Distance: 11 Km or 7 miles
Time: 3 - 3½  hours
Terrain: Mainly easy though bear in mind the 200m descent to Ribchester on outward leg means an uphill return to the car. Paths in the woods are prone to muddiness after wet weather.

Start: Crowshaw Quarry Car Park, Old Clitheroe Road.
From Junction 31a M6 follow signs for Longridge. On B6243 bear right at mini roundabout towards Clitheroe and Ribchester. Beyond St Cecilia's High School turn left opposite church into town centre. Follow sign for Jeffrey Hill straight ahead as main street bears right down the hill. Where the road forks keep right. In 3 Km or 2 miles reach cross roads at Newdrop Inn. In further 2Km or 1½  miles look for car park on right, opposite thick plantations of Longridge Fell.

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

1.Crowshaw Quarry to Ribchester: 6 Km or 3¾ miles: 1½  - 2 hours)
After admiring the view walk along the road towards Clitheroe turning right onto tarmac drive across a cattle grid leading past Holly Hall down to Crowshaw House. Passing a barn on the left, the view opens up. At around 300m along a grassy track, turn right just before a plantation.

The track dog legs around the plantation to enter a patch of mature woodland by a gate.The path leads round to Higher Hud Lee, a farm.


Paths that were clear in the wood are less distinct in the pasture. The right of way leads across the field to a stile in the hedge, and then to another stile in a fence. Here turn left to reach a junction of tracks where a helpful waymarker points the direction of travel.


 After crossing a slight rise, drop to a stile in a fence, after which keep ahead with a farm on your right, to arrive at a wooden footbridge. After crossing it, walk up alongside a fence and pass through a metal gate to come to Manor House Farm. Its track leads down to the B6243 Longridge Road. Turn left and then cross to a footpath on the opposite side of the road.


This leads to the edge of Duddel Wood. Turn left and walk down hill with the wood on the right. After one wooden stile, enter the wood by another. The path crosses Duddel Brook by way of a footbridge and then climbs upwards on the opposite bank.


This dell is a marvellous habitat where vegetation of all kinds seems to flourish. The path leads up to a stile that exits the wood, but turn left on a narrow path staying for a while longer inside the wood. After crossing two more footbridges close together, turn right onto a wider track that leads down to a fourth footbridge. After crossing it, walk up to a stile and finally leave the wood for pasture.


Keep ahead with a hedge on left and maintain the same direction after a wooden stile. The hedge on the left turns away but cross the open pasture to reach a stile by a gate. [Note well this arrangement since you will be returning here on the first part of the leg back]



Cross the stile and follow the track down to Stydd Manor.


After two sets of metal gates you come to Stydd Chapel, dedicated to St.Saviour.


This lovely little building has recently been restored by English Heritage and has much to reward a visit. It is a place of great antiquity and may have been established as a hospice set up by the Knights Hospitallers in the early 12th century. Continuing along the lane, you will soon come to a second architectural gem. These are the almshouses built in 1728 to house five catholic widows or spinsters when endowed by Sir John Shireburn of Stonyhurst.


Keep on the lane to reach Blackburn Road on the edge of Ribchester. Here turn right, walking past the Ribchester Arms (unless you wish to stop for refreshment of course - recommended) and follow signs for the Roman bath house. Keep on the path past the bath house to come to the River Ribble, with St Wilfred's church just a little way beyond.

2. Ribchester to Crowshaw. 5 Km or 3 miles: 1½  hours)
There will be much to detain you in Ribchester, but when you are done, retrace your steps first to Stydd and then beyond the manor to the junction of paths at this metal gate.


Here keep ahead with the hedge on your left. The way now is gently but persistently up. After a small bridge keep ahead until a stile is reached by a distinctive gatepost.


Ahead to the left you will notice a radio mast. Keep right of this on a less clear path to come to the wide farmyard of Duddel Farm.


The track beyond leads to Longridge Road. Carefully crossing the road take the footpath opposite to traverse two pastures to enter woodland.


On reaching a drive turn left and after crossing a stone flanked bridge look for an unsigned path on your right. Follow this to reach a stile adorned by three waymark arrows.


Your way is left along the side of the wood. After a stone barn cross a stile and then turn right.


(When the walk was checked the only waymark was the one shown - but there was some evidence to indicate another pointing right had been removed.)


Follow the hedge with old wrought iron fence embedded, to a stile across a wire fence. Beyond this skirt the wood to the left as you ascend a brow to come to a stile by a metal gate before the conical outline of Cutler's Hill. Contour to the right of the hill then aim towards the ruin of a building ahead. Keep to the right of this and after passing through a metal gate, reach Huntingdon Hall on Huntingdon Hall Lane.


 [ The right of way is marked much closer to the ruin, but when this was checked out there did not appear to be access on this approach] You may want a moment or two to admire the hall first built in the early 17th century.


Turn left up the lane and on the first bend reach a stile with a sign post indicating a trio of public footpaths.


Your course is the middle one, at right angles to the other two. Again the paths here are not distinct, but by following the direction of the waymark, on cresting a hill you will see the farmhouse of Intack ahead.

After a stile keep to the right of the house as you follow its drive, past the quarry and up to the car park.

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The White Bull

The classical portico of this attractive inn seems almost in keeping with the village's Roman past. Of course Agricola did not drink here, nor any of his legionnaires, but that's no reason for you not to sample the friendly atmosphere of this pub. Of the cask ales Theakston's and Black Sheep were on offer. While the lunch specials board seemed perfectly designed for hungry walkers with a range of sandwiches served with chips and salad. These proved to be substantial, delicious and filling.