Arnside Knott and Heathwaite Circular.

Start. Arnside.

Route. Arnside - Ash Meadow House - Beachwood Lane - Red Hills Road - High Knott Road - Red Hills Wood - Red Hills - Arnside Knott - Heathwaite - Arnside Park - Park Point - Arnside Point - White Creek - Frith Wood - New Barns - Arnside.

Notes. Not so much a circular as a ridge walk with magnificent views, starting with modest Arnside Knott at just 522ft above sea level. Climb to the summit to savour spectacular views over the rolling landscape of South Lakeland, let the Yorkshire Dales carry your eye into Lancashire before drifting over the vast expanse of Morecambe Bay. Stroll through limestone grassland, mixed woodland and wet meadows, teeter across scree and through scrub before descending to Heathwaite. At the right time of year the meadows on Heathwaite are alive, adorned by a spectacular display of wild flowers, again we have mixed woodland, this time acting like a shield guarding the delights of Morecambe Bay.

I left it late before throwing some gear into the boot of the car, Arnside was busy, I rolled along the sea front looking to find a parking space. Once parked I headed down the estuary, passed Ash Meadow and the old boat yard to reach a narrow way climbing between housing and dry stone walls. This is Beachwood Lane, after a steep ascent it deposited me on Red Hills Road, here I joined a path cutting between modern white washed bungalows and limestone pastures, the pastures soon gave way to weathered limestone cliffs and woodland before spitting me out onto High Knott Road. This I followed, up hill passed smart properties to access a path that guided me up Arnside Knott.

First a metal kissing gate allowed access to Red Hills Wood, woodland paths then guided me to another kissing gate, this allowed access to the pastures of Red Hills, a green trod carried me up the hill, I passed through another gate to access the woodland and scrub guarding Arnside Knott’s summit. I walked around, it’s always worth wandering over to the southern cliffs, the views are stunning. A number of stoney paths descend to the south, I descended the middle one of three, this deposited me at the coll between Arnside Knott and Heathwaite, I entered Heathwaite again opting for the middle of three paths. Through mixed woodland I wandered, across meadows overlooking Morecambe Bay and Silverdale, at the right time of year these fields are alive with wild flowers. Woodland paths then guided me to a gate in a dry stone wall, a sign announced I was exiting National Trust land and entering land owned by New Barns Farm.

The last few storms had took their tole up here, uprooted trees laying across the hillside, not one had fallen onto the high deer fences I walked between. When the left hand fence turned sharp left I turned with it, a steep descent followed terminating on the coastal path, I turned right. Above limestone cliffs I walked, round Park Point and Arnside Point before stepping onto the shingle bank at White Creek. After crunching my way across I entered Frith Wood, more woodland walking this time above the cliffs at Blackstone Point before descending through a tiny quarry (long abandoned) onto the estuary at New Barns, all that remained a short walk round New Barns Bay followed by an easy stroll up the estuary to Arnside.

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home.

Rising tide at Arnside.

Beachwood Lane with views over the estuary to little Yewbarrow.

Near High Knott Road looking to a narrow stile all that remains of a boundary wall.

Stunning views from Red Hill pasture, Whitbarrow backed by a skyline of Lakeland giants.

White washed Grange-over-Sands as seen from Arnside Knott.

Taking a breather looking down on the Kent Viaduct with Whitbarrow across the estuary backed by a skyline of wonderful peaks and corrie's.

Glistening white in the sun Grange-over-Sands.

Amazing views from above the Arndale face of Arnside Knott.

Casually wandering through Arnside Knott Wood.

Humphrey Head as seen over Arnside Park.

Picking my way over Heathwaite enjoying views over Morecambe Bay to the long finger of Humphrey Head.

Wild flower meadows on Heathwaite with silvery vistas over Morecambe Bay to the vast arch of the Lancashire coast.

Storm damage on Heathwaite.

I've escaped the tree cover into wonderful views across the jagged edge where land meets sea.

Skirting the fringe where land meets the shifting sands of Morecambe Bay, enjoying stunning views over silvery seascapes.

Making stately progress over this lovely stretch of coastal path.

Know End Point across Silverdale Bay.

Seen beyond the rocks of the Silverdale coast the dark finger of Humphrey Head.

The Newton Fells as seen from Arnside Point.

Above the salt marsh at White Creek.

Hampsfell seen from the edge of New Barns Bay.

New Barns Bay with views up the estuary to Arnside.

Whitbarrow seen from New Barns.

Frith Wood across New Barns Bay.

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