The not-so-hidden gem of a walk which takes in Bolton's industrial past and nature
From Barrow Bridge to the reservoirs around Rivington, there are many areas of the town that blend the beauty of nature with the starkness of old industrial buildings and structures.
One lesser-talked about route is the Burnden and Darcy Lever viaducts, which form a platform in the sky that will take you directly from Manchester Road to Leverhulme Park.
Anyone who has driven on St Peter's Way will be familiar with the sight of the viaduct, but some may not be aware that you can walk atop the big bridge.
The Darcy Lever viaduct (Image: Newsquest) They were both built as part of the Bury to Bolton section of the railway line, which went to Liverpool in the Industrial Revolution and were used to transport coal.
But in 2015, the two viaducts were opened as a cycling, walking and horse riding route.
The Bolton News went down in the summer sun to take a look at the viaducts and see what you can see from the top.
If starting on the Darcy Lever side from Radcliffe Road, you can see a lovely view of the River Tonge, before ascending Woodside Place, at the top of which you will find Gorses Steps.
Gorses Steps (Image: Newsquest) Once you get to the top and catch your breath, you are on the level of the bridge and can get onto it.
You do feel quite high up once up there, the river that you were just looking down on looks ever so small!
Read more: Bolton viaducts with rich history transformed into walking and cycling routes
Read more: How Lever Bridge looked before World War Two
But, it is a solid Victorian viaduct which used to hold trains, so there is no feeling of rickety footbridges or anything like that, it is as sturdy as the ground itself.
You can see how it is used as a route for bikes and horses, it is massive - you could probably use it as a road if you really wanted.
The viaduct stretching out (Image: Newsquest) Walking along the bridge, you can see two industrial chimneys to the left, though you would imagine that there were many more in place when it was built.
On the other side you can see the River Tonge again, surrounded by greenery.
Towards the end of the bridge is a lovely bit of greenery which appears to have been grown on purpose around the cage.
It gives a canopy-style effect, with pink and green lives adding a lovely bit of colour to the bridge.
Greenery on the cage around the viaduct (Image: Newsquest) After that, you walk along a wooded path which leads to the next viaduct, the Burnden Viaduct.
From up here, you can see right over St Peter's Way - it definitely looks high up when you drive underneath it, and that impression is not wrong.
As well as the road itself, you can see across to the town centre.
The bridge then leads to the back of Scholey Street, by the police station.
Back at Darcy Lever, if you were to walk in the opposite direction, the route leads to Leverhulme Park, if you wanted more nature.
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