Bolton
Woodland Trust wood group
Size:
684.66 ha (1,691.79 acres)
Grid reference:
SD668132
Map reference:
Explorer NULL
OS Landranger NULL
Smithills Estate is the largest site the Woodland Trust has ever acquired in England, steeped in history and shadowed by the famous Winter Hill TV mast. The site is a mix of grassland, farmland, moorland, woodland, wooded cloughs (ravines) and bog habitats, crisscrossed by dry stone walls, with panoramic views over Bolton to Manchester. The site features several active farms and a myriad of interesting walking routes.
Many aspects of Smithills Estate are being restored and revitalised, making this a wonderful place to visit as its transformation comes underway.
Smithills Estate is 4.8km (3 miles) from the centre of Bolton. It is prominent in the landscape and can be seen and easily pinpointed from miles around due to the well-known 310-metre-high Winter Hill broadcasting transmitter perched at the top of the hill, just outside our boundary.
From Manchester, follow the brown signs for Smithills Country Park via the A666 or from the M61, junction 5. Continue onto Smithills Dean Road, turn left onto Colliers Row Road and then continue along the road until you see Walker Fold car park (BL6 6PR) on your right.
The nearest train station is in Bolton, around 8km (5 miles) from Smithills Estate.
Visit National Rail for more information.
The closest bus route is the 526 to Barrow Bridge from Bolton. The closest stop is Barrow Bridge terminus. You can also take the 125 from Bolton and get off at Walker Fold Road, which is about one mile from the entrance.
Visit Traveline for more information.
Routes within Smithills Estate are quite diverse. Footpaths mingle with restricted byways, providing a mix of both surfaced and unsurfaced paths and wider, more formal-looking tracks.
Restricted byways in particular tend to be well surfaced and free from obstructions. We have upgraded and increased the accessibility of paths across the site, including flagging moorland paths. We’re currently creating and implementing a site access plan.
Walker Fold car park
Spaces: 60
Address: Walker Fold Road, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6PR
Amenities: The Coffee Box Bolton is open seven days a week from 10am-4pm, with benches and a temporary toilet.
Barrow Bridge car park
Spaces: 20
Address: Barrow Bridge Road, Barrow Bridge, Bolton BL1 5UH
Opening hours are seasonal - 6.30am-8.30pm BST and 7.30am-5.30pm GMT.
The gates are locked overnight and the car parks will remain closed if ground conditions are unsafe.
A temporary toilet is based at Walker Fold car park. The next closest toilets are at Smithills Hall on Smithills Dean Road, BL1 7NP. They are open 10am-4pm, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
So, Smithhills Estate is one of the largest estates that the Woodland Trust owns in England. It's right on the edge of Bolton, so millions of people very very close by, and it's an estate which is quite unusual for the Woodland Trust because it's not just woodland. It's lots of different habitats - that's moorland, grassland and heathland.
Rainy days are a part of daily life here, so we just get stuck in. Smithills is right on the edge of Bolton, so in greater Manchester, which means there are millions of people within a 30-minute travel time. So having better access means that more people can come and enjoy it.
Today we've got a forest school going on. The forest school has a home here on Smithills Estate and so there are lots of children really enjoying the outdoors, some of whom may never have been to a forest school before and perhaps haven't even been in a woodland.
We've been really lucky to get money from Veolia Environmental Trust and that's really enabled us to open up quite a bit more of the estate. It will help us help more people to access the estate because we are using it for path works and tracks. So, it will mean that more local people will be able to come to Smithills and enjoy everything that Smithills has to offer.
Smithills Estate has always been rich in wildlife, but certain species have declined in recent years. Since the site has been in our care, we've been working to ensure the land is managed appropriately, creating a variety of habitats that will encourage wildlife to thrive once more. Keep an eye out for skylark, common lizard, willow warbler, grey wagtail, barn owl, raven, and five species of bat: common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, daubentons, noctule and brown long-eared.
Look out for:
With weird and wonderful fungi, stunning wildflowers and towering tree species, Smithills is brimming with exciting flora.
