Eaves Wood, Hawes Water and Jenny Brown's Point.

Start. Silverdale.

Route. Silverdale - The Lots - Silverdale Cove - Cove Lane - Elmslack - Eaves Wood - Castlebarrow - King William's Hill - Waterslack - Challan Hall - Gait Barrows - Hawes Water - Moss Lane - Red Bridge Road - The Row - Bottoms Lane - Silverdale Green - Stankelt Road - Slackwood Lane - Hollins Lane - Fleagarth Wood - Jenny Brown's Point - Jack Scout - Lindeth Road - Silverdale.

Notes. I’m in rambling country today, sacked off the hills of Lakeland as it was pouring with rain when I opened the curtains, that wasn’t forecast. With the weather back on form I decided to head to the coast after all that’s where shards of orange light cut across the sky. An extensive network of paths crisscross the Aria of Outstanding Natural Beauty, cutting through impressive scenery including ancient woodland, limestone grassland gifting the lucky rambler stunning views across the shimmering seascapes of Morecambe Bay and there’s always a chance to see some illusive wildlife.

The rain had stopped by the time I left Silverdale, a green trod through The Lots guided me to Silverdale Cove with it’s long abandoned mine and strange cave. I then turned my back on the coast, heading up Cove Lane I soon reached the footpath that would guide me through Elmslack, this deposited me on the edge of Eaves Wood. Ignoring the path entering the woods I turned left, wandered passed a row of quaint cottages followed by a couple of bungalows, after passing through a narrow stile the path became muddy, at the next stile I turned right immediately ascending Castlebarrow, a small limestone escarpment home to an old friend The Pepper Pot. We made our acquaintances, I sat around a while then left.

East I wandered through a large clearing before a way marked path guided me towards the car park, at the next finger-post I accessed a slightly higher path that in turn guided me to the Beach Circle, which was full of dog walkers so no photo. The path continued down hill through moss dressed gate posts and moss coated boulders. If you studied the route on the map you’ll see I went the wrong way here, after doubling back I eventually reaching a narrow stile next to a large gate accessing Waterslack.

Two paths pass through Waterslack, the one I was interested in was dead opposite the gate, narrow it guided me passed some static caravans, across the railway line using a traffic light system then onto a narrow ribbon of tarmac, I turned left to be welcomed by a finger-post inviting me to Challan Hall. The path was fenced it ushered me to a stile accessing another narrow lane, directly across said lane another stile eased my crossing of the wall depositing me on a green trod that ran through fields behind Challan Hall with views to Hawes Water. Hawes Water is a bit of an enigma, in limestone country water tends to permeate underground, we'll not go into the ins and outs of why it doesn't here, that’s another story for another day.

The green trod lead to another stile accessing a narrow rough track, this in turn guided me around the lake depositing me at the head of Moss Lane, tarmac now guided me. Passed quaint cottages and the odd farm, over Red Bridge to the junction of Moss Lane and Red Bridge Road, I turned right. Aware this road was busier I carefully wandered to the junction with Park Road, dead apposite the entrance to Eaves Wood car park another lane lead through The Row, this I followed as far as a large sign announcing I’d reached the start of the path to the Church and Village, this path I followed.

Through fields I rambled to access Bottoms Lane, I then joined another path heading along the edge of the next field towards said church, after passing through a gate I swung left away from the church to follow a path to Silverdale Green. Back on tarmac I rambled through the tiny hamlet to join Stankelt Road, the main road into Silverdale, the tarmac surface guided me over the old parish boundary, at the junction with Hollins Lane I turned right walking on to a sign announcing the start of the path to The Shore and Browns Point.

The paths today had been wet sometimes muddy, I knew this path would be wet and extremely muddy, I’d experienced the mires of Fleagarth Wood and the marsh at the foot of Heald Brow before, with a little apprehension I set off down the path. To be honest the route through Fleagarth Wood wasn’t too bad, but at the foot of the descent it was boot sucking mud, with not many ways to escape the mire. I arrived on the sea washed turf at Jenny Brown’s Point absolutely caked in mud, thankful I hadn't slipped.

But the walk continued, passed the Smelt Mill Chimney and Brown's Houses I rambled to access a narrow tarmac lane, this guided me to the access point to Jack Scout, I then rambled above the highest sea cliffs in Lancashire, marvelled at wonderful silvery seascapes over Morecambe Bay. The path then swung round the top of Cows Mouth Cove before reaching a kissing gate allowing access to the tarmac lane I walked over earlier. Up the lane I rambled, passed Gibraltar Farm and the Wolf House, my day ended wandering over the surface of Lindeth Road before turning down Shore Road where the car patiently waited. Without a change of clothes I rolled my trousers up to my knees, hopefully containing the mud, not a pretty site when I walked into the pub a little later.

view route map.

home.

Viewing Park Point and Hampsfell from The Lots.

Over the Fisherman's Cottages on the Silverdale shore the squat towers of Heysham Power Stations.

Stretching to the north the mud and sand of Morecambe Bay, as viewed from Silverdale Cove.

Red Rake and Know End Point.

Spectacular sweeping panoramas from Silverdale Cove.

Dark against a bright sky the Pepper Pot on Castlebarrow.

Silhouetted against the sky Clougha Pike.

Wind power and nuclear, both can be found on this stretch of coast.

Sylvan Warton Crag also on view from Castlebarrow.

Near Challan Hall viewing Gait Barrows over Hawes Water.

Hawes Water backed by Eaves Wood.

Near the head of Moss Lane looking back over a path just walked.

Eaves Wood seen from The Row.

Soaking up the views from near Silverdale Green, in the middle distance Gait Barrows, on the skyline Whin Scar and the houses of Slack Head.

One road two names, the boundary marker on the verge gives the game away, I've just crossed the old Lindeth/Silverdale parish boundary.

Rambling through the gentle woodland of Fleagarth Wood.

These pools along the Silverdale coast reflect my frame of mind whenever I wander this coast line.

Wonderful silvery seascapes, Morecambe Bay from Jenny Brown's Point.

A monument to a past way of life, the smelt mill chimney at Jenny Brown's Point.

Sylvan Warton Crag.

The bay is still as glass, the water reflects the spirit of the sky.

A distant Grange-over-Sands from Jack Scout.

Sun shafts through shifting rents.

Marking the start of Lindeth Road the Wolf House.

back to top

back to list