THE Pendle Witches are a hot topic at this time of year.

Here we share a walk that is part of Pendle Council's Witches Trail.

Pendle Hill is a popular walking spot, but it found fame in the early 1600s through the Pendle Witches who lived in the area and were put on trail for murders of ten people by the use of witchcraft.

This particular walk remembers Alice Nutter, who was among the third batch of women arrested.

She was the widow of a yeoman farmer who lived at Crowtrees Farm, near Roughlee, although, in fiction, she is said to reside at Roughlee Old Hall. However records shows that in 1612, at the time of the trial, the daughters of a man called John Smith lived there.

Alice kept silent throughout her trial except to enter a plea of not guilty to the murder of Henry Mitton by witchcraft.

She was later hanged after a statement by a nine-year-old witness, Jennet Device  who stated she had been present at witches' coven meeting at Malkin Tower meeting on Good Friday, 1612.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the famous trail, a statue of Alice was erected in Roughlee and it is sited on Blacko Bar Road between Crowtrees and Roughlee.

Lancashire Telegraph: route

The walk - step by step

1. Go to the bottom corner of the car park.

2. Follow the Pendle Way footpath alongside the river to Whitehough.

3. At the waymarked post turn left following the road towards Whitehough Outdoor Education Centre. Immediately after a small red brick building turn

right and follow the footpath through the wood keeping the Outdoor Centre on your left over a number of small foot bridges.

4. Follow the detour above the house until you reach the drive beyond the house.Turn left along the drive and left at the Pendle Way sign.

5. Follow the road uphill and turn right along a track. After 180 metres turn right over a stile and descend to Croft House Farm. Continue through the
fields, crossing stiles and footbridge along the clearly marked Pendle Way to Roughlee.Turn right on joining the road, Roughlee Hall is on your right.

6. Follow the road through the village passing Crowtrees.Turn right on the waymarked footpath immediately after the bridge. Continue along the left hand bank of Pendle Water. On approaching Whitehough, again turn left up the road.When you meet the main road, cross over and take the stile ahead of you, which leads uphill to meet Heys Lane.

Follow this route until it leads you back to the car park.