Walking in the Forest of Bowland and Pendle. Terry Marsh

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      Tight-fit squeeze-stile, Annas Ghyll

      Now walk up a shallow groove along an old field boundary flanked by ancient hawthorns, an oak and an ash. Cross the high point of the pasture, with improving views, and continue in the same direction, still following the course of an old track. Aim for a stile in a wall, and from it go forward along the left-hand field beside a fence. When the fence changes direction, keep on in the same direction, down a sloping pasture to a wall corner.

      At the corner, keep to the left of the wall to reach a very narrow stone stile, beyond which follow the left-hand field boundary to reach Annas Ghyll farm.

      On reaching the farm, pass through a gate, and immediately swing right through another gate to gain the farm access just above a cattle-grid. Now walk up the access track. At the highest point of the track take a breather and enjoy a fine view of the Lune valley. Continue across another cattle-grid, or through a nearby gate, and carry on along the farm access, eventually descending to meet a lane.

      Turn right, gently walking down to a road junction, and turn left (Littledale Road). Walk through a dip and up to another road junction, and there cross into the driveway leading to Cransfield Cottage. On the reaching the first outbuilding, bear right alongside it to a step-stile (waymarked for the Caton Village Walk).

      Over the stile, go forward down a broad sunken track, often wet, and follow this as it swings right. The track ends at another stile. From this go diagonally left across a large pasture to a waymark post near a fence corner. Keep on along a grassy path to reach the remains of another wall, which contains some vaccary stones. Vaccary is a medieval term for a cow pasture usually bounded by upright stone slabs (see photo below).

      Cross a nearby step-stile, and go forward along the left-hand edge of the ensuing field to a ladder-stile. Over this, bear half-right across the ensuing pasture towards a solitary tree, and a wall. Bear left alongside the wall to another ladder-stile, near a gate. Over the stile, cross the corner of a sloping pasture, and then descend beside first a fence and later a wall.

      Vaccary walling

      The wall guides you down to a step-stile at the head of a walled track. Go down this to the site of Forge Mill. At the bottom of the track you meet a surfaced lane above Artle Beck. Turn right, following the lane towards Forgelands farm, but leave the lane by crossing a step-stile on the right, beside a white gate.

      Keep on in roughly the same direction, and cross the shoulder of a paddock to locate a signpost in a fence corner. Here, a metal kissing-gate gives on to a field-edge path. Walk along this with a hedge on your left. Cross another stile and keep on in the same direction, along a line of mature hawthorn interspersed with holly. Do the same in the next field to reach another corner stile.

      Keep on beside a fence and hedge until eventually on the far side of the field, at the rear of bungalows, you reach a kissing-gate giving on to a hedged path between houses. You emerge into a housing estate. Keep left for a short distance, and then as the estate road swings right, go down another enclosed path. At the end of this, turn right along the main village road and walk towards the village centre.

      Go past the Black Bull Inn and St Paul’s church, and into Caton Green Road until you meet the outward route at Kirkbeck Close. Turn left into the close, and then right along the narrow path used earlier in the walk. From the kissing-gate, retrace the outward route to the Bull Beck car park.

WALK 4

      Littledale

Start/Finish	Roadside parking near Cragg farm (SD545617)
Distance	8km (5 miles)
Total Ascent	245m (800ft)
Terrain	Often muddy paths and upland tracks; some road walking
Maps	Explorer OL41 (Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale)

      Remote Littledale is tucked away in the folds of the hills south of Caton, and provides this lovely opportunity for tranquil wandering through wooded cloughs and glens. Caton-with-Littledale parish boasts a good range of habitats, home to a variety of birds, including the hen harrier, symbol of the Forest of Bowland AONB.

      Set off from the roadside parking area, heading east towards Cragg farm, just before which you cross a cattle-grid to start on the long road descent into Littledale – the views from this elevation are quite superb. At the bottom of the descent a road bridge takes you over Udale Beck. The road then goes left to cross Foxdale Beck, after which it climbs alongside beech woodland.

      Continue to a road junction opposite New House farm, and there turn right along a lane for Littledale. Go past Crossgill farm, and then at the entrance of a driveway to Littledale Hall bear left, climbing gently past the Old Church House, the former church of St Anne, Littledale, built in 1750, but made redundant in 1978.

      Beyond the former church, when the road bends to the left, leave it on the apex and bear right over a stile beside a gate. Go forward along a broad trail into Littledale.

      The track passes below a spruce plantation on the left and leads on to another gate and stile, beyond which you parallel a wall. Further on you pass yet another old church, a Free Church. The Free Church was built in 1849 by the vicar of Cockerham, John Dodson, who also built the collection of buildings at Littledale Hall.

      Sandwiched СКАЧАТЬ