A Short Walk from Arnside.

Start. Arnside.

Route. Arnside - Railway Station - Arnside/Hincaster Railway (disused) - Sandside - Green Lane - Storth - Yans Lane - Longtail Wood - Beetham Fell - Whin Scar - Underlaid Wood - Hazelslack - Black Dyke Road - Arnside.

Notes. I make no apologies for walking out of Arnside again today, the weather forecast for the next few days was nothing short of apocalyptic, but for a few hours today a weather window crossed Morecambe Bay, I chance for a short excursion, hopefully a dry outing.

Arnside was wet and windy when I arrived, a howling gale blowing up the estuary, scudding cloud in it’s wake, by the time I’d laced my boots the rain had stopped, so I opted to walk with the wind at my back. After making my way to Arnside Station I crossed the tracks via a fine footbridge to join the Arnside/Hincaster branch line, now a splendid footpath.

The old track bed guided me above the salt marsh depositing me at Sandside, across the road a narrow ribbon of tarmac ascended to Storth, I ascended with it. Over Sandside Cutting I wandered to reach the tiny village green, across the road Yans Lane and the village Post Office. I stopped to remove my waterproofs (tempting fate) before wandering passed the Post Office along the tarmac surface of Yans Lane, between modern bungalows I wandered and the Heron Hall Playing Field. When the lane reached a garage, next to which a flight of steps ascended into woodland, I ascended with them my senses were immediately heightened, I don't like these woods..

These woods are spooky, for some reason I always feel uneasy walking through them, today it might have had something to do with the tree canopy performing some wild out of control dance above my head, debris littered the woodland floor. The path safely guided me passed moss painted cliffs and boulders, wound around mature trees eventually ejecting me onto Cockshot Lane a few yards from the path over Beetham Fell.

The finger-post pointing the way announced the path went to Slackhead and Hazelslack, no mention of the Fairy Steps a must visit if you’re walking in the area. I followed said path over Beetham Fell to a finger-post announcing I’d arrived at the path to the Fairy Steps, into coppice woodland I wandered, with no leaves on the trees I was aware of limestone cliffs rising to my left, this is part of Whin Scar, I was walking on a wide sylvan shelf between two rows of cliffs. As far as I’m aware they terminate at Slack Head, for me today they terminated at the Fairy Steps.

The Fairy Steps form part of the Arnside to Beetham Coffin Route, until 1866 the dead of Arnside and surrounding area had to be transported to St Michael’s Church at Beetham for burial. Another point of interest, the dead of Witherslack had to make the same journey crossing the estuary at low tide.

The Coffin Route guided me through Underlaid Wood, over the lower tier of cliffs then through large fields to Hazelslack, after wandering passed the farm, opposite Hazelslack Tower a path cuts through a small field (in summer a small caravan park). This path would normally guide me over Arnside Moss, from what I saw through a gap in the trees on Whin Scar I may need a boat, so after crossing the field I continued following the path south. I expected this path to be muddy but it wasn't, feeling rather smug, congratulating myself on a wise move I suddenly walked into a mire. With brambles and gorse bushes all around there was nothing to do but to bulldoze through, which I did, and the next one and, the one after that. I emerged onto Black Dyke Road looking like the creature from the black lagoon.

I turned towards Arnside, marveled at the expanse of water on Silverdale Moss, and the amount of mud covering my boots and trousers, I then followed the tarmac surface of Black Dyke Road back between the humps and bumps of what was once the thriving salt industry Arnside was built around, I crossed the railway line and strolled into village.

view route map.

home.

The Newton Fells seen over the salt marsh north of Arnside.

In sunlight and shade Whitbarrow.

From the Arnside/Hincaster Railway Path views back to Arnside.

Lit by the sun the White Scar cliffs of Whitbarrow.

Near Sandside viewing Arnside Knott.

Views taken along the Sandside sea front.

En-route to Beetham Fell, not sure what this wood is called, it maybe part of Longtail Wood, all I know is it's spooky, why?.

Coppice woodland on Beetham Fell.

The Fairy Steps, climb or descend without touching the sides the fairies will grant you a wish.

Above the first tier of the Whin Scar cliffs looking to sylvan Arnside Knott.

Now this should be spooky, but it's not, the Arnside to Beetham Coffin Route through Underlaid Wood.

Underlaid Wood as seen from the Coffin Route near Hazelslack.

The gaunt remains of Hazelslack Tower, a pele tower dating back to the 14th century.

Silverdale Moss as seen from Black Dyke Road.

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