Start: Small car park near Tower Lodge on the Trough of Bowland Road, close to Marshaw.

From M6 junction 33 turn left onto A6 and then immediately left again onto Hampson Lane taking you across the motorway. At the T junction turn right and then after a mile turn left at the Fleece public house. Follow signs to Dolphinholme and then to Abbeystead. At Abbeystead cross Stoops Bridge into Strait Lane leading into Long Lane. At the T junction turn right. Now on the Trough of Bowland Road continue for 2 ½ m. The car park is on the right.

 

 

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Summary: Distance: 14 ½ k 9m

                 Time: 4 - 5 hours

                  Terrain: There is a good landrover track leading from Gilberton to the ridge to aid good progress in nearly all weather conditions. Thereafter it is entirely a different story. Be prepared to negotiate excessively boggy ground. Unless proficient with map and compass save this walk for a clear day.

                  Map: OS OL41 The Forest of Bowland.

 

Directions: Tower Lodge to summit of Wolfhole Crag. 8k 5m. From the car park cross the road and turn onto track by Tower Lodge.

 

Follow this, at first through woods, up to the edge of the access area marked by a ladder stile over a wall. Turn left and continue for 500m with the wall on your left. Passing through the top of a wooded valley cross a wall to join a footpath. Turn right and after crossing another wall, walk downhill to reach the farmstead of Gilberton.

 After crossing the infant (Tarnbrook) Wyre, follow the farm drive to the boundary wall.

 Then turn right onto a broad landrover track. For the next hour follow this as it climbs up to the peat lands of Brown Syke the source of the Tarnbrook Wyre. This is the easy bit.

When you reach a fence do not cross but turn right.

As well as you are able follow the fence across the soggy plateau towards the hill before you. At intervals, detours may be necessary to avoid quagmires along the line of the fence. After a junction of wall and fence (note well as you will return to this spot after climbing to the summit), continue with a wall on your left.

 

 In another 500m you will arrive at the trig point in the midst of a scattering of elephant grey rock.

 Summit to Tower Lodge. 6k 4m Wolfhole Crag at 527m is a superlative viewpoint. To the north east Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent will be seen while in between the vast sweep of the Forest of Bowland lies before you. Not so far away is the spot identified as the geographical centre of Great Britain.

Retrace your steps to the wall junction, cross and turn left in the direction of Millers House as indicated by a helpful signpost. Again, as well as the ground underfoot allows, keep to the wall as it crosses Brennand Great Hill to drop to Millers House a traverse of almost two miles. If you have built yourself up to see a real house, you will be disappointed. Yep, Millers House is just another pile of stones.

 Yet rather intriguingly there is an old millstone to be seen, like some ancient carving on Easter Island, indicating this was once a site of industry. Some of the masons seemingly carved their initials on some of the rocks hereabout. Nearby a signpost points the way to White Moor. On a barely discernable path bear right away from Millers House in the direction of the sign. In a little over 500m you will reach a wall.

 Bear right and continue with the wall on your left. Keep with this handrail for the best part of 1500m/1 mile until you reach the gate by which you came in.

 Turn left and retrace your earlier upward steps down to the Trough Road.

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