Arnside Coast and Woodland.

Start. Arnside.

Route. Arnside - Arnside Railway Station - Arnside/Hincaster Railway Path - Sandside - Sandside Cutting - Yans Lane - Storth - Cockshot Lane - Longtail Wood - Beetham Fell - Whin Scar - Fairy Steps - Underlaid Wood - Hazelslack - Arnside Moss - Arnside.

Notes. Far too often the weather in the Kent valley is dank, prevailing weather comes from the west often leaving the valley under a dark blanket of cloud, more than likely rain baring. Where a few miles to the south Arnside and the villages bordering Morecambe Bay enjoy less annual rain-fall and well above average sunshine, today was one of those days.

We left Kendal under a dark cloud, less than two miles south things brightened up, a ramble from Arnside was looking promising. With no actual route planned this turned out to be a quiet walk, a pleasant circuit through a varied landscape of estuary, woodland and history.

After parking in Arnside we wandered back along the road to access Arnside Railway Station, crossed the tracks via the footbridge to join the track bed of the Arnside/Hincaster link, now a superb footpath. The coastal line was built to carry coke from the Durham coalfields to the Furness iron industry, it also provided a passenger service affectionately called the Kendal Tommy. During the first World War so important was the line, it was listed as a “Lifeline of Britain”.

This once important line guided us to Sandside, rather than walk along the sea front we continued along the track bed through the impressive Sandside Cutting. We emerged from the cutting into a narrow lane, a few yards of tarmac walking and we reached a finger-post inviting us to Yans Lane, this we followed. First over a rough track before tarmac ushered along the edge of Storth village, when the lane swung sharp right another finger post presented itself, an invitation to Cockshot Lane.

The path ascended through mixed woodland passed moss covered limestone boulders, between some impressive trees, eventually spitting us out onto Cockshot Lane. We turned right then almost immediately joined a path signed Beetham Fell. Over limestone we wandered, through dense coppice woodland, to our left visible through the tree cover the limestone cliffs of Whin Scar, the path abruptly stopped at a narrow passage squeezed between sheer rock walls, a natural flight of steps climbed the fissure, this was the Fairy Steps.

Legend tells us if you can climb the Fairy Steps without touching the sides the fairies will grant you a wish, if you're the size of a Fairy you may stand a chance, if not struggle up as we did, the polished sides bare testament to the amount of people who ascend this narrow fissure. Once at the top it was brew time.

The Fairy Steps form part of the Arnside Coffin Route, a corps road that runs from Arnside to St Michael’s Church in Beetham, this practice stopped when the good residents of Arnside built a church with burial rights. The coffin route now makes a good footpath which guided us back to Arnside, through Underlaid Wood, passed Hazelslack Tower then across Arnside Moss, which we successfully traversed with dry feet, astonishing.

view route map.

home.

The Kent Viaduct at Arnside.

Looking into the mouth of Lyth Valley with the hills of South Lakeland catching the morning sun.

Strolling through Sandside Cutting.

Yans Lane.

En route through coppice woodland, next stop....

....the Fairy Steps.

Viewing Arnside Knott from Whin Scar after ascending the Fairy Steps.

Could you ascend this polished fissure without touching the sides? as this is part of the Arnside Coffin Route caskets had to be man handled up the cliff face, or so legend tells us.

Approaching Hazelslack looking back to Beetham Fell.

The remains of Hazelslack Tower, reputedly built by Lucy, Margaret and Katherine de Thweng, together with their brother, Thomas de Thweng, they owned one quarter of the Barony of Kendal. The tower was built in conjunction with others ringing upper Morecambe Bay.

Traversing Arnside Moss, trying to avoid the wet bits, the view, across the moss to the Arnside Road.

Will she or wont she that is the question?

And then there's this.

Back at Arnside enjoying views down the estuary.

Whitbarrow as seen from the Arnside sea front.

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