Start: St Leonard's Church, village centre. (BB2 7LL)

 

Parking is limited and even more so at times of church services. From junction 31, M6 follow A59 towards Clitheroe. Keep on the A59 past the Swallow Hotel. Opposite Bae Systems Samlesbury turn left into Woods Brow. At the next junction turn right onto Jackson's Banks Road. After ¾ mile bear right onto Commons Lane. St Leonard's Church is a little over 300m on the right. 

Factfile: Distance 7k 4 ½  miles
              Time: 2 - 2 ½  hours
               Summary:  Easy walking across pastures and through woods. After wet weather some parts of the route can be excessively muddy.
               Map: OS Explorer 287 The West Pennine Moors

 

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: From the church return along the road and after 100m turn right onto Carr  Lane.

This track leads past a farm house.

 When you reach the building turn left across a stile onto a broad pasture.

 Keep ahead to cross a stile in a fence

 and then follow the field boundary to a pond.

Bear left (so you pass the pond on your right) to reach a stile close to an oak tree.

Cross the next field to a stile leading out onto Nightfield Lane. Turn right.

After passing Nightfield Gate the lane turns left and then a little further on sweeps to the right. 

 At the next bend cross a stile on the right next to a pair of metal gates.

The route now leads downhill to a stile

and then continues to reach another leading into Mercyfield Wood.

Here the path drops to a footbridge and then climbs to a kissing gate.

 

Exiting the wood bear diagonally left passing an isolated oak tree

 to reach a stile next to a metal gate.

Cross this and after bearing left follow the footpath which swings right and quickly broadens as it descends through Dobridding Wood to the River Ribble.

With the river on your left make your way upstream and after crossing a brook enter pasture. Soon, away from the trees, you are rewarded with wide views of the valley. 350 metres from the wood and after crossing a culvert turn right through a metal gate onto a rutted track.

 

Where this doglegs right go through a metal gate on the left.

At first keep ahead with the fence on your right. When the fence bends to the right continue over a wide field to regain the river bank.

Cross a stile, turn right and go through a metal gate

and continue to reach Osbaldeston Hall Farm. 

 At the farm turn right through a wooden gate and bear right to pass between buildings.

Soon on a lane leading away from Osbaldeston Hall (on the left)

 keep on it for the next 1500m/ mile as it climbs steeply away from the floodplain.

The path passes to the left of New House

and then the riding school at Park Gate.

When you reach Osbaldeston Lane turn right.

 A farm track leads down to the house to the right but keep ahead on a path leading across the adjoining field on the left.

After crossing a stile on the far side keep ahead with hedgerow on your left.

 At the next corner cross a stile and footbridge in quick succession.

After the footbridge turn right, cross another stile and then turn left and continue with the hedge on your left..

As the field boundary doglegs left follow it until you reach a (muddy) farm track bringing you to the yard of Pewter House Fold. 

Turn right as you reach the yard and after a metal gate bear left to arrive at a junction of footpaths.

 Right here leads back to Carr Lane or else keep ahead. After crossing a stile on the left

continue to a metal gate. Here follow the middle of three waymarks - slightly right across the next field.

 

Near Commons Lane this drops through a patch of woodland to  a stile.

 

When you are on the lane turn right for the church.