The Arnside Coast return through Middlebarrow Wood.
Start. Arnside (Red Hills Road).
Route. Red Hills Road - Old Boat Yard - New Barns - Arnside Park - Far Arnside - Holgates - Arnside Tower - Middlebarrow Wood - Hagg Wood - Black Dyke Road - Briery Bank - Silverdale Road - Red Hills Road.
Notes. Some walks you remember for all the wrong reasons, unfortunately this turned out to be one of them, forced into a late start we headed to Arnside, our arrival coincided with the highest tide of the year, the crowds were massing to witness the event, parking was at a premium, there wasn't any, frustrated we abandoned the car on Red Hills Road opposite the Youth Hostel. If that had been our only problem things would have been fine, unfortunately the incoming tide carried rain with it, our lunch was stale sandwiches purchased at the Bob-In Café, ate in the drizzle at Far Arnside, wet and bedraggled we abandoned our excursion, the trudge back to the car was wet and uncomfortable, you've guest it, no sooner had I started the engine the rain stopped.
We left the parked car to descend a narrow alley to the left of the youth hostel, this led to the coast, the tide was rising fast, with haste we wandered south, a sense of urgency drove us on plus the fact we neglected to bring any lunch, we needed to cross New Barns Bay before the sea denied us access to the Bob-In Café. A take out lunch purchased we headed down the coast, striding out above limestone cliffs, our aiming point the shingle beach at Far Arnside where we sat and ate lunch in the rain. Lunch over we exited the beach via a metal gate at the back of the shingle bank, on way-marked paths we wandered between holiday homes before passing through Far Arnside. Ignoring the finger-post to Arnside we followed the lane to a t-junction where we entered cow pastures to make the short walk to Holgates. Once in the holiday village we turned north to access a green lane leading to Arnside Tower, to the north of the tower a gate and narrow stile allowed admittance to Middlebarrow Wood, at least the trees provided some shelter from the now persistent rain. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to the shelter of the copse, we exited the wood into open pastures, through fields in the company of heavy rain we walked, passing along the edge of Hagg Wood before reaching Black Dyke Road. A short walk over tarmac saw us ascending Briery Bank, at the top of the hill we turned right into Silverdale Road then left into Red Hills Road, one third of a mile later we were glad to reach the shelter of the parked car.
Seen across the Kent Channel, Yewbarrow and the limestone cliffs of Whitbarrow, with Red Screes rising above the Winster valley.
The rising tide at White Creek.
On the cliff top path where the woodland of Arnside Park gives way to the turbulent waters of Morecambe Bay.
Sue strides out en route to Far Arnside with views to Know Hill across Silverdale Bay.
Grange over Sands seen from the shingle beach at Far Arnside.
Where the land meets the sea.
Know Hill and the houses of Silverdale as seen from the beach at Far Arnside.
The scrub and scree slopes of Arnside Knott, seen from the lane to Arnside Tower.
The remains of Arnside Tower seen from the south.
On the edge of Middlebarrow Wood with Arnside Tower to my back, viewing Underlaid wood through the rain.
Middlebarrow Wood through heavy rain.
Wood Garlic adorns the path edges on the short walk along the fringe of Hagg Wood.