Start: Cobble Hey Garden Centre. From Junction 32 M6 turn right onto the A6. Head north passing through Broughton, Barton and Bilsborrow. After passing Barton Grange Garden Centre on the left turn right onto New Lane just before a service station. Immediately cross the Lancaster Canal and then the M6. At the next junction turn left into Lodge Road. After half a mile bear right into Smithy Lane. At the next junction turn left and keep on this lane as it bends to the right leading onto Butt Hill Lane. Continue for over a mile to reach the entrance drive of Cobble Hey.

Fact file: Distance: 11 ½ k - 7 miles
                 Time: 3 - 4 hours
                  Summary: Easy with one climb away from the Brock Valley.
                          Map: OS Explorer 286 Blackpool & Preston

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: From the garden centre return to Butt Hill Lane and turn left. Now on Hobbs Lane after 100m turn right over a stile

and cross a large field diagonally to a corner close to Foggs Farm (on your right).

Cross the farm track and pass through a kissing gate. Keep ahead to cross a stile

and then continue with a wire fence on your left. The next stile is tucked into a corner near a patch of gorse.

After crossing it bear right and with hedgerow on your right walk to a metal gate leading onto Gonder Lane.

[Here the rights of way have been altered on all but the most recent maps.]  Turn right and then left onto a farm track.

After this bends to the left turn right through a metal gate onto a path leading across a grassy field.

 After the next gateway turn left. 

 Continue to a stile and after crossing it keep ahead with a fence on your left. Now dropping gently after the next stile

maintain this direction until you arrive at a lane close to the handsome buildings of Clarkson's Farm.

Turn right and then left into Walmsley Bridge Lane.

Not surprisingly this leads down to Walmsley Bridge over the River Brock.

The next section of the walk is a lovely riverside ramble following the river upstream.

Just before the bridge turn left onto a footpath and continue with the river on your right.

The fast flowing River Brock was much exploited in the early development of textile manufacture and along its course are the remains of water powered mills.

 This industrial past seems at odds with the sylvan scene that presents itself as you walk up stream. Continue for 2 ½ k (45 mins) to reach the picnic area at Higher Brock Bridge.

 Here cross the river and turn left through the handsome stone portals of Brock Cottage Farm.

 Bear left on a track leading close to the river.

After a stile follow the footpath upstream with the Brock on your left.

After 700m the path turns away from the river climbing up to a service road.

 

When you reach itturn left and after passing a weir and a white cottage

keep ahead on a path that soon re-unites you with the water. After entering an area of dense woodland the path reaches a footbridge spanning the river.

 Cross this and continue uphill on a broad track. 

 Pass through a metal gate and keep ahead along an avenue of pine trees.

The track leads to Bleasdale Lane.

Cross the lane into Delph Lane. After 500m turn left over a stone stile

 and cross a large pasture to reach Huds Brook Plantation. Walk through the woods to a stone stile on its far side.

 From here the footpath continues straight crossing pasture through kissing gates or over stiles for almost 1000m.

 When you enter growing cereal (at the time of writing) follow the boundary on the right to a stile in its corner.

Over this turn right and in a short distance come to the entrance of Cobble Hey.