Organised annually by our friends and supporters in the Rotary Club of Darwen, the Darwen Tower Trudge takes in a delightful route around the reservoirs and hills of Tockholes, Roddlesworth and Darwen, including the moorland heights of Lyons Den, Darwen Moor, Lords Hall and of course Darwen Tower itself, otherwise known as the Jubilee Tower.

This is a major event for the Rotarians of Darwen, who provide all the organisation, route maps, marshals and ’sweep team’.

A great many local organisations and individuals traditionally take part in this event gaining sponsorship for their efforts, with considerable sums of money being raised for local, regional and national charities.

The start time of 09.00hrs was met with this year with dry weather and blue skies.

A grand total of eighty walkers took part this year ‘officially,’ being joined as usual by additional walkers accompanying them.

Our team’s role, as in previous years was to provide on scene standby rescue cover, and to this end twenty team members in four of our Team Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances, and our Incident Control vehicle kept watch over the sponsored walkers progress. (Six of the members present having gained little sleep since this mornings earlier call out at Rivington!)

Hopefully this year’s event has once again raised a considerable sum of money for local charities.