We are based in Lancashire in the North West of England but our walks take us round the UK's National Parks & National Landscapes, the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Peak District & North Wales. *** To view the next walk - Please scroll to the bottom ***
Walk taking in Jumbles, Wayoh and Turton Tower. All good paths no climbing. It's a lovely area.
Hope to see you all there. Happy Days.
The ‘Fairfield Horseshoe’ is one of the Lake District’s classic fell walks and rightly so, and today we will hike around three quarters of it, taking in six of the eight ‘Wainwright’ tops on the round. Starting from the Rydal Road car park just north of Ambleside town centre, we take the lane to Low Sweden Bridge before climbing onto the eastern arm of said horseshoe. Our route is along the broad ridge taking in Low Pike, High Pike, Dove Crag and Hart Crag before reaching Fairfield itself, at 873m/2,865ft the highest point on the walk. We then head for Great Rigg, leaving the horseshoe here to descend to Grasmere, grabbing a bonus ‘Wainwright’ Stone Arthur on the way.
Please note that weather and/or fell conditions on the day may necessitate an alternative, lower-level hike. Various options are available but unless it’s really bad, we will follow a linear route from Brockhole to Grasmere taking in Wansfell’ ridge and Loughrigg Fell. This is similar in terms of both length and the amount of climbing.
Middleton Fell is a bit of an oddity; wedged between the Lune Valley and the deep-cut trench of Barbondale, it lies within the Yorkshire Dales National Park yet geologically is an eastward extension of the Silurian slate landscape of the South Lakes. For many years Calf Top, the highest point, was thought to be just shy of 2,000 feet, but recent surveys have shown it to be 2,000 feet exactly! Unfortunately, access points are quite limited, so how best to tackle it from the south?
We start from Hodge Bridge on the A683 and walk through the village of Barbon to the church before crossing Barbon Beck. The climbing starts from Eskholme up an increasingly well-defined, curving ridge to the summit of Castle Knott (538m/1,765ft), beyond which lies Calf Top (610m/2,000ft) and its Trig Point. Unfortunately, the eastern and southern flanks of Middleton Fell are extremely steep, so we will retrace our steps over Castle Knott and back to Barbon before heading to Kirkby Lonsdale by way of Fellfoot Road (a track) and High Casterton.
If weather conditions are poor (heavy rain/snow and/or strong winds) we will do a longer version of the B+, starting from Casterton. This is about the same length but with just over 150 meters / 500 feet less climbing.
B+ Walk – Barbon Low Fell with Sue Banister
9 Miles / 14.5km with 1,345ft / 410m Total Ascent
We leave the coach a few miles north of Kirby Lonsdale on the A683 at Hodge Bridge then head east through Barbon village and into the grounds of Barbon Manor to access Barbondale. After crossing the beck at Blindbeck Bridge we head south on a bridleway to Bullpot Farm.
This is home to the Red Rose Caving and Pot Holing Club and you are standing over the longest caving system in Britain known as the Three Counties system. You can go underground in Yorkshire, pass under Lancashire, and emerge in Cumbria!
From Bullpot we have a short stretch of lane before heading up the fell to the trig point and highest point of Barbon Low Fell at 1437ft (438m).
We then cross to the cairn on Brownthwaite Pike 1382ft (421m) after which its downhill back to Kirby via Blindloss Farm, Cragg House Farm, and Latha Lane.
B Walk – The Limestone Stacks of Uberash Breast with Stuart Arnold
8 Miles / 12.9km with 700ft / 213m Total Ascent
This is a linear walk which will start as we leave the bus after exiting the motorway at Junction 36. We will join the canal and follow it South for about 1½ miles. We then cross the A6070 and at Holme Park Farm we join a path which takes us round the base of Holmepark Fell. This then leads across Uberash Plain to pass Keller well and round Hutton Roof Crags into the village of Hutton Roof.
Following field paths we pass Longfield Barn, Biggins Home Farm, High Biggins and Wood End eventually reaching Kirby Lonsdale and the end of another excellent walk.
Meet at The Horns Inn, The Avenue, Chuchtown , Preston (Sat Nav: PR3 0HR).
12 noon start ( apparently, they can only do group bookings for a noon sitting).
No details available.
Committee meetings are held on Mondays.
Start at 7:00pm and finish at 9:00pm.
All members are welcome.
We meet at the Over 60s Club, Priory Lane, Penwortham, Preston PR1 0AR.
This linear walk starts in the small village of Ings on the A591 to Windermere from where we head towards the hamlet of Grassgarth.
Crossing fields to High House and over Mickle Moss, we skirt Sallows to reach Garburn Nook where we start the descent into Troutbeck passing Limefitt Holiday Park and crossing Trout Beck from which the village takes its name.
Behind the picturesque local church we take the path towards Nanny Lane and the climb to Wansfell Pike. From the Pike we start the long and steep descent into Ambleside and the Christmas attractions that await.
Meet : at the Rose and Crown, 220 Southport Road, Ulnes Walton, PR26 8LP.
A £10 non refundable deposit is required.
Below is the Rose & Crown menu for the day, please let Barry know your choices by the November Stroller walk (20th November - Mere Sands Wood).
Menu
To Start
Fire Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup. v £8.50
(with a basil crisp, focaccia & confit garlic butter).
Panko Brie. v £8.95
(red onion marmalade, roquette & blood orange vinaigrette).
Smoked Haddock Chowder. £9.50
(chicken velouté, poached hen's egg & crusty cob).
Confit Lamb Pancakes. £9.00
(pickled vegetables, honey & soy dressing and sesame seeds).
Crispy Chicken Salad. £8.95
(chicken thighs with sweet & sour dressing, vermicelli, vegetables & sticky peanuts).
Chestnut & Sage Arancini. v £8.50
(cranberry compote & endive salad).
Main
Roast Lancashire Turkey £18.95
(pigs in blankets, cranberry & chestnut stuffing, roast potatoes, pan gravy & seasonal vegetables).
Confit Lamb Risotto. £19.50
(roasted vegetables & pancetta, chicken stock, fresh herbs).
Brisket Beef Bourguignon. £18.95
(brisket of beef, pancetta lardons, chestnut mushrooms, braised in a rich red wine & rosemary stock, topped with beef suet dumplings & caramelised silverskin onions).
Pan-Roasted Hake. £22.95
(Lancashire cheese & chive potato cake, creamed leeks, garlic & dill sauce, savoy cabbage).
South Indian Style Curry. v £16.95
(tomato based curry with Bombay potatoes, basmati rice & Naan bread).
Local Pork Chop. £18.95
(Bury black pudding & Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese, creamed potatoes, barley & cabbage risotto, pork jus).
Dessert
Christmas Pudding. £8.95
(simply served with brandy sauce).
Clementine Posset. £8.95
(with citrus shortbread, crushed lemon & almond brittle).
All dishes are complete.
Vegan options & Gluten free alternatives are available on request.
Note - not all ingredients are listed on the menu. If you have any allergies or queries,
then please speak to a member of staff before your order is taken.
Wyre Lakes to Dolphinholme with Katie Clenshaw
6 Miles / 9.7km with 360ft / 110m Total Ascent
Meet at Scorton Picnic Site near Scorton (Sat Nav: PR3 1BU), ready for the usual start time 10:30am.
From Scorton Picnic Site we cross the bridge over the river Wyre, then follow the Wyre Way northwards. At first we walk through woodland next to the Wyre, then under the motorway and past Wyreside Lakes caravan park and fishing lakes (Sunnyside on the map) to Street Bridge. We continue past Coreless Mill to Dolphinholme where we may climb up to the church for lunch. Returning to the river, we cross the bridge at Dolphinholme and take a path southeast across fields to Wagon Road, where we continue southwest towards Street. Here we take the footpath which heads below Street Farm, eventually reaching Foxhouses Farm Cottages. Parts of this section were muddy but passable on the reccie. We continue along the farm lane until we reach the road where we turn right to head back to the car park.
Alternatively, we could continue to the Applestore for a cup of tea, which adds about just under 2 miles to the walk.