Total Distance: 8 Km or 5 miles
Time: 3 hours
Terrain: In dry conditions this walk could be possibly done in an hour less. After prolonged wet weather it could take an hour more! The differential is accounted for by MUD. When the walk was checked there was quite a deal of it. Aside from this, it is not too demanding, though there is a sharp ascent close to the end of the walk.

Start: Visitor Centre: From exit 31a M6; follow directions for B6243 to Longridge. On the mini roundabout at edge of Longridge keep ahead on B6244. After passing Longridge High School on right keep ahead at next roundabout. Past Safeway’s, again on right, keep ahead into Inglewhite Lane, now picking up signs for Beacon Fell Country Park. It now looks quite close. This is deceiving like the marker post in the centre of a maze.  In 5 Km or 3 miles reach Inglewhite. Here turn right into Button Street. This leads to a junction with Bleasdale Road. Turn right and right again at the next junction. This lane, Crombleholme will take you up to join the one way system that circles the fell. Turn left. The visitor centre is a little further on with car parks both side of the road. [If in doubt from Inglewhite onwards, follow the brown signs for the country park.]

1. Visitor Centre to Bleasdale (Higher Brock Mill) (3 Km or 2 miles: 50 mins)
With the centre on your left,

turn right along a well laid trail.


This is in fact one of three waymarked trails in the park and is indeed Summit Trail. At the next junction of paths


turn left and soon you will reach the open moorland and the trig. Point denoting the summit. 


After admiring the views which are particularly good towards Parlick and Fairsnape, keep ahead on a good path (initially) that drops towards woodland. When it joins a wide track turn left. On reaching one of a number of sculptures that adorn the park, turn right.


The track leads down through densely planted conifers (8) to reach the fell road. Cross and take the footpath diagonally opposite.


After a stile the path reaches a junction of paths shown by a waymarked post.


Here turn right and walking along a grassy track arrive at a stile next to a wooden gate and before a farm.



After crossing it turn left and walk down to the lane. At the lane turn right and follow it round a sharp left bend down to Wickens Barn where the lane bends right. Just beyond the property turn left onto a footpath



that skirts its grounds. With the fence on your left keep ahead to reach a stile by a metal gate on the left.



Now keep ahead with the fence on your right. The route enters a verge of woodland and after crossing a stile drops down to a lane.


Turn right. Higher Brock Mill is a little further on the left.

2. Bleasdale to Beacon Fell (5 Km or  3 miles: 1 hr 15 mins) 
Until a few years ago Higher Brock Mill had a post office and tea room making it a useful amenity popular with cyclists and letter writing farmers of the district. Keep on the lane for 800m 12mins. On reaching stone built Weaver’s Farm on right look for an almost obscured signpost on the left.


Take this as edges alongside woodland above the River Brock with a fence on your left. At the first stile in the fence


cross it and continue with the fence on your right. As you cross the next two fields the route begins to drop gently. After a wooden stile



the rocky path descends sharply to the valley bottom, crossing a feeder stream by a wooden footbridge.



Keep ahead crossing pastures with woodland on your left and the river on your right. After this stile


the path enters the grounds of Waddecar, a scouting activity centre of some renown. Look for waymark sign indicating the path forking slightly to the right.


After crossing a stretch of open ground the path enters woodland.



At this point the path is not always clear. However with the river to the right and by keeping ahead a bench is soon reached – one that invites a picnic.



A little ahead is a memorial oak tree planted for Cyril Spiby.



Through his love of the Lancashire countryside Cyril was able to introduce countless people to its charms in his numerous guides. Certainly this writer owes much to him and am thankful for his life.

The way turns sharply left at this point to reach a broad track that leads up, past another bench,  and comes to a wooden gate. This gives onto Snape Rakes Lane a narrow tarmac lane.


Turn right. The tarmac soon peters out as the track descends back to the river. At a signpost in front of a wooden bridge, turn left.



Walking here is soon assisted by a series of boardwalks



 which will be slippery after wet weather. After 200m the path comes to open ground with a grey building ahead.


The track passes this on its left to reach a wider more substantial lane. Bear left slightly uphill After the track levels out look for a footpath sign pointing right back towards the river.


Follow this downhill through trees and with the river on the right follow the path that will bring you to Higher Brock Bridge.


Across Higher Brock Bridge


is a car park for a riverside nature trail leading down to Walmsley Bridge almost 1 ½ miles further. Worry not the way turns left along White Lee Lane. Keep on it for almost 1k (15mins) to reach Bleasdale Lane.



Here turn right then left onto a footpath



that leads across a field to a wooden bridge. 



In the plantation beyond bear slightly right along an indistinct path that begins to climb the fellside. It continues more steeply still to a wall which is crossed by a stone stile.



Keep ahead and soon the fell road is crossed as the path enters conifer woodland along a broad track that will soon bring you back to the visitor centre.