A Circuit from Silverdale including Warton Crag and Trowbarrow.
Start. Silverdale.
Route. Silverdale - Lindeth Road - Jack Scout - Jenny Brown's Point - Crag Foot - Crag Road - Occupation Road - Warton Crag - Perched Blocks - Warton - Hayning Scout Wood - Yealand Conyers - Peter Lane - Summer House Hill - Leighton Hall - Grisedale - Leighton Moss - Storrs Road - The Trough - Trowbarrow - Red Bridge - Eaves Wood - Elmslack - Cove Road - Silverdale Cove - Silverdale.
Notes. Happy New Year, what’s happened to the weather in this quiet corner of north-west England, strong winds and heavy rain right through the Christmas break, all plans for days in the hills washed away by the inclement British climate. Today the forecast promised a small window, a chance to don the walking boots and blow the Christmas cobwebs away. My route was over familiar ground with plenty of shelter if the weather turned bad, a short walk from Silverdale village between showers of rain, hail and snow, a short walk I slowly extended encouraged by short spells of brilliant sun shine.
My day started wandering over the tarmac surface of Lindeth Road, by tarmac lane and muddy path I made my way to Jenny Brown's Point via Jack Scout, after rounding the point the embankment carried me above the salt marsh to Crag Foot. I left Crag Foot striding up Crag Road, a short climb followed before a bridleway emerged from my left, this stoney lane is the Occupation Road, my route onto Warton Crag. Between dry stone walls I climbed, on reaching the first stile (on the right) I entered Warton Crag Nature Reserve, a rather muddy path guided me through bracken, scrub and stunted birch trees, between limestone pavements I ascended. When the summit rocks came into view I turned left, on a faint path I made my way to the summit. The problem with Warton Crag summit is the lack of views, in fact there ain’t any, when the Brigants built their fort up here over 2,500 years ago the views would have been exceptional in all directions, now the formidable defensive structure is quite hard to discern and trees block out the views.
After a quick brew I descended to the south on a quest to find a feature known as the Perched Blocks high above Warton Main Quarry, on reaching the blocks I turned left, the rest of my descent followed a fault line, a wide limestone ledge running almost to Warton village. Main Street guided me north, on leaving the village I entered Hayning Scout Wood, on a very muddy path I wandered on wishing I'd stuck to the road, I stepped from the woods just before the road entered Yealand Conyers. A short walk through the village followed, passed the church then along the quaint main street, after a few hundred yards Peter Lane emerged from my left, which I ascended, when the road swung left I stepped through a narrow stile to make my ascent of Summer House Hill, where I sat a while, drinking In the views and planning my return route.
My return route followed the tarmac lane to the right of Leighton Hall, descending through Grisedale before crossing Leighton Moss, I emerged on Storrs Lane where I turned right. A hundred yards down the road a finger-post invited me to Trowbarrow via The Trough, I followed this path to access Trowbarrow Nature Reserve before following the access road to Red Bridge, I ascended the lane then made the short walk to Eaves Wood. Way marked paths carried me through Eaves Wood, I avoided any climbing by following the lower path to Elmslack, signed The Cove, the path through Elmslack guided me via narrow alleys and private drives, the public footpath's well sign-posted, I emerged at the junction with Park Road and Cove Road. A short walk down the latter saw me step onto the shingle beach at Silverdale Cove, normally I'd ascend Red Rake to access The Lots from the cove, instead I decided to wander back under limestone cliffs, on the stoney beach and a wonderful end it was to an exceptional day out.
Time for a new years rant! Whilst passing Grisedale Farm I found myself accosted by the farmers wife, enraged at the second group of ramblers today to leave the gates open, the sheep in lamb were legging it up the road in a bid for freedom, satisfied I wasn't with the party she calmed down, I promised to have a word if I caught them up. You know who you are, you were half way into your days walk when you reached Storrs Road, I hadn't’t the heart to dress you down over said incident, half of you were what my daughter refers to as coffin dodgers and with age should have known better.
On Jack Scout looking over Cow's Mouth Cove to Grange over Sands.
The Giant's Seat dominates the high ground on Jack Scout, the polished slab of limestone bears testament to the amount of backsides that perch here.
From the Giant's Seat wonderful views over the shifting sands of Morecambe Bay.
Sunburst over the Lune Valley with Caton Moor across the skyline to the left.
Looking out over Morecambe Bay, the chimney, all that remains of a copper smelting mill.
Cringlebarrow Wood as seen from the Smelt Mill Chimney.
The embankment between Jenny Brown's Point and Crag Foot provides a fine view point, here we have a view south towards Morecambe across the salt marsh.
Heading up Warton Crag looking back to a sun lit Arnside Knott.
From the slopes of Warton Crag stunning views to upper Morecambe Bay and Whitbarrow.
Above Pinnacle Crag looking to a distant Furness Peninsular, in the middle distance the wooded slopes of Heald Brow and Jenny Brown's Point.
Looking to the summit, hidden by the trees a trig point and rather unsafe looking beacon erected in 1988 as part of a re-enactment of the approach of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Seen from the limestone blocks in the photo above, Arnside Knott.
Spectacular views from my descent path, across the skyline the hills of Bowland, sunburst over Carnforth and a slice of the Lancashire coast.
If you're looking for a brew stop this is a good one, the Perched Blocks above Warton Main Quarry.
Testament to a very wet Christmas, flooded fields surround Warton village.
Slip sliding my way through Hayning Scout Wood.
On Summer House Hill viewing the remains of a gothic summer house erected by the Gillow family of Leighton Hall.
Soaking up the views from Summer House Hill.
The walk across Leighton Moss I never particularly enjoy, high reed beds obscure the views, lucky for us non bird watchers the moss has to be managed, this means clearing the reeds from time to time creating views like this, on the skyline Cringlebarrow Wood.....
....and to the left the sylvan slopes of Yealand Hall Allotment.
Looking to Trowbarrow's climbing cliffs, to the left the Shelter Stone, so called because this was the only protection the quarry men had when blasting took place, of coarse this was in the days before health and safety.
Viewing Know Hill from Silverdale Cove.
With the limestone cliffs at Silverdale Cove to my back views to Hampsfell rising above the white washed buildings of Grange over Sands, to the right the wooded slopes of Arnside Park.
Limestone scenery along the Silverdale coast.