Start: Birdy Brow. From Junction 31a M6 follow signs for Longridge. When you reach the town keep ahead on B6244 to roundabout passing Longridge High School on the right. Turn right on Kestor Lane and then left into Market Place. Keep ahead onto Higher Road passing to the left of the White Bull. Keep right on Clitheroe Old Road at the next fork. In two miles keep ahead at cross roads close to New Drop Inn. In a further 3 miles look for quarry car park on right side of the road. (A few hundred yards beyond closed forestry car park on left.)

 Fact file: Distance: 8 k 5 miles
                  Time:  2  - 3   hours
                 Summary:  Forestry tracks over fell with a steep descent towards Rakefoot. Mainly pastures and lane back to Birdy Brow.
               Maps: OS OL 41 Forest of Bowland

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: From the car park walk back

to the forestry car park a little over 200 metres on the right. Turn onto the broad forestry track that zig zags its way up the fellside.

 As it reaches the top of the ridge the track follows a straighter course.

 On a well drained track the walking is easy though at this stage the views are often restricted because of the trees. About 30 minutes from the road (1400 metres) note a footpath cutting across the track but do not follow. 300 metres after this turn right at a junction of tracks

and continue as the track bends to the left and makes its gentle ascent of Hare Hill the highest section of the route. After the track dips down it passes a track leading off to the right

which is an entrance to a shallow quarry. Two hundred metres after this turn right onto a bridleway

that soon takes you into a dense plantation of conifers.

 

Keep on this rocky trail as it begins to descend the fellside soon quite steeply.

 At this point there is a surprise view across Chipping Vale to the Bowland Fells. After the confines of the woods the scene opens up at first funnelled towards Beacon Fell and Parlick and on breaking out into pasture taking in the whole of the south face of Bowland.

Through a gate

continue on the same angle

 to the next gate before turning right

to reach the drive leading to Rakefoot - the farm on the right.

 Across the cattle grid turn left through a wooden gate

 and keep ahead passing close to a telephone pole to cross a pasture to reach a green lane.

 Turn right on this (or if it is saturated as it might be this time of year) walk alongside it. After crossing a stile

and then a brook

 the path reaches a large field.

Cross to the property on the far side (the former inn the Craven Heifer) and pass through a small gate on its side wall

and turn left. Quickly reaching the lane turn right.

There now follows a kilometre of road walking which takes you through the lovely hamlet of Walker Fold. Close by the imposing property of Chadswell on the left look for a path on the right

the sign pointing at an angle from the lane. Take this as it crosses pasture to a brook.

Cross this and then go through a gate and keep ahead to a stile.

After the next field pick up a track

leading towards Chaigley Hall a large property. The right of way goes through the grounds of the hall but readers may feel more comfortable crosses a stile to the right of the approach track

and then following the path as it goes behind the hall and bears right up

towards the conifers crowding down the steep end of Longridge Fell. As the path levels out it passes behind Turner Fold

 and thereafter quickly reaches Clitheroe Old Road.

Turn right for Birdy Brow.