Burnley Way Stone Carvings

You'll find these stone carvings tucked along the Burnley Way footpath, a series of contemporary works carved directly into rock faces that mark the walking route through Lancashire's moorland. They're not ancient stones - these are modern additions to the landscape, created to give walkers something to look for as they hike between Rossendale and Burnley.

What makes them worth seeking out is their sheer unexpectedness. Round a bend and suddenly there's a face emerging from the hillside, or animals carved into the rock. Some are crude and powerful, others more intricate. It's the kind of thing that makes you stop mid-walk and actually look at your surroundings rather than just trudging through them.

Walkers will get the most from this - it's not really a museum in the traditional sense, more a reason to get out on the Burnley Way itself. You can't just pop in for ten minutes. You need proper boots and a decent couple of hours, ideally more if you're walking the whole route. The moorland can get wet and windswept, so go when the weather's settled.

It works brilliantly as part of a wider park holiday. Stay at Rossendale Holiday Cottages & Glamping, just 2.2 miles away, and use it as a base for exploring the walks. The carvings give you focal points along what can otherwise feel like endless moorland. Free to see them, naturally - they're just part of the footpath. Families with energetic kids will appreciate having little discoveries to hunt for, though younger legs might find the full walk demanding.