A Circuit from Silverdale including Eaves Wood, Woodwell Cliff and Jenny Brown's Point.
Start. Silverdale.
Route. Silverdale - The Lotts - Silverdale Cove - Cove Road - Elmslack - Eaves Wood - Castlebarrow - King William's Hill - Eaves Wood car park - The Row - Bottoms Lane - The Park - Silverdale Green - Woodwell Cliff - Heald Brow - Jenny Brown's Point - Jack Scout - Silverdale.
Notes. This was a circuit capturing a small slice of everything this limestone peninsula has to offer, it wasn't possible to encompass everything but lets not be greedy, save some for another day. I had checked the weather forecast and high tide times, the latter was quarter past one, the good weather was south of Kendal, so I tried and succeeded to time my rounding of Jenny Brown's Point with high water, the weather, that was out of my hands.
Field paths guided me north out of Silverdale, this was The Lotts stunning wild flower meadows in Summer, just a muddy path with views over Morecambe Bay this time of year. The muddy paths deposited me at Silverdale Cove from where I left the coast ascending Cove Road. From Cove Road way marked paths then ushered me through Elmslack, on reaching the edge of Eaves Wood a finger-post confronted me, a litany of paths, Arnside Tower being my chosen route but I'd no intention of going there. With another muddy path under foot I wandered on, passing through a narrow stile then along the side of a high deer fence, at the next stile I turned right, ascending to the limestone escarpment of Castlebarrow. Time to take five and enjoy the views, plot my next step.
My next step was over King William's Hill, gently descending passed the Beech Circle and Emes Cottage, a roofless ruin before exiting the woodland via Eaves Wood car park. I then followed the tarmac lane through The Row, at the south end of the village a finger-post invited me to the church and village, it took the village to be Silverdale and the church St John's, I wanted neither but followed the path regardless. It guided me to Bottoms Lane then onto more field paths, this time signed Silverdale Green, that will do nicely.
At Silverdale Green, believed to be the original village of Silverdale, I joined a signed path for Woodwell. This trod ushered me into Woodwell Cliff Wood above the limestone scarp of Woodwell Cliff, I wandered on through a small meadow, exited via a kissing gate. Ignoring the route to the spring and pool I kept to the high ground soon stepping into Hollins Lane, after crossing said lane another muddy path guided me between dry stone walls and hedge rows, passed a barn, through a small cops, then over Heald Brow, a steep slippery descent deposited me back on the coast at Jenny Brown's Point. My timing was perfect, salt water was almost lapping the base of the Smelt Mill Chimney, forcing me and many other walkers to carefully pick our way around the point.
Once round and passed the Browns Houses a narrow ribbon of tarmac ushered me to a wicket gate allowing access to Jack Scout, another wild flower meadow in Summer, today like The Lotts just muddy paths, but what The Lotts lacks Jack Scout makes up for, many hidden coves, secret corners and stunning limestone coastal scenery including the highest sea cliffs in Lancashire, a giants seat, a comfy perch while you soak up epic views especially at sun set, and an air all of its own. As this was my final point of interest I took my time, drank in the atmosphere and, was actually disappointed when I exited Jack Scout onto the tarmac lane I left earlier. All that remained to pick my way back through the streets of Silverdale, passed Gibroltar Farm and the Wolf House, as I'd parked next to the Silverdale Hotel, and it's got a cracking bear garden, well why not.
With mud on my boots traversing The Lotts.
Wet sand at Silverdale Cove.
Views across Morecambe Bay from Silverdale Cove.
From Castlebarrow birds eye views over Silverdale and the coast.
An old friend The Pepper Pot, a circular rough stone tower, stands proud on Castlebarrow, commissioned by the Hebden family who owned the hill at the time, built by a local man named Bowskill to commemorate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
The Beech circle passed on the descent from King William's Hill.
It's December wouldn't it be nice if this shot had snow falling through the Beech trees.
Emes Cottage, a small three roomed structure, possibly once home to the gamekeeper or forester.
Strolling through The Park en route to Silverdale Green.
Quick Sand Pools, Jenny Brown's Point.
The smelt mill chimney at Jenny Brown's Point, the remains of a short lived copper smelting operation.
The point has also been known as Brown's Point, Silverdale Point and Lindeth Point the name Jenny Brown's Point was in use on an 1829 estate plan and was used by the Ordnance Survey from 1848.The identity of Jenny Brown is uncertain, though Robert Walling of Dikehouse, the farm at the point, had a daughter christened Jennet, she married Robert Brown one of their daughters was Jennet (born 1665), named Jenny in her father's will. It has been said that Jenny was a lover waiting for her lost sailor to return, a nanny who saved her charges from the tide, a lodging-house keeper, or a steam engine sent to Brown's Point, I personally would go for the steam engine option, a line was built to aid in the construction of Walduck's Wall a massive land reclamation scheme that failed, the small engine used was a steam engine or a "Jenny".
High tide Jenny Brown's Point.
One of a number of secret bays on Jack Scout.
Above the highest sea cliffs in Lancashire enjoying a stunning view across the bay.