Start: Car park. Hornby. From Junction 34 of the M6 follow A683 towards Kirkby Lonsdale. This will take you to Hornby. The car park is on the left immediately before the bridge in the village centre.

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Summary: Distance 10k 6 miles
                  Time:  2 ½ - 3 ½ hours
                  Terrain: Mainly easy walking across pastureland.

Directions: Return to the road, cross it and take a footpath to the left side of the village institute leading to a rather forbidding metal panel gate. Go through this and after crossing a farm yard bear left onto a track that will quickly lead you besides the river Hindburn.

 

 After 250m cross a stile on the right and cut through woods.

 

 Cross the next field to a stile.

 

Here bear left. After crossing three fields the route follows a track that reunites you with the river. Cross a stile on the left.

 

 After the path skirts a water treatment plant follow a track left to reach the Bentham Road on the edge of Wray.

Turn left to cross the bridge and then take a footpath on the right.

 

This leads upwards with woods on the right. Then the path crosses two large fields to reach a lane close to Meal Bank Farm.

 

Turn right onto the lane and walk 100m to take a footpath on the left opposite Mealbank.

 

The route now traverses pleasant undulating countryside adorned with woods. From the stile bear slightly right to the far corner. 

 

Continue in the same direction to reach another corner. With a hedge on the left dip down to cross a brook.

 

The path now steadily climbs with a hedge on the left to reach a gate close to the highest point of the hill.

 Go through the gate and then turn right and then immediately right again to put yourself on a grassy track leading to the substantial farm of Parkside.

 

 Here you need to be alert because the way is not clearly marked.

 

 Before you reach the main house cross the lawn on the left to a stile. (To the left of a Wendy House)

 

 In the next field keep ahead to the left of farm cottages.

 

When you arrive at a metal gate close to Swallow Cottage go through and follow the drive down to a lane.

 

 Cross the lane and stile to gently drop bearing right.

 

The path diagonally crosses to a metal gate. Just beyond this take a stile on the right. Cross to the far side of the field and cross a stile.

 

 Now bear left aiming for the far corner. Just before you reach it cross a stile in the hedge. 

 

With a barn to your right continue with the hedge on your left.

 

 At a substantial second stile turn right.  Crossing a stone footbridge begin to climb up the side of the valley bearing left.

 

The path is not easily picked up but a plank footbridge and stile will confirm you're on route.

 

Beyond this keep close to the hedge on your right until you reach the lane by Four Score Acres. Turn right. Walk along the lane for about 400m and take a footpath on the left.

 

 

 This drops down to Mill Houses. On reaching the lane turn right and then turn left through a wooden gate to next to a garage.

 

Bear left through a gap and then rejoin the lane at the far end of a terrace of cottages. Turn left. Keep on the lane as it leads down to Wray.

 

 Walk through the village and after the George and Dragon turn left.

 

After 50m turn right opposite the chapel into Lane Head. 

 

This leads onto a track.

 

At the next junction turn left. After 500m at a metal gate take a footpath on the right.

 

 After passing Peaser Barn the path crosses a dismantled railway.

 

 This leads to a stile encountered on the outward leg. You can retrace your early steps. For a change of scene turn left.  The path soon rises as it skirts woods before plunging into them dropping you down to the farm leading back to Hornby.

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