April 2023

Ravenstonedale and Smardale

Moderate

7.8miles | 12.6 km | 328 m Ascent | 9.5 Naismith miles | Jim Shuttleworth
Bentham Footpath Group has enjoyed many good walks in the Howgills. This time we go just a little bit further North and explore Ravenstonedale, Smardale and the fantastic Smardale Gill Viaduct.
The viaduct alone is worth the trip, but this walk offers much more: a thriving nature reserve, great views back to the Howgills and Wild Boar Fell or across to Brough Castle and Warcop Fell, industrial archaeology, and free parking within walking distance of two award winning pubs.
Much of the route is on accessible paths so although the walk is long enough to be classed as moderate, it’s not too challenging and there are some potential shortcuts.

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Littledale & Caton

Easy

6.1 miles | 9.9 km | 313 m Ascent | 7.7 Naismith miles | Mary & Kate Taylor
Bentham is a great place to live – particularly for those who like walking: We have access to the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, and as we see in this walk, the Forest of Bowland.
Of that trio, the Forest of Bowland is the least visited, so it’s possible to find a quiet walk with unspoiled countