Fairy Caves (Aspen Coke Ovens), Oswaldtwistle
Beside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal off the A679 Blackburn Road, between Oswaldtwistle and Church, BB5 4JP · Blackburn & Burnley
Known locally as the Fairy Caves, these are actually a remarkable bank of beehive-shaped brick coke ovens from the Aspen Colliery (c.1810-1930), where coal was slowly baked into coke and loaded onto canal barges. Reached from the Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath just off the A679, the scheduled-monument site still has 20-plus ovens, an old canal basin and wharf remains to explore, and one oven is big enough to walk into. A popular 2.1-mile circular walk visits them from the Thorn Inn on the west side of Accrington.
Spark Hub tip: Despite the name these are Victorian-era coke ovens, not natural caves - they sit right by the canal, so keep small children close on the towpath.
Visitor information
Visitor info
- Address
- Beside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal off the A679 Blackburn Road, between Oswaldtwistle and Church, BB5 4JP
- Price
- Check their website before you set off
- Setting
- Outdoor
Last checked Sun, 26 Jul 2026 · Food nearby, parents’ tips and more in the planner →
More nature walks and woods in Blackburn & Burnley
Run this place?
Details come from the venue and public sources, checked by Spark Hub. Claim the listing to edit hours, prices and photos yourself, free.