslam captured a great image of Towneley Park 

Managed by the council, Townley Park is the largest and most popular park in Burnley, with several short walks mapped around the grounds surrounding Towneley Hall.

Located about 1.5 miles south east of Burnley town centre, the Grade II listed park and garden contains about 12 information boards that will tell you about the history of Towneley.

There are plenty of short walks that can be taken through the grounds, with a full tour of the grounds mapped at 3.7 miles.