This walk begins in Waddington which has been voted Best Kept Village in the Universe on more than one occasion. It is a delightful spot and well worth a visit in its own right. The route from it goes up across farmland and moorland to reach a fine viewpoint – to the north, Bowland; to the south – the Ribble Valley, to return to the village by way of a superlative roadside inn.
Total Distance: 12 Km or 8 miles
Time: 3 -3½ hours
Terrain: A steady and in parts strenous ascent of the fellside starting and finishing in pastureland.
Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette
1. Waddington to Fell Road summit. (8 Km or 5 miles: 2 - 2½ hours)
Walk into the village centre.
At the Higher Buck Inn turn right towards West Bradford. This will take you past the Hospital (an 18th century almshouse).
Continue along the lane past the primary school and then turn left towards Meadow Head.
As you approach the house cross a wooden stile on the right.
Continue upwards to reach another stile which is at the junction of two footpaths.
Follow the direction of the right-hand waymark - straight ahead aiming for a large property. On nearing this bear left to reach a pair of stiles on each side of a track.
Cross these and bear left around the side and rear of a farmhouse to arrive at a metal gate at the end of a wall.
Follow the direction of the right-hand waymark pointing diagonally right. The path traverses to a footbridge and stile
and then across a broad field to a footbridge over a ditch,
to reach a stile set in a wall.
Keep on the footpath beyond this to come to a stile before a flight of steps that puts you onto Moor Lane.
Turn left. At 500m the lane turns left towards Seedals. Here keep ahead on the bridleway.
This rough track will take you close to the top of the moors.
Beyond a small barn and a pair of wooden gates, the bridleway follows a wall on the left. 500m beyond the barn the track turns slightly to the right and then 300m further on, through a wooden gate, turns sharply right towards an extensive conifer plantation on the skyline. 15-20 minutes later you will reach the edge of this plantation. Here turn left and continue the ascent. 300m further on, a prominent pile of stones will be seen on a rise.
Take the path through heather to reach it. This is a fine viewpoint for reviewing the route you have just climbed as well as admiring Pendle Hill across the Ribble Valley.
Follow the path through a pair of redundant gateposts towards the ariel mast on the crest of Waddington Fell.
On this upland section of the route the Bowland Fells will come into view to the north.
The path will bring you onto Fell Road which connects Waddington to Newton.
2. Fell Road summit to Waddington (4 Km or 2½ miles: 1 hour)
Turn left onto Fell Road taking proper heed of traffic and descend towards Waddington. Soon the Moorcock Inn will come into sight. Cross the ladder stile on the left just beyond the inn.
This crosses a large field and then, through a gateway follows the edge of a wooded valley. The path soon drops down to the stream and crosses it by a ford.
Now with the wooded clough on your right, descend to Cuttock Clough Farm.
Turn right at the lane and follow it over a road bridge.
On the left between houses
turn left onto a lane and bear left to follow a footpath as it skirts behind a property and then drops to cross a wooden footbridge. As you climb out of the depression again keep close to the woods on your right. Before the next farm keep to the right of a covered reservoir and then after crossing a stile keep ahead to reach the farm lane.
Turn right and just beyond the farm left onto a footpath.
After crossing a stone stile continue your descent, once again with the woods on your right. After 500m the path bears left along the line of a hedge to pass through a gate onto a farm track.
Keep to the left of the almshouses to reach West Bradford Road. Turn right for the village.
The Moorcock Inn
The Moorcock is an absolute delight. A large bar area with a flagged floor and a large fire/fireplace it is most welcoming. The service is friendly, the food good and the beer equally good. On our latest visit 3 cask ales were on offer: White Horse's Village Idiot (4.1%), York Brewery's Guzzler ( 3.6%) and Bank Top's Bowl Town (3.8%). All beers were served in excellent condition and complemented the food most nicely.
This was our second visit but not our last!