Walking in Lancashire

Lancashire has a great variety of landscape, and this guide describes 40 walks along its rivers and coastline, by its woodlands, hills and moors, and to its villages and historic sites. The walks, from 5 to 12 miles in length, range from gentle strolls to fell-top hikes.

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Walk 15 - Ward's Stone, Bowland

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Distance: 19km (12 miles)
Time: 5 hours
Terrain: A gravelled shooters' track takes you up to the ridge and another brings you down – rough peaty paths, which can be soggy after rain, take you over the extensive ridge that links these tracks; there is also a virtually traffic-free lane to walk
Maps: OS Explorer 41

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Ward's Stone (561m (1848ft)) is the highest hill in the Forest of Bowland and stands guardian over the city of Lancaster and Morecambe Bay. Much of the route is not a right of way but follows concessionary paths that cross the grouse moors of the Duke of Westminster, and these can be closed occasionally during the shooting season.

The broad plateau is named Ward's Stone and it has two trig points. One is at the eastern edge (561m (1848ft)), where there are fascinating rock formations, and the other is at the western edge, with even more spectacular rocks. The rocks at the western edge are also called Ward's Stone (560m (1845ft)) and the whole plateau is named after these rocks. The views from the plateau are superb. You can look into Yorkshire to see Ingleborough and Penyghent, and also across Morecambe Bay to the Lakeland fells.

This is the longest walk in the book and is suitable only for experienced fell walkers. It is a good-weather walk and should be undertaken only when there are enough hours of daylight to complete the route safely. There are no useful escape routes, so if the weather deteriorates, turn back. No dogs, no camping and no fires are allowed on the hill. It is an exciting walk, and when completed gives you a great sense of achievement.

Park in the small car park, grid ref 563544, at Stoops Bridge, Abbeystead (see walk 12, Abbeystead to Dolphinholme). Return to the road and turn left to cross the bridge over the Tarnbrook Wyre. A few metres along take the waymarked footpath on the right side of the road and walk ahead along a good track through gracious parkland. As you near a road, walk towards the right corner of the pasture and cross a footbridge and then a stile onto the narrow road. Turn right.

Continue on to a junction where you take the narrow lane signposted ‘Tarnbrook and cul-de-sac’. Walk on, soon to come beside the Tarnbrook Wyre hurrying over its stony bed, and in summer through lush vegetation. Carry on for 2km (1¼ miles) to the hamlet of Tarnbrook. Here you pass between some pretty dwellings, go by the tiny village green, then follow the way, now a track, through a gate out onto low moorland.

Ignore the waymarked right turn that leads to Gilberton farm and stroll on until the now gravelled track winds left and begins to climb up through bracken and then heather and bilberry. Go on up the well-graded way with the grassy slopes of Wolfhole Crag, which supports a small plantation of Scots pine, to your right. The bouldery edge of Tarnbrook Fell towers on the left. Continue upwards, remaining on the track as it teeters along the edge of Gables Clough and then winds some more before descending to a footbridge. Below flows the Wyre, having gathered water from the slopes above. Climb the slope beyond and follow the track as it levels out and finally comes to the ridge at Brown Syke.

Do not pass through the gateless gap in the fence and wall ahead, but turn left and walk on with the boundary to your right. At first there are large areas of exposed peat and gullies of peat, which make for difficult walking after rain, but keep along the little path beside the fence and walk where others have marked out the way with their bootprints. The path eventually improves and you should remain faithfully on the left side of the newish stretches of wall or the elderly fence. Pause regularly to enjoy the views into Yorkshire.

Then the fence climbs fairly steeply and there are several peaty hollows to negotiate. Where the fence turns away a narrow, indistinct path leads up to the open moorland to the eastern edge of Ward's Stone. Here there is a striking rock feature whose parts are named on the map as Grey Mare with Foal and Queen's Chair. Just beyond these is a commemorative trig point.

From this spot a dry narrow path leads on along the ridge to arrive at the western edge of the plateau, where there is a large collection of contorted boulders. Another trig point graces the little hillock, and close by is the huge boulder that gives its name to the hill, Ward's Stone. Locate the little path that carries on in a westerly direction and begin your descent off the plateau on a rough peaty way. This leads down to Cabin Flat, an extensive area of peaty moorland. The little path passes through heather, climbs up and down small peaty gullies, and sometimes seems to disappear in mire. Pick your way carefully and head on. Pass two small pools of water on your left, and when you can see the noticeboards beside the track you need for your descent, the path disappears. Pick your way carefully through the heather to join the track where a notice tells you about the 'Access strip', and waymarks direct you on your way.

Turn left to go down the gravelled track, with a deep clough (narrow gorge) to your left, and also pass the shooters' luncheon huts. Ignore a track going off left and carry on down and down, eventually to pass through pleasing pastures. As you near Higher Lee the track winds right to pass in front of the house. Follow the waymark directing you left and turn left at the road.

Descend the short hill and go through a gate on the right. This gives onto the end of the track you took almost at the outset of the walk. Head on along the track with fine deciduous woodland all around – a great contrast after the treeless tops. Continue to the stile onto the road, turn left, cross Stoops Bridge and then go right into the parking area.