Areas of ancient and wet woodland shelter fascinating species typical of these fragile habitats: wild garlic, fly agaric, scarlet elf cup, bluebell, golden leaved saxifrage, sphagnum moss and marsh marigold, to name a few.
Look out for:
Smithills Estate has areas of valuable habitat, particularly moorland - which is part of the West Pennine Moors SSSI - along with woodland and important grassland.
Explore:
We bought two-thirds of the current Smithills Estate in 2015 and the remainder in 2017. We've been restoring the site ever since.
Smithills Estate has a rich agricultural history. In 1620 there were six farms on the site, but by 1769 this had increased to 14, ranging from 2.6 hectares (6.5 acres) to 48.9 hectares (121 acres).
As years passed, farming gradually went into decline, exacerbated by neglect during the Second World War and the increasing costs of estate management and maintenance of the infrastructure.
The site was used for coal mining. Because the site was remote, coal mining cottages were built to house workers. Archaeological finds from this industry have been found on site.
The site was also used for stone quarrying, an industry that has had a substantial impact on the landscape.
The moor also housed reservoirs and a brick and tile works.
Credit: Heather Beckett / WTML
The earliest evidence of human activity within the estate are the scatters of flints from the Mesolithic period (the eighth to mid-fourth millennia BC). A Bronze Age stone hammer and palstave (axe) were reputedly found in 1812, and a whetstone (a stone used to sharpen cutting tools), a blue ribbed bead and a bottle neck – all said to be Romano-British - have been found, along with a bronze coin of unknown date.
On 28 June 2018, a fire broke out close to the television mast on Winter Hill, and a second fire was reported at the far east of the estate the next day. By 30 June, the two fires had merged, engulfing the top of Smithills Estate in flames.
Emergency services and helicopters were drafted in to dampen the flames, and it was finally declared out on 9 August 2018. However, considerable damage had been done to the site. 31% of the site was affected in total, and the fire had a huge impact on wildlife. Nesting birds, insects, frogs, toads, lizards and rodents were all affected, many species perishing in the fire. An average of at least 20cm of peat was lost across the burnt areas of moorland. It will take at least 200 years for the landscape to fully recover, but our team of staff and volunteers are hard at work reviving the landscape with their moorland restoration scheme.
People are encouraged to take great care and be extra vigilant when visiting the area. Disposable barbecues, discarded cigarettes and even rubbish can all start a fire. If anyone does spot a fire, they should call 999 immediately.
This wood was secured for the future thanks to your response to an urgent appeal. Discover how you helped us bring another incredible place safely under our wing, and what the future holds for Smithills Estate.
This fascinating 9km (6-mile) walk takes you over Winter Hill and offers you an insight into the rich history of the area. From prehistoric times to the industrial and agricultural revolutions at the turn of the 18th and 19th century, this walk is a must for history buffs. It takes around 4-5 hours to complete - ensure you bring waterproofs and walking boots.
The Barrow Bridge trail is a short, 30-minute walk which takes you through beautiful woodland at the edge of the pretty village of Barrow Bridge. Enjoy the walk in spring and summer to take in the beauty of wildflowers or visit in autumn or winter for fantastic fungi.
Stroll along Dean Brook through tranquil High Shores Clough, and keep an eye out for the dipper, a bird often seen darting low over the water. Walk in the footsteps of the mill workers and miners of the past down the 63 steps and take in the history here. There are two steep flights of steps on this walk and the paths can get muddy, so walking boots are recommended.
For guided walking trails, wildlife guides, accessibility information and more, get the Smithills app for Android or Apple.
Visiting woods
Dogs are welcome for walkies in our woods. Take a look at our tips and guidelines for ensuring we keep our woods safe and special for dogs and wildlife.
Visiting woods
Discover events at our woods and the festivals and fairs you can find us at soon.
Visiting woods
Go on an adventure. Get closer to nature. Uncover history. Discover ways to explore the UK's woods whatever the season.
Listen to our Woodland Walks podcast series with host Adam Shaw and special guests.
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