Cross of Greet
Beyond Stocks Reservoir on the road to Bentham there is aremote and rarely visited landscape; a lost world of high moorland, strange rock formations and wide views. As always is the case with the Forest of Bowland, if you do decide to venture here, you'll have it to yourself for this area attracts few walkers making your walk all the more rewarding.
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Summary: Distance: 13k 8m
Time: 4 - 5 hours
Terrain: For long sections of this walk there are no defined paths. In addition unless there has been a spell of exceptionally dry weather you will have to negotiate a good deal of boggy ground. By any measure this is a strenuous walk.
Map: OS OL 41 The Forest of Bowland.
Start: Car park Cross of Greet Bridge.
From junction 31 M6 take the A59 to Clitheroe. From here follow signs for Waddington, then Newton and Slaidburn. On reaching Slaidburn turn left at the war memorial onto the Bentham road. After 5 miles drop down to the Cross of Greet Bridge. The car park is on the left.
Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette
Directions: Car Park to Bowland Knotts: From the car park cross the road and follow the infant river Hodder towards Stocks. This is a footpath - at least it is marked as one on the map but you'll quickly find it is not easy to follow as you wade through sedge and marsh grass.
After a gate the walking becomes much easier. On an improving track pass through two more gates and then begin to climb the fellside passing the large farm complex of Catlow on the right. Aim towards a stone barn on the skyline.
The barn is old and has some interesting graffiti carved into the beams dating back to the turn of the last century. From the barn cross a plank footbridge and turn left onto a path besides a drainage channel.
After the channel turns to the right continue to the top of the hill. As the ground levels out aim towards a wall corner.
Here pick up a track and turn left through a gate (or what's left of it) and keep ahead walking towards a prominent outcrop of gritstone.
The track leads to the road between Clapham and Stocks.
When you reach it turn left and then after a cattle grid turn left to traverse Bowland Knotts. This is not altogether straightforward and there will be a wall to negotiate before you attain the highest point.
Bowland Knotts to Cross of Greet. Return to the nearest wall turn left and use it as a handrail to cross to Ravens Castle.
On route you will encounter a huge isolated rock marked as Cold Stone.
Following the wall begin to ascend to the first of two points confusingly marked as Ravens Castle. (To distinguish them cartographers have helpfully added an apostrophe to the second.)
Continue along the ridge to Raven's Castle following a fence. In just over a kilometre you reach a corner. Here turn left to walk downhill to the Cross of Greet on the Slaidburn to Bentham road.
Cross of Greet to the car park. There is not a great deal left of the Cross of Greet.
There is a square shape in a lump of gritstone to indicate its position on this ancient boundary between Yorkshire and Lancashire. The quick way to the car park is to turn left onto the road and follow it down hill to the bridge. However if you are still game you may want to bag White Hill. Cross the road and pass through a kissing gate in a fence.
This fence is the key to the ascent of White Hill.
Through the gate bear left and follow the fence, as best you can, as it climbs the fellside. At times you will have to deviate away from the fence to circumvent large patches of swampy ground. This is not easy walking. As you reach the ridge the trig point will come into sight.
Here there are extensive views of a wide swath of the Bowland Forest. From the trig point walk eastwards towards the road. Soon you will commence a gentle descent into Far Costly Clough.
Although there is no path here, the descent is a great deal easier than the ascent. A mile from the trig point you will reach a shooters' track. Turn right.
Though not easy to follow owing to its habit of disappearing from time to time it does lead back to the car park.
