Arnside, Silverdale and the Coast.
Start. Arnside.
Route. Arnside - Red Hills Road - High Knott Road - Red Hills Wood - Red Hills - Arnside Knott - Arnside Tower - Middlebarrow Wood - Eaves Wood - Bottoms Lane - Silverdale Green - Stankelt Road - Silverdale - Shore Road - The Lots - Silverdale Cove - Cove Road - Holgates - Far Arnside - New Barns - Arnside.
Notes. After yesterdays endeavors on Gray Crag, this morning saw me with dead legs, eventually coaxing them down stairs to plan today's wanderings, we decided another day on the high fell may be a bad idea, instead we agreed to head for the fields, woodland and coast between Arnside and Silverdale, some gentle rambling may entice the lactic acid from them, they liked this idea.
From Arnside we headed south before the painful first climb, the alley by the Beach Walk Cafe, by road, woodland and field we made our ascent of Arnside Knott, by the time we reached the trig point my walking companions had stopped complaining, time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Through Arnside Knott Wood we descended to Arnside Tower, Middlebarrow and Eaves Woods came next to be followed by field walking to reach Silverdale.
From Shore Road a wicket gate allows access to The Lots, we crossed the fields leaving Silverdale village behind descending to the Cove our intended lunch stop. The cove was lined with hairy fishermen casting smelly bait to the horizon, gulls ducking and diving, dogs yapping, the smoke of a small fire choking the air, not a good place to stop. Over the tarmac of Cove Road we headed for Far Arnside via Holgates, my partners were complaining again, an incessant ache telling me they needed food. On leaving Holgates a narrow path dropped to the shore, here we sat and ate our picnic lunch, well I ate they rested without complaint.
After lunch the final stretch of the day, through Arnside Park above the sea washed cliffs, rounding Park Point, Arnside Point then Blackstone Point, across the sea washed turf of White Creek and New Barns to follow the well trod path along the edge of the Kent Channel back to our starting point.
The still waters of the Kent Channel at Arnside, not for long it's a very high tide today.
Seen from Red Hills on the ascent of Arnside Kmott, Whitbarrow and Yewbarrow with a perfect backdrop of the Lake District hills.
Stretched across the skyline, seen over Milnthorpe Sands the Whinfell Ridge.
Don't look at the view look at the wall of water racing up the channel, this is the famous Arnside Bore, at high tide the vast mud flats of Morecambe Bay flood, forcing the tide into the narrow Kent Channel, it moves up the estuary faster than a man can run.
Views over the Silverdale coast, as seen from Arnside Knott.
Across the fields near Arnside Tower, blue/grey on the horizon Heysham Power Station.
The impressive stone work of Arnside Towers eastern facade.
My route stretched out before me, through the fields, up the hill to Silverdale Green, seen from Eaves Wood.
Seen from the path along the edge of Woodlands, across the skyline Farleton and Holmepark Fells.
Looking to St John's Church, Silverdale.
To the north one of Silverdales many gems, Eaves Wood.
Here's something you don't often see, I wonder how many people walk past it without giving it a second glance, I have plenty of times, it's a Spite Wall the Victorian's answer to a Leylandii Hedge.
Seen from The Lots rising above Grange over Sands, Hampsfell.
Looking to the scrub and scree on Arnside Knott's steep southern slopes.
High tide at Silverdale Cove, I had intended to follow the shore line from here, not a chance without a boat.
This was my cafe for today, I could have sat here for hours. Looking to the shingle beach at Far Arnside with Know End point and Warton Crag on the horizon.
The shear beauty of the Silverdale/Arnside coast at high tide.
Sunlight dances across the whispering waters of Morecambe Bay.
Seen from near Park Point, the limestone cliffs of Meathop Fell.
Striding out along the cliff path.
In the distance reaching out into the bay, Humphrey Head.
Across the estuary Meathop Fell with the Newton Fells to the left, the row of dressed stones in the foreground is all that remains of the short pier at Blackstone Point.
Stunning views to the Kent Viaduct with a wonderful backdrop of snow capped Lakeland Fells.
The sylvan slopes of Arnside Knott seen across New Barns Bay.
Faulshaw across the Kent Channel backed by Yewbarrow and the now familiar Whitbarrow.