Start: Burholme Bridge near Whitewell. From Junction 31a M6 follow signs for Longridge. At Longridge follow signs for Trough of Bowland and Whitewell. Burholme Bridge is the first bridge across the Hodder after Whitewell. There is a small car park on the left side.

Illustration by Kevan Thompson

Factfile: Distance 14k 8 ½ miles
              Time: 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours
               Summary: Moderate. The route, which passes through a succession of farms, includes modest uphill sections.
               Map: OS OL 41 The Forest of Bowland

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: Burholme Bridge to Chipping. From the car park turn left up the lane towards Chipping.

After 600m turn left onto the farm drive leading down to New Laund Farm. As you approach the farm you will pass this old cheese press on your right.

Past through the yard of the farm and then turn right onto a footpath leading uphill through a gate.

Between woods on the left and a limestone knoll on the right keep ahead to reach a stile.

Over this and the way levels off. Before you a superb view of the river as it passes through a wooded gorge; behind you the Hodder Valley in a more open aspect; both views strikingly beautiful. The path drops down to a ladder stile in a wall.

 

Beyond this follow a wire fence and then after bearing to the right pick up a rough track left leading down to the large farm of Fair Oak.

 

On  reaching the farm turn left and then right onto a footpath that doglegs right and then left past a large barn.

A short distance ahead turn right to cross a field. Cross two stiles in quick succession to reach a lane, then cross a third opposite.

 Keep ahead to reach the drive of Higher Greystoneley. This is not so much a farm as a group of gentrified properties. Follow the track as it passes through the complex and then descends to a wooded clough.

After a footbridge climb up to reach Lower Greystoneley.

 On an improving track keep ahead for almost 500m past Knot Barn to arrive at the limestone outcrop of Knot Hill.

 Turn right and then follow the base of the hill left. Here there is little clue that you are on route. Keep ahead across a field to reach a double stile in the hedgerow.

From this point the route keeps on a straight line for the best part 1000m with (in the main) a fence line on the right. Almost immediately it dips down to a footbridge

 and then continues negotiating more stiles

until it reaches a farm drive close by a hollow stump.

Turn left and follow the drive to the lane. Turn right for Chipping.

 A concessionary bridleway on the right will keep you off the lane for a few hundred metres.

When you reach the village turn right into the main street.

Chipping to Burholme Bridge. Walk up the main street and turn right by the handsome church.

Illustration by Kevan Thompson

 When the lane forks keep ahead to dip down to the old chair works. Until the recent past this was a going concern providing valuable employment for the area. Keep ahead to reach a mill lodge on the left. Part way along turn right onto a footpath that leads steeply uphill.

At first keep the field boundary on your right but after a stile bear left, passing beneath telephone wires to follow a path that begins to drop down to a brook.

 

After a stile the path reaches a footbridge and then commences a long climb first to Windy Hill where it turns right and then immediately left;

then continues for a further 600m with the field boundary on the right.

 Once again there are no real clues about where to go from this point. As the way levels cross through clumps of sedge to a stile aiming towards the rounded form of Burnslack Fell and a pine plantation.

Across the stile aim for the pine trees. Momentarily on a farm road turn right onto a broad track.

Keep on this for 1500m as it crosses a stretch of open access moorland to arrive at Lickhurst Farm.

 At the farm bear left onto the farm road and follow it downhill to a brook.

 As the road bends right keep ahead over a footbridge and climb the hill on the other side. Cross a stile, pass through a gate

and then bear left with a hedge on your left.

 As you enter the next field turn right to drop to a boggy corner.

Go through the gate and keep ahead to reach a track that leads into the large yard of Dinkling Green Farm.

Here turn left and take a footpath on the left side of a large barn.

Cross the next field to a stile

and then keep ahead until you reach a track leading down to a stream.

Once over a footbridge walk uphill into Lickhurst Farm.

Keep on the farm road as it climbs uphill bearing right at a junction. Past chicken huts the road crosses an escarpment and then bends right. Here keep ahead to follow a path that leads downhill across fields with the hedge to the right.

 

When it reaches the lane turn left for Burholme Bridge.  

 Apologies: At this time we are unable to put on a printer friendly version of this walk. We will attempt to address this problem as soon as possible.