Brigsteer Wood from Sizergh Castle.

Start. Sizergh Castle.

Route. Sizergh Castle - Ashbank Lane - Flashbank - Parkend Lane - Brigsteer Wood - Simm Well - Park End Meadow - Park End Moss - Park End Meadow - Park End Farm - Holeslack Farm - Rash Spring Wood - Sizergh Castle.

Notes. Brigsteer Wood or Park depending whether you’re local or a visitor, I’m local so it’s woods. Nestled amid limestone slopes above Lyth Valley overlooking Morecambe Bay, wild Lenten lilies (an old English name for a native wild daffodil) grow studding the wooded slopes, on our visit ramsons (Wild Garlic) my favourite woodland plant was just starting to push through the debris on the forest floor. This short ramble started at Sizergh Castle a romantic fortified mansion, a fine Tudor building built around a 14th century solar tower and home to the Strickland family for more than 750 years.

A bit like my trip to Sedbergh we drove through heavy rain, the advantage with Sizergh is there’s a cafe and gift shop to kill time while the deluge passes. The gift shop started emptying, a sign the rain had stopped, we stepped outside to join a walled path heading west, this was Ashbank Lane an old drovers route. It guided us through sheep pastures then along the edge of Flashbank an old deer park dating from the 1700s, we soon reached the entrance to Brigsteer Wood.

Way marked paths then guided us through mixed woodland, the path descended before passing Simm Well (a spring), shortly after passing said spring a large gate allowed us to exit the woods into Park End Meadow, our route climbs the field to the buildings of Park End Farm but first a short diversion. To our left a gate allowed access to Park End Wetlands, as the next pulse of heavy rain was just about to overtake us we headed for the shelter of the bird hide, where we sat twitching (bird watching) for ages.

When the rain ceased we re-traced our steps to Park End Meadow, ascended the field, passed between the farm buildings then climbed the next field. The climb was steep, it deposited us in a stoney walled lane which seemed even steeper, by the time we emerged onto a farm lane just south of Helsington Church my legs were on fire. The lane then guided us south, a steep descent lead passed Holeslack Farm, we then entered Rash Spring Wood. A lot of the paths have been re-laid across the Sizergh estate, it makes for easy access and multi use, this was no exception, steps have been removed replaced by a ramp. This path ushered us through Rash Spring Wood depositing us in sheep pastures, across the fields rising above the hedge rows the grey bulk of Sizergh Castle beckoned us.

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home.

Striding out between the moss painted dry stone walls of Ashbank Lane.

Sunlight on Flashbank, an old deer park dating back to the 1700s.

Rising above Lyth Valley, Whitbarrow .

Fallen tree in Brigsteer Wood.

Lenten lilies an old English name for a native wild daffodil.

Draining into the wetlands of Lyth Valley, Simm Well.

Approaching Park End Moss looking up Lyth Valley to the low hills running from Lord's Lot.

Under leaden skies Scout Scar.

Seen over Park End Moss the limestone escarpment of Whitbarrow.

Rain washes the Lyth slopes of Whitbarrow, look a little closer an Egret patiently fishes along the edge of the reed bed.

Views south along the sylvan edge where Brigsteer Wood meets the wetlands of Park End Moss.

Walkers descend to Park End Farm, beyond Park End Moss and the flatlands of Lyth Valley.

Stopping for a breather, got to look cool and composed when we reach the crowds walking the lane leading to Helsington Church, the view the Helsington Barrows end of Scout Scar.

Holeslack Kiln? to be honest it doesn't look big enough to be a lime kiln, I certainly wouldn't like it in my back yard.

En route through Rash Spring Wood.

Approaching Sizergh Castle from the rear.

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