A Short Loop from Milnthorpe.

Start. Milnthorpe.

Route. Milnthorpe - Old Bridge - Dallam Park - Haverbrack - Haverbrack Wood - Haverbrack Fell - Sandside Road - Summerhouse Point - River Bela - Milnthorpe Bridge - Dallam Park - Old Bridge - Milnthorpe.

Notes. This was a charming afternoon ramble, a chance to grab some fresh air on a glorious day, we hadn't even planned a route, we just headed to where we knew parking would be plentiful, which just happened to be the small medieval market town of Milnthorpe, we then followed our noses.

Our noses guided us into Dallam Park via Old Bridge built in 1763, once the main route to the port at Sandside, way-marked paths then ushered us through the 18th century deer park, on reaching a small cairn with a way-marker atop we swung right signed Haverbrack. Still wandering through Dallam Park we crossed a narrow tarmac lane lined with mature trees, passed through a gate then climbed the hill to gain access to Haverbrack.

Haverbrack is a tiny hamlet with a stoney wall lined track cutting through it, this we followed as far as a stone barn next to which a finger-post promised passage to Cockshot Lane or Milnthorpe, the latter path we followed. Through woodland we wandered some cleared to encourage natural growth and rare Butterflies, passed a concrete structure which I presume is an old water tank, then out into hazy views from Haverbrack Fell.

We sat a while drinking coffee soaking up said views before descending to a narrow lane, the confines of said lane guided us down hill to a finger-post promising passage to Sandside Road, this path we descended, a dry stone wall to guide us. We stepped onto the Sandside Road opposite a flight of steps leading to an old railway line, after descending a few hundred yards of track bed walking followed before descending a way-marked path onto the mud and sand of the upper estuary at the confluence of the Rivers Bela and Kent. A simple walk back followed, along the banks of the Bela, back across the Sandside Road then into Dallam Park where the river guided us back to Old Bridge.

view route map.

home.

The River Bela as seen from Old Bridge.

Viewing Milnthorpe Bridge and a hazy Whitbarrow from the path through Dallam Park.

Storm damage in Dallam Park.

The lane through Dallam Park crossed en route to Haverbrack.

Typical stone and slate built farm buildings at Haverbrack.

Guided by dry stone walls, striding along the lane through Haverbrack.

Unnamed Tarn at Haverbrack.

Soaking up views from Haverbrack Fell, blue/grey across the valley Whitbarrow.

Whitbarrow across upper Morecambe Bay.

Evaporating into the South Lakeland mist the Newton Fells.

At the confluence of the Bela and Kent viewing the massive White Scar cliffs of Whitbarrow.

Moody views down the estuary.

The elegant single arch of Milnthorpe Bridge.

The River Bela in Dallam Park looking to Old Bridge and Milnthorpe.

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