Start: Car park by St. Peter's church.

Please contribute to the courtesy box. From junction 34 M6 take A683 to Kirkby Lonsdale. On reaching the A65 turn right towards Settle and Skipton. At Cowan Bridge turn left for Leck. After 1/2 mile turn right. The church car park is on the left side of the lane, just before the church.

Fact file: Distance: 11 1/2 k 7 miles
                Time: 3-4 hours
                 Summary: The first part of the walk climbs the lonely moorland road up to Leck Fell House. From here it is all downhill.

               Map: OS OL2 Yorkshire Dales Southern & Western Areas

 Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

                 

Car park to Leck Fell House: 5 ½ k 3 miles: From the car park turn left towards Ireby and walk along the lane for 1k (15 minutes). Across the fields on the left look out for the distinctive profile of Ingleborough, one of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire.

After the lane turns sharply left at Todgill Farm

 turn left onto a farm track

that soon starts to gently climb first behind Leck Villa on the left and then Leck Hall.

 In 30 minutes or just under 2k the track reaches the Fell Road.

Turn right. This lonely road climbs up to Leck Fell House which is reached after another 2 ½ k. (40 mins) Throughout this section the views open out and from time to time it is well worth stopping and looking behind you. Directly south are the Bowland Fells while further west Kirkby Lonsdale and the Lune Valley can be picked out.

Leck Fell House to Ease Gill: 1 ½ k 1 mile: High on the skyline to the right look out for the Three men of Gragareth - tall stone cairns that seem to brood over the landscape.

If you have time they are well worth a visit. [Keep ahead through a five bar gate. Carefully negotiating a way through or around the rock fields that cover the lower fellside make your way up to the Three Men, with your back to the last out building of the farm. This section is particularly steep. On reaching the cairns maintain the same direction until you intercept a faint path that will lead you across to the trig point which will be reached after 10 - 15mins. This is the  highest point in Lancashire. Retrace your steps back to Leck Fell House.]

Now begins a very awkward traverse of moorland to gain the gill. Approaching the farm on the fell road turn left at the first metal gate. 

With the wall to your right

 you should be able to discern something of a path through bog and marsh heading towards the depression before you. On Casterton Fell opposite Bullpot Farm provides a good aiming point. As you come in sight of the gill bear left on a shelf above it.

The first thing that will strike you will be the fact that the gill is dry. About 150m downstream from the wall the remarkable geology of Ease Gill Kirk is worth closer inspection.

It is an impressive dry waterfall cut into the limestone. The tranquillity of the surroundings make this an ideal place for a picnic. Compared with open moorland crossed in reaching it, this part of the walk will seem like an oasis.

Ease Gill to Car park. 4k 2 ½ mile. On reaching the gill turn left and pick up a path that takes you above a narrow defile and then the waterfalls of Leck Beck Head.

With Leck Beck on your right follow the path back to the village.  200m beyond a ruin marked Anneside on the map,

 turn right over a stile that follows a gully down to Leck Beck.

   (Keep ahead if you wish to reach the village more quickly.) The riverside walk provides a delightful conclusion to the circuit. As you near the river turn left on a footpath

 

 leading through a lovely wooded vale.

In spring the woods are carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic. After crossing pastures

enter Leck turning left at the first junction.

 The lane leads up to another junction. Keep ahead to St Peters Primary School.

 Follow the footpath signs to the right of the main building to reach the church car park.