Before you start please read this page in full, there is information you will thank me for.
There is parking at this location for this 5 miles circular walk
The start of your adventure
This is my Ring of Coldwell RoC cache series.
There are two caches on this walk you will need to prepare for.
#6 is a water pipe. you will need a 1L bottle, there is a stream close-by
#15 is a puzzle cache, you will need to gather letter values for A to F on the way round. Look for the clues in the cache listings.
Here is your first number, the first cache is located on the footpath sign, how many numbers are on this sign = A
A Little of the history of the lakes and area.
The first mention of Coldwell as a place name occurs in 1592 when Elizabeth I sent her surveyor, Sir Richard Shirebourne, to settle a land dispute over the boundary of the Royal Manor of Colne. One witness called said “the boundary goes up Walverden to Coldwell and thence to Deer Stones”. Deerstone Moor is across the fields from the car park behind Coldwell Inn
The Coldwell Reservoir
During 1881 Ellen Sagar sold 2 rods 28 perches of her land at Coldwell to the local board at Nelson for 91 pounds 2 shillings and 6 pence for the purpose of a water works. The board reserved the right to buy further land at 160 pounds per statute acre. The estimated cost of the proposed waterworks (reservoir) was 1,500 pounds construction was to be by the civil engineers, Newton and Vawser of Manchester.
After a period of 13 years the waterworks – Coldwell lower reservoir, directly opposite the inn – was completed. Built to serve Nelson it had a capacity of 80,000,000 gallons. During construction, the line of the old road passing the inn was diverted from its original path, directly across the bed of the reservoir, to its present route between the high walls. After 6 years in the making by 1928 a second reservoir, Coldwell Upper, was completed on land to the south-east of the Inn. Lined with boulder clay 55 feet thick and having a capacity of 45000000 gallons, it was intended to supply 161700 gallons a day to Nelson. Larch, fir and some beech were planted in the vicinity.
Rare plants, breeding waders and jewel-like butterflies thrive at peaceful Coldwell Reservoirs.
Nestled on the edge of the South Pennines, Coldwell Reservoira are a remote retreat for unmissable upland birds that take advantage of the exposed shingle during the summer breeding season. Little ringed plover, common sandpiper and oystercatcher peep to one another, while groups of lapwing bathe on the water’s edge before launching themselves into the sky in reeling acrobatic displays. Owls, too, can be found on the reserve, hunting for voles and other rodents over the surrounding landscape, while the small shelterbelt on the north side gives cover for willow warblers, linnets and even the occasional crossbill. However, the real star of the Coldwell Reservoira are grass-of-Parnassus, which despite its name is actually a flowering plant rather than a type of grass. Despite being in national decline it still flourishes here, its beautiful white flowers smelling faintly of honey. Though you wouldn’t notice on first glance, Coldwell Reservoirs offers a peek into Lancashire’s industrial past. Evidence of 17th century limestone works are still present at the south side of the reservoir, and though little limestone remains, traces left in the boulder clay support a number of plant species associated with calcareous soils. Common butterwort – a locally scarce species – is particularly exciting, while common twayblade, angelica and marsh valerian also grow. A small colony of common blue butterflies takes advantage of the spoils from these plants, their jewel-blue wings casting flashes of colour across the landscape.
Thanks for reading some history of the area, now it's time to go caching.
Happy caching