Start: Car park close to nursery school on Fernyhalgh Lane. (If closed there is a lay by opposite the nursery.) From the M6 junction 32 take the A6 north towards Garstang and turn immediately right onto D'Urton Lane. Keep across D'Urton Lane across two roundabouts.  Fernyhalgh Lane is on the right. (Follow sign for Ladyewell)

 Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Summary: Distance: 8k 5miles
                  Time 2 - 3 hours
                  Terrain: Gentle undulating countryside crossing woods and pastures.
                  Map: OS Explorer 286 Blackpool and Preston

Directions: Car Park to Goosnargh: From the car park continue down Fernyhalgh Lane until you reach Ladyewell House. A gate to the right leads into the garden. For those who haven't visited Ladyewell before the scene before you may come as a surprise. The shrine to Our Lady is immediately on the right while in the neat grounds there are chapels dedicate for worship and prayer.

 

Whether you are religious or not it will be difficult not to be impressed by of the tranquility of this place. Having made meditation you can begin the walk proper.

Leaving Ladyewell House turn left to follow a wooded path down an incline.

 

At the bottom you will find yourself close to the M6.

 

 Turn left along a tarmac lane to reach the gates of Haighton House.

 

A pedestrian gate to the right will allow you into the estate. Through woods follow the lane as it winds its way to another set of gates. Here turn right to cross the brook by means of a wooden footbridge.

With pasture on your right follow the brook until you reach a footpath diversion. Recent erosion of the stream has necessitated this measure.

 

A stile will put you into a field. With the fence on your left keep ahead until you reach Londonderry Bridge close to the southern entrance to Haighton Hall.

 

Cross the bridge and take the bridleway to the immediate right of the gates.

 

This will take you around two properties to put you on a farm drive.

 

Turn left and follow the lane down to Haighton Green Lane. Cross the road and pass through a squeeze stile.

 

 Now cross the large field diagonally left passing a pond on your right to reach the far left corner.

From here cross the stile and keep ahead with a hedge on your left. Cross the next field and then on reaching a ladder stile on the left turn right away from it to reach a wooden footbridge over a brook.

Cross and walk up the rise following a line of five oak trees. Crossing into the next field keep ahead with the hedge on your right. In the far corner a stile will lead to a bridge over a culverted stream.

 

Once over bear right aiming towards farm buildings. Turn left through a gate and continue with the boundary of the farm on your right. After 100 metres turn right over a stile.

 

 

The footpath will lead you through past buildings to reach the main drive.

 

Turn left and walk down to Whittingham Lane. Turn left for Goosnargh.

Goosnargh to Car park. Leave the village and at the speed limit sign turn onto the drive leading down to Chingle Hall.

 

This was the birthplace of John Wall one of the catholic martyrs put to death for his faith in 1676.

 

It is said that his spirits still roams the house. Keep ahead past the house picking up a farm track that leads out into open fields.

 

 Drop down to a footbridge and continue on a track up gently rising ground. 200m from the bridge cross a stile on the right.

 

Cross the field slightly left to another. The way continues to bring you to a field corner. Across the next field diagonally to the right of New Chingle Hall. At the field corner cross a stile onto a track.

Here a right and then a left will put you on the farm driver leading out to Haighton Green Lane.

 Turn right and after 200m turn left onto a footpath.

 

 This leads across a large pasture to another stile. Keep ahead with a hedge on your left. The path leads to a field corner.

 

Turn right onto a track that leads to Fernyhalgh Lane. On reaching it turn right for the car park.
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