A Short Circuit from Milnthorpe

Start. Milnthorpe.

Route. Milnthorpe - Old Bridge - Dallam Park - Heron Corn Mill - Beetham - Beetham Fell - Whin Scar - Fairy Steps - Underlaid Wood - Hazelslack - Cockshot Lane - Throughs Lane - Yans Lane - Haverbrack Bank - Sandside (Back Lane) - Dallam Park - Milnthorpe Bridge - Old Bridge - Milnthorpe.

Notes. Maybe not the best choice of words for the title, it sounds like Milnthorpe's caused a problem, shutting down part of the National Grid. This is a nice varied walk traversing Dallam Park, the woodland of Beetham Fell including the Fairy Steps, limestone pastures and a short stretch of coast. Unfortunately the weather looks changeable, rain turning to heavy rain then back to rain, what I actually got was rain on the short drive down then nothing but grey skies and a cold wind, the waterproofs stayed in the bag.

After parking in the once busy port of Milnthorpe, I exited the village via the twin arched Old Bridge once part of the main road to Sandside. Way marked paths then guided me south through Dallam Park, passed the 19th century Deer House I wandered before ascending another hill to access a ha-ha, a dyke and wall designed to preserve the lines of the park land. From the ha-ha I descended to the Heron Corn Mill, decided to have a look inside to find it closed.

From the corn mill car park a bridleway cuts west between hedge rows and dry stone walls, this I followed to access a tarmac lane, I turned left to head towards Beetham. Next to the first house on the right a path ascends a large field to be swallowed up the woodland of Beetham Fell, I followed suit also getting swallowed up as I ducked into the woodland.. Past moss painted boulders and a ruined cottage I climbed, way marked paths guiding me all the way to the Fairy Steps.

From the narrow fissure in the Whin Scar cliffs I stepped onto the coffin route linking Arnside to Beetham, this was to guide my through woodland and pastoral land to Hazelslack. Once at Hazelslack field paths ushered me north towards Storth, through fields over narrow stiles way marked paths under foot. The next time I stepped onto tarmac was in Cockshot Lane where I turned left to access Throughs Lane. This is a most interesting lane, it runs the length of a trough, an extension of the one we've visited many times at Trowbarrow, except much deeper with a number of buildings having been built on it's steep sides. Everything was coated in moss, woodland allows little sunlight to reach the cutting floor, it's an amazing place. The lane and trough guided me along the edge of Storth depositing me in Yans Lane. I turned right then continued walking north, tarmac abruptly ended at Haverbrack Bank, a finger-post greeted me promising passage to Sandside, Back Lane.

With a rough track under foot I wandered on, through woodland with Haverbrack Bank rising to my right and every so often glimpses of upper Morecambe Bay to my left. This track ended suddenly at a green gate, a desecrate arrow pointed to a muddy trod on the left, this deposited me in Back Lane. Along said lane I walked passed some industrial lime kilns to be ejected onto the main road next to Sandside Business Park.

After crossing the road a flight of steps deposited me on the disused Arnside/Hincaster rail link, now an excellent foot-path, I wandered on to a stile, after crossing said stile a narrow path descended onto the sea washed turf of the estuary. With the River Bela for company I wandered back into Dallam Park, the river my guide back to Old Bridge and the streets of Milnthorpe.

view route map.

home.

The River Bela in Dallam Park.

Viewing Whitbarrow from Dallam Park, taking in Milnthorpe Bridge and far reaches of Morecambe Bay.

Dallam fallow deer backed by the 19th century deer house.

Ha-ha, a dyke and wall designed to preserve the lines of the park land.

The Heron Corn Mill, built in the late 18th century, although records show grain has been milled on this site since the 11th century....

.... it gained it's name from a heronry a mile away, the heronry closed in 1726.

From the edge of the woodland on Beetham Fell, views across the village to Farleton Fell.

The ruined cottage on Beetham Fell.

From inside looking out.

En route over Beetham Fell.

Above Whin Scar looking to Arnside and it's knott.

Seen from sheep pastures near Hazelslack, sylvan Beetham Fell.

Underlaid Wood.

This short length of path which guided me through a narrow finger of woodland, looks like it was once far more important than it is today.

Typical stile in these parts, this one allows access to Cockshot Lane.

A small slice of the moss covered cliffs in Throughs Lane.

Viewing Whitbarrow from Sandside.

The River Bela below Milnthorpe Bridge.

Fungi clings to the north face of a tree trunk in Dallam Park.

The River Bela, this time above Milnthorpe Bridge.

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