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Saunterings: Walking in North-West England
Saunterings is a set of reflections based upon walks around the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire and
North Yorkshire in North-West England
(as defined in the Preamble).
Here is a list of all Saunterings so far.
If you'd like to give a comment, correction or update (all are very welcome) or to
be notified by email when a new item is posted - please send an email to johnselfdrakkar@gmail.com.
223. A Grand Bowland Circuit, plus Easington Fell
Right: The River Hodder from the bridge at Slaidburn.
Slaidburn was once the administrative capital of the Forest of Bowland. For most
visitors to Bowland – those approaching from the south, from Burnley, Blackburn
and so on – Slaidburn probably still feels like the centre of Bowland. To me,
however, Slaidburn is on the opposite side of Bowland and therefore relatively
unfamiliar. It makes sense, therefore, for me to regard a trip to Slaidburn as
an opportunity to enjoy the journey through Bowland as well.
I have said that I try to regard the journey somewhere for a walk as part
of the day’s entertainment rather than just a means to an end, although I don’t
write about the journey itself. I am making an exception in this case because a
circuit of Bowland to and from Slaidburn provides the best day’s drive from my
home, passing through many of the most attractive parts of Bowland.
We began by driving through the green valley of Quernmore below the slopes
of Clougha Pike (walked up in Sauntering 208: I will add
links to previous walks in order to avoid too much repetition). We then drove up
the steep Quernmore Brow to pause briefly at Jubilee Tower (at about 280 metres).
Ward’s Stone, the highest point (563 metres) of Bowland, rose to the left
(75). The view across to Morecambe Bay was unfortunately
limited, with Blackpool Tower and the Lake District hills hardly visible at all.
The road then drops down Rakehouse Brow to pass Abbeystead (53)
to the right and several unchanging farmsteads to run alongside tall pine trees
shading the stream of Marshaw Wyre, a popular picnic site. As the road narrows to
run through heather moorland it rises to its highest point at The Grey Stone of
Trough (295 metres), which marked the old county border (59).
Much of this drive
is in fact on narrow roads with few passing places, many up and downs, and
many bends. Since a driver has to be alert all the time for oncoming traffic
it is a drive better enjoyed by passengers than the driver!
We then drop steeply down the Trough of Bowland, the most well-known
feature of Bowland, to pass the old Sykes Farm (which has had the same name
since the 15th century) and then the parking place for walkers alongside Langden Brook
(180). The road then levels and we turn left at Dunsop Bridge
(30), which claims to be the central point of the British Isles. After
four miles alongside the River Hodder through gently rolling, partially wooded
countryside, replete (on this occasion) with sheep and lambs, we pass through
the village of Newton to reach Slaidburn.
Slaidburn is, like nearby Downham (129), owned or managed by some
dignitary who ensures that the village retains its olde-worlde charm, although with a
less firm hand, it seems. Slaidburn has a rich and fascinating (to some) history as
part of the ‘Lordship of Bowland’
(the history of which I will not attempt to summarise here). According to Wikipedia,
the present ‘Lord of the Manor and Liberty of Slaidburn’ is Thomas Assheton, related to
Downham’s Baron Clitheroe.
The current and 47th Lord of Bowland is apparently an American entrepreneur, the exotically named
Brady Brim-DeForest, Baron of Balvaird. (At least the DeForest is appropriate.) By
buying the lordship he thereby
became 'Lord of the Fells'. (I wonder if he has ever walked on one.) In
2024 King Charles appointed him Officer of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John. (Its
webpage is a hoot.
It gives details of the ranking of the 20 grades of membership from Sovereign, Grand Prior,
Lord Prior all the way down to Priory Esquires. Officers are 18th on the list.).
Of more relevance to us, Slaidburn has a generous car park, plus toilets, and here we
donned our walking boots to walk south up Easington Fell. To begin with it was across
green fields of lambs, generally gently uphill, past Broadhead Farm, Skelshaw and Fell Side,
eventually to enter open moorland on a good track. Views across to the Yorkshire Dales and
Bowland hills opened out.
With Easington Fell ahead (it is the rise in the
middle (behind Broadhead Farm), to the left of Sadler Hill, which appears higher from this viewpoint)
We were so enjoying the pleasant track, accompanied by skylarks and curlews, that
after a mile or so we didn’t feel it necessary to leave the track for an extra 50
metres of ascent across moorland to the top of Easington Fell. But then we noticed a
few white stones that seemed to mark a faint path, so we followed it up and it did
indeed lead us to a pile of stones marking the top (396 metres). It is far from a
dramatic top and the view beyond is limited by trees but the view back across the
green Hodder valley is excellent and we paused for sandwiches to enjoy it.
From the track on Easington Fell, with Ingleborough and
Pen-y-ghent appearing on the horizon
The top of Easington Fell
We then walked southwest, with views south to Pendle, to join another good track that
passed a pile of stones named The Wife on the map (an ancient burial mound?). However,
we failed to locate any path where two public footpaths
crossing Brown Hill are indicated on the map. So, rather than battle uncertainly
across rough moorland, we decided to continue on the track that we knew to be a
good one and so retrace our steps back to Slaidburn.
Back on the track back
Most walkers prefer not to walk the same path back but I rather like to do so. It
makes the last part of a walk more relaxed, without the need for more path-finding,
and one can meet again new friends: the bull that watched us every step of the way
across his field; the lambs that were too friendly; the tups that were best avoided;
the bluebells near Skelshaw; the stepping stones that we imagined would be somewhat
dangerous in wet conditions (which is when they need to be used); the little fish in
Easington Brook; and so on. Walking proceeds more smoothly when you know the way
and we were soon back in Slaidburn for the obligatory tea at the café.
Approaching Slaidburn
Then we resumed our grand Bowland circuit. The lane rises steeply from the Slaidburn
war memorial, with Stocks Reservoir (5) to the right but hardly
seen. The moors looked parched dry but the trees and shrubs were, of course, in
fresh spring greenery. The heather moors are better visited on a bright late autumn
day, when they will be purple-red. However, we must not be too a-gush about the beauty
of moorland because it is due to the nefarious practice of grouse-shooting (99).
Once beyond Merrybent Hill the road becomes even more remote and wild than
on the outward journey, with steep drops into the ravine of the infant River Hodder
to the left. We eventually reach the highest point (427 metres) at the Cross of
Greet (96) between White Hill and Raven’s Castle. Here a pause
is in order to admire the view ahead, especially of Ingleborough.
Then it is steeply down, but still with care as the road remains narrow
and bendy and is a favourite of cyclists and bikers. At one point we were confronted by a huge
truck, which skilfully backed up. I don’t know how far it was going but if it was
heading for Slaidburn then it would face several challenges on the way. Then we
passed the Great Stone of Fourstones (183) and continued to
Bentham. Normally we would cut across to Wray but we thought its main street
might well be busy with the Wray Scarecrow Festival.
Thus we completed a 44-mile drive through some of the best features of Bowland – and if
you didn't take a longish walk in the middle then you’d have
ample time to stop and explore those features.
Date: May 2nd 2025
Start: SD713523, Slaidburn car park (Map: OL41)
Route: SE – Broadhead Farm – S – Skelshaw, Fell Side, Chatburn
Nab – E – top of Easington Fell – SW, W – near the road – E, NE – Chatburn Nab – N, NW – Slaidburn
Distance: 9 miles; Ascent: 260 metres
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© John Self, 2018-
Top photo: Rainbow over Kisdon in Swaledale;
Bottom photo: Ullswater