(S/E) Walk to the rear of the Spread Eagle car park opposite the pub, and in the far left-hand corner, behind the trees, climb a concealed stile into a field. Cross the field behind Sawley Abbey, keeping well to the left of the abbey grounds.
(1) Go through a gap in a broken wall and cross the next field to a kissing gate into a farm track. Cross straight over through another gate and follow a tree-lined path alongside a small stream, which it shortly fords. Continue uphill to a kissing gate into a field.
Cross the field to another kissing gate (next to a farm gate) which leads out to the A59.
(2) Cross with care and join the farm drive opposite. The drive bends left but the path crosses a stile in the fence and continues straight ahead to a gateway, and then to a stile at the far side of the next field. Climb the stile and walk down the left-hand side of the field with views ahead of Pendle Hill.
In the far corner, climb another stile and cross the next field diagonally, still heading directly towards Pendle. A further stile leads to a steep valley side; bear left then right down to Swanside Bridge, before which is another stile. Beyond the bridge bear left and climb a stone step-stile in the wall.
(3) Walk up the side of the field with woodland on the left then bear left through a gateway and continue to a bridge under the railway. Keep following the woodland edge through a gate and out to a road (Green Lane).
Take the driveway opposite, then turn right through a kissing gate into a field with limestone outcrops.
There is no obvious path on the ground here: aim to the right of the largest, tree-covered knoll, then follow the bottom of the slope on the left, heading towards the wood at the far end of the field.
Bear left over the ridge as you approach the trees and follow the wall along the edge of the wood. Descend past a shallow, disused quarry to a kissing gate, then continue to another.
(4) Turn right and follow the lane in front of a bungalow on the right and out to the village by the church. Then turn right Pass some ancillary buildings of Downham Hall on the left, then take a permitted path on the right that cuts the corner to Rimington Lane.
(5) Turn right along the lane for 300 metres then, beyond a wood on the right, turn left through a hand-gate onto a signposted footpath. Walk down towards New Field Farm and go through a gate on the left. Pass to the left of the farm buildings and pick up a farm track that leads downhill to the railway.
(6) Beyond the railway bridge, go through the farm-gate ahead and climb to a stone barn. Go through the gate to the right of the barn and walk down the slope. A little to the right of the bottom corner, a stile gives access to a path into the wood.
Follow a narrow path down through the wood, which may be overgrown, and ford a small side-stream. Bear left with the main stream on your immediate right.
Cross another stile and follow the narrow fenced path with the stream still on your right. Continue through pastureland, keeping between fence (left) and stream (right) wherever possible, erosion permitting. As you approach the A59, you go through a kissing gate and pass a farm bridge; ignore the underbridge below the main road, instead of going through another kissing gate on the right and climbing a few steps up to the road.
(7) Cross with care and turn right along the pavement, crossing the stream and passing a farm. After 550 metres, turn left at the turning for Sawley. Follow the road through the village for half a mile, passing the abbey ruins, to return to the Spread Eagle. (S/E)
