A Circuit from Arnside including, Middlebarrow Wood, the Fairy Steps and Dallam Park.
Start, Arnside.
Route. Arnside - Ash Meadow - Grubbins Wood - New Barns - White Creek - Arnside Point - Park Point - Far Arnside - Holgates - Arnside Tower - Middlebarrow Wood - Black Dyke - Hazelslack - Underlaid Wood - Fairy Steps - Beetham - Heron Corn Mill - Dallam Park - North Lodge - Park Road - Dallam Park - Park Road - Sandside - Arnside/Hincaster Railway - Arnside.
Notes. I'm back in Arnside today to complete the walk we abandoned last weekend, the weather's considerably better, no problems parking, the place was void of people and I've made my own lunch, no stale sandwiches today. To cut a long story short I followed almost exactly the same route to Hagg Wood, so lets pick up the tale there.
Just before the entrance to Hagg Wood a finger-post invited me to pass under the railway line, Hazelslack and the Fairy Steps being the promised destination, yellow arrows guided me through long abandoned salt pits, I alighted into Black Dyke Road near the junction with Carr Bank Road. A finger-post invited me to Hazelslack, through scrub land then grass land I wandered before reaching Hazelslack Farm and Tower, here I turned right to access the old Corps Road leading from Arnside to Beetham, this carried me east to the Fairy Steps as it had corpses for many centuries. On reaching the Fairy Steps I sat down to admire the views and enjoy lunch. Lunch over I headed east, way-marked paths guided me over Betham Fell, through dense woodland I strolled passing an abandoned cottage before exiting the woods above Beetham, a short descent through a meadow saw me step into Church Street. I turned left away from the village, after two hundred yards a footpath emerged from my right, I followed this between hedge rows and dry stone walls, it lead to a dusty car park, you're welcome to leave the car here to enjoy some rambling in the area, or maybe pay a visit to the Heron Corn Mill.
To the north of the car park a gate and stile allows access to Dallam Park, I entered this delectable dear park, a way-marked path carried me up hill over a ha-ha, a Victorian method of walling without ruining the lines of the park land, passed the 18th century dear house then down to the banks of the River Bela. With the river as my guide I wandered to the estuary, the start of a long but interesting walk back to Arnside. I first ascended to the track bed of the disused Arnside/Hincaster railway, this carried me south, after crossing Park Road I followed the lane to the left of the small business park, passing some impressive restored industrial lime kilns before reaching a footpath and accompanying finger-post, I followed this short stretch of path to the Sandside sea front. With the estuary to my right I wandered south, tarmac soon gave way to grass as I stepped back onto the old track bed for the final stretch of easy walking back to Arnside.
The Compensation Pier at Arnside, built in 1860 by the Ullverston and Lancaster Railway Company as part recompense for the affect of the railway viaduct, in 1857 this isolated the Port of Milnthorpe.
Viewing Whitbarrow from Arnside.
Across the estuary the white washed buildings of Grange over Sands.
Seen from Arnside Point, Frith Wood across the sea washed turf at White Creek.
The cliff top path where the woodland of Arnside Park gives way to the shifting sands of Morecambe Bay.
Approaching the holiday village at Far Arnside with stunning views across Morecambe Bay.
On the edge of Middlebarrow Wood with Arnside Tower to my back, viewing Underlaid Wood home to the Fairy Steps and my intended lunch stop.
Thick green spines replace leafs, at this time of year a wonderful display of yellow flowers, the humble Gorse.
Hazelslack Tower the once fortified wing of a 14th century farm house.
Seen from the first tier of the Whin Scar cliffs, Hampsfell across upper Morecambe Bay.
Fairy Steps, ascend without touching the sides and your wishes will come true.
Above the Fairy Steps looking to Arnside Knott.
From the same spot, my cafe stop, the Kent Viaduct backed by Hampsfell and Grange over Sands.
The ruined cottage in the woods on Beetham Fell.
Ha-ha, a method of dividing the park land without ruining it's lines.
The blue/grey hills of Lakeland seen from my descent to the River Bela.
Dallam Tower backed by Whitbarrow.
Above the weir in Dallam Park with wonderful views across the flatlands of Heversham Mosses
The relics of a once industrial past, a restored lime burning oven at Sandside.
Wandering through the pages of the history books, the sea front at Sandside, this was once the Port of Milnthorpe, ships would sail up the estuary at high tide then unload at low water, their cargo transported to the warehouses in Milnthorpe by horse drawn carts, it's ironic as you look down the estuary clearly visible is the beast that killed the port, the Kent Viaduct.
Rising above the salt marsh Arnside Knott.
Viewing the Kent Viaduct from the end of the Sandside sea front.
Seen from the Arnside/Hincaster track bed the White Scar face of Whitbarrow, anyone in Lyth Valley's getting a bit of a soaking at this moment.
Easy walking at the end of the day, the once Arnside/Hincaster Railway.