Reached via Hoghton on the A675, the valley can sometimes be muddy. There are several pubs where you can start your walk, including the Royal Oak at Riley Green at Hoghton Bottoms.

Trails here take you from rich, open farmland with views of Hoghton Towers, past a weir, a viaduct, a ruined quarry cottage and a restored 18th-Century house and mill. Higher Mill was powered by water from the river, and the channel that guided water from the Darwen to the cloth mill can still be seen.

Look out for animals on the wooded slopes of the valley; sika and roe deer, fox, mink and voles all live in the area. Wild flowers are also abundant with Himalayan balsam, flag iris and foxglove forming stunning natural displays.

Ordnance Survey Map: OS EXP 287