Beatrix Fell and the River Hodder

 

There are some places that you need to return to again and again to remind yourself just how lovely they are. Dunsop Bridge is one such place. It not only possesses a backdrop of high fells to lift your eyes, but is situated close to a most attractive reach of the River Hodder. This area is reputed to be Her majesty the Queen’s choice for a place to which to retire. Not Scotland, not Wales, not even the Cote d’Azure but Lancashire!  What better time to visit than early spring when daffodils are in bloom and lambs gambol in the meadows.

 Start: Car park at Dunsop Bridge.

 

 From junction 31a M6 follow signs for Longridge. From Longridge follow signs for Trough of Bowland and Whitewell.

 

Summary: Distance: 12k 7 ½ m

                    Time: 3 - 4 hours

                    Terrain: Moderate. The first part of the walk is a steady climb over pasture and farmland taking you close to the 250m contour. This is followed by a three mile road walk along quiet lanes. The final stretch is a pleasant riverside amble back to Dunsop Bridge.

                  Map OL 41 Forest of Bowland

 

 

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette.

Directions: Car Park to Newton-in-Bowland 7k 4 ½ m. Opposite the car park is the BT payphone that marks the centre of Great Britain. You may wish to pause for a photograph or even make a phone call. Walk towards the bridge and after the post office café of Puddleducks turn right onto a farm drive.

 

This will take you past the children's playground to a terrace of cottages.

 

 Pass these on your right to enter a stretch of woodland. A short distance along turn right onto a footpath that climbs steeply up a bank to reach a large field.

 

 The path is not distinct here but aim towards the far corner where a track leads up to the farm of Beatrix.

 

Pass the house on your right and as it swings around look for a waymark sign on your left by a wooden gate.

 

The next section of the walk will take you across rough pasture keeping a parallel course with the fells on your left. The route is well signed but extra care should be taken in mist. 700m from Beatrix the path drops steeply into Oxenhurst Clough and climbs up through conifers with a fence on the right.

 

 Continue on this course and after crossing a boggy pasture reach a track. This quickly improves to bring first to The Hey and then 500m further on, the substantial farmstead of Burn House.

 

Here keep on the farm drive as it swings to the right and takes you down to Back Lane. Follow this for 3k 2m downhill until you reach Newton.

 

 

Newton-in-Bowland to Car park. 4k 2 ½ m Still on tarmac of a rather busier variety turn right towards Dunsop Bridge when you reach the village. Stay on it for 10mins 700m. Turn left at a finger post across a stile which will not be easy to locate in summer when the hedgerow is in full growth.

 

 Aim diagonally right crossing a number of wooden stiles to reach a suspension bridge across the River Hodder.

 

Once across bear right to gain a firm track. Turn right. The track soon brings you to Giddy Bridge. Continue with the river on your right first past the impressive Knowlmere Manor and then through the farmstead of Mossthwaite.

 

 After Mossthwaite the track becomes grassy and rather boggy. 500m from Mossthwaite look for a footpath sign on the right.

 

Cross the wall and drop towards the river on a path not at all easy to discern. Beyond a fence the path comes close to the Hodder and then reaches the rear of Thorneyholme Hall. A narrow path will lead you betwixt wall and river to a bridge.

 

 Turn right over the bridge, walk down an attractive drive into Dunsop Bridge.

 

 

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