A Circuit from Milnthorpe including, Dallam Park, the Fairy Steps and Haverbrack Fell.
Start. Milnthorpe.
Route. Milnthorpe - Old Bridge - Dallam Park - Beetham - Beetham Fell - Fairy Steps - Underlaid Wood - Haverbrack Fell - Dallam Park - Old Bridge - Milnthorpe.
Notes. Today a short ramble from Milnthorpe. This short walk takes in a little slice of almost everything Silverdale and Arnside have to offer, park land, woodland, limestone cliffs and pavements plus a short section of coast, for me it's a favourite, one of the first outings we made with the children, my daughter was only four at the time but walked the whole way.
Today I wandered south through Dallam Park on my own. Way-marked paths guided me to Beetham from where I entered the woods on Beetham Fell, I ascended passing an old cottage to access the corpse road, this ancient track carried me to the Fairy Steps where I made a less than dignified descent through this highly polished fissure in the Whin Scar Cliffs. From the base of the cliff I turned north to follow a way-marked path to Beetham Fell, ignoring the path immerging from my right (the route to Beetham Fell) I continued north to gain access to Cockshot Lane. A short walk over tarmac followed before another finger-post invited me to Milnthorpe and Sandside. I stepped into the woods to start the long easy ascent of Haverbrack Fell. A short descent through fields followed with stunning views over South Lakeland before I entered another tract of woodland, this path descended in the company of a dry stone wall before depositing me on the main Sandside/Arnside Road. Across the road a set of steps lead onto an old railway embankment, I followed this path before descending to the banks of the River Bela, a final mile of easy walking followed, as the river guided me back through Dallam Park to Milnthorpe.
On the way-marked path through Dallam Park, looking to the White Scar face of Whitbarrow.
Rising from the centre of the park land, Castle Hill. possibly the site of a motte and bailey castle believed to have been built between 1066 and 1299.
Snowdrops on Beetham Fell a sign spring is just around the corner.
My route over the heavily forested Beetham Fell.
Nearing the Fairy Steps striding out over the surface of this ancient coffin route.
Stunning views from the Whin Scar cliffs, Arnside Knott with Hampsfell across the Kent Channel.
Again, Arnside Knott with golden light reflecting off the waters of Morecambe Bay.
The Fairy Steps, if you ascend this polished stairway without touching the sides the fairies will grant you a wish.
Arnside Knott seen from the limestone pavements in Underlaid Wood.
As you ascend Haverbrack Fell look for a faint path to the left part way up the hill, it leads to some wonderful limestone pavements with exceptional views, this particular one is Arnside Knott over Underlaid Wood.
On the far horizon Morecambe Bay.
Viewing Hampsfell and the Newton Fells across Milnthorpe Sands.
The subject of limestone, the massive scar of the Sandside Quarry, a hundred and ten years of quarrying have carved a rather large slice out of the hill side, I guess standing here over a hundred years ago I would have been unable to see Whitbarrow.
Descending Haverbrack Fell with stunning views over the Kent Channel to Lyth Valley and the hills of South Lakeland.
The houses of Heversham cling to the lower slopes of Heversham Head with the old port of Milnthorpe to the right.
Wonderful reflections over upper Morecambe Bay, with views to Hampsfell and the Newton Fells.
Sunset over Milnthorpe Sands.
Heversham Head as seen over Milnthorpe Marsh.
As the golden glow of a South Lakeland sunset creeps across the estuary views to Haverbrack Fell.
Whitbarrow seen from Summer House Point, to the left of the escarpment Witherslack village sits hidden by the trees, ah! I here you say why mention something quite insignificant, something you can't even see?
Views into Dallam Park with evening sunlight catching the shattered limestone escarpment of Farleton Fell.
Lit by the golden hue of a winters sunset Hampsfell with the rolling summits of the Newton Fells to the right.
A spectacular afterglow over Milnthorpe Sands, now lets return to Witherslack, we've already wandered along an old corpse route well here's another, in the good old days when Witherslack had no consecrated ground the dead had to be ferried across the sands at high tide for internment at Beetham.
A final look to Haverbrack Fell before wandering back to Milnthorpe.