North from Silverdale.

Start. Silverdale (Shore Road).

Route. Silverdale - The Lots - Silverdale Cove - Cove Road - Holgates - Far Arnside - Park Point - Arnside Point - White Creek - Blackstone Point - Frith Wood - New Barns - Arnside - Silverdale Road - Red Hills Road - High Knott Road - Red Hills - Arnside Knott - Arnside Knott Wood - Arnside Tower - Middlebarrow Plane - Eaves Wood - King William's Hill - Castlebarrow - Pepper Pot - Woodlands - Bottoms Lane - Silverdale Green - Woodwell Cliff - Heald Brow - Jenny Brown's Point - Jack Scout - Lindeth Road - Silverdale.

Notes. I was sitting in the car rain and sleet pooling down the windows, a strong wind rocking it to and fro. Some guys running down the road chasing a red waterproof jacket, his dog in hot pursuit, his partner's screaming, waving frantically in the parking space behind me, it's like a scene from a 1970s comedy sketch, I realise her hand's trapped in the car door, I execute a swift rescue, she's seems ok, her partner returns jacket on, dog under control, he asks me where I was planning to go, home I said and I truly meant it.

Once I'd left the high dales and was motoring along the flat pastoral lands reaching to the Irish Sea coast I wasn't so sure home was a good idea, the further north I drove the more promising the weather became. After formulating a quick plan I cut along a number of narrow lanes and was in Silverdale in less than half an hour, a route in my head and eager to get my boots on.

I'm going to try to keep this brief, it was a twelve mile walk over sign-posted paths. I left Silverdale via the Lots, once at Silverdale Cove the access road ushered me to Holgates where finger-posts guided me through the holiday park, field paths then lead to Far Arnside, I descended to the coast. An exquisite three miles of coastal walking followed, as cliff top paths and woodland ways shepherded me to Arnside where I grabbed some lunch for later.

I exited Arnside over the tarmac of Silverdale Road, up the hill next to The Albion, once at the top Red Hills Road guided me to High Knott Road which in turn lead to the start of a path signed Arnside Knott. Through woodland I ascended followed by Red Hills a large cow pasture, once on the summit I strolled over to the south side, sat down on a convenient seat above the cliff and scree of the Arndale face of the hill and had a leisurely lunch.

Lunch over, rubbish packed away I descended the hill joining the access lane to Arnside Tower Farm, once passed the farm and gaunt remains of Arnside Tower I crossed a ladder stile, followed the left hand of two paths ascending the edge of Middlebarrow Plane to access sylvan King William's Hill, home to Eaves Wood and Castlebarrow, a limestone promontory on which sits an old friend, the Pepper Pot. I had the Pepper Pot to myself for a while before a noisy party of children arrived, adults precisely guiding them in using GPS power, I looked on bemused. They were Geocaching, I assumed there was one of those infernal boxes hidden somewhere about my friend. I must admit it's a great way to get children interested in the outdoors, just leave my friend alone.

I descended Castlebarrow following one of many way-marked paths that guide visitors through Eaves Wood, this particular one guided me passed some old concrete structures (possibly the bases for water tanks) before allowing me to exit the wood at Woodlands. With the tarmac of Bottoms Lane now under foot I strolled to the next finger-post, an invitation to Silverdale Green, I obliged wandering through two large sheep pastures to access this quaint corner of Silverdale. From Silverdale Green I cut across Woodwell Cliff, then traversed Heald Brow to access Jenny Brown's Point, next a short walk through Jack Scout before the tarmac of Lindeth Road guided me back to Shore Road and the patiently waiting car.

view route map.

home.

Wandering through The Lots looking to Hampsfell above Grange-over-Sands.

Seen from Silverdale Cove, Park Point and sylvan Arnside Park.

Silverdale Cove and the old mine at Red Rake, once mined for tin, iron stone and copper, alas the entrance has collapsed as has the jetty that once serviced the mine.

Humphrey Head across the shifting sands of Morecambe Bay.

Know End Point as seen from the shingle beach at Far Arnside.

Along the ragged edge where Arnside Park meets the mud, sand and forever shifting channels and quick sand of Morecambe Bay.

The limitless expanse of Morecambe Bay, admired from Park Point.

Views to the limestone cliffs of Meathop Fell and the mouth of the Kent Estuary, normally I'd descend to the beach at this point but opted to stick to the cliff top path.

Grubbins Wood seen across New Barns Bay.

Ascending Red Hills with this view for company, Farleton Fell seen over the woodland of Beetham Fell.

Drinking coffee, soaking up views over Silverdale as far as the hills of Bowland.

The Arndale face of Arnside Knott seen from near Arnside Tower Farm.

On Castlebarrow viewing Silverdale village with sylvan Warton Crag to the left.

The Pepper Pot and a small view indicator if your not sure what you're looking at.

Striding out through sheep pastures en route to Silverdale Green.

The Smelt Mill Chimney at Jenny Brown's Point, all that remains of a 17th century copper smelter.

Warton Crag seen from Jenny Brown's Point.

High tide at Jenny Brown's Point.

Soaking up views along the Silverdale/Arnside coast.

From Jack Scout fingers of limestone rock protrude into the bay, providing a number of fine viewing platforms, this view, dark across the horizon Clougha Pike and the hills of Bowland.

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