Start/finish: Delph Lane Quarry car park.

From Junction 32 on the M6 turn north on the A6 towards Garstang. At Broughton turn right onto Whittingham Lane. After passing below the motorway turn left into Langley Lane. Follow signs for Inglewhite. When you reach the village crossroads turn right.  After 1 ½ m at a T junction turn right into Bleasdale Road. In less than a mile turn left into White Lee Lane. This soon leads down sharply to the River Brock and then climbs out of the valley. Turn next right. After another mile and a quarter turn left onto Delph Lane. The car park is a further 1000m on the left.
 

Fact file: Distance: 14k 8 ½ miles
                  Time:  4 - 5 hours
                 Summary:  Most of this walk is well within the capabilities of the Sunday stroller but the ascent of Fairsnape is a different proposition – it is unrelentingly steep.
               Map: OS OL 41 The Forest of Bowland

Directions: From the car park continue along Delph Lane for almost 1,000 metres.

Just before reaching Stang Yule look for a footpath on the right.

Taking this cuts a corner placing you on the metalled drive

leading down to Bleasdale Tower another 1,000 metres further on. Passing the Tower on your right turn left at Brooks Barn on a farm road.

After Clough Head Wood the road crosses pastureland

 to reach Hazelhurst a large farm complex.

Keep ahead and then just before the lane turns sharply right towards Holme House turn left on a footpath

crossing pasture to reach a wall. By crossing the stile

 you enter Access Land where you are free to roam where you will. For the purpose of this walk however the wall is key to the next part of the route. Follow the path for 300 metres with the wall on your right. Then as the path begins to climb away up towards Fiendsdale Head

keep by the wall. There is a path here but not as defined the right of way.  Now you are walking towards the end of a steep sided valley.  As the walk curves to the right it becomes necessary to cross a couple of fast flowing becks. 

 Across the second climb the steep fell before you. This is the north ridge of Fairsnape.

 After the initial 100 metres the wall on the right is replaced by a fence.

 Continue the ascent with the fence on your right until you reach a corner.

(There are 82 fence posts from the wall to the corner). Cross a stile (broken when we tested the route)

 and continue upwards on open moorland. As you breast the ridge the trig point, shelter and distinctive cairn of Paddy’s Pole come into sight.

Descent is somewhat easier. Continue along the ridge passing Paddy’s Pole.

 As the main path continues on its grand sweep towards Parlick

 bear right to pick up a small cairn

 indicating the downward track. This zig zags its way down

 to a wall which is crossed by a ladder stile

 leading onto another wall which is crossed by another ladder stile. Now in fields a clear path leads downhill

 bringing you to Higher Fairsnape Farm. After passing its first buildings

turn left to the next junction.

 Here turn right. The track brings you to the buildings of another part of the complex.

Bear right through these and then continue on a rough track.

After a metal gate continue across a field to reach a track on its far side.

 Here turn right and follow it to Holme House. After the farm the track leads round to towards Hazelhurst where you came in.

 Retrace your earlier steps back to the car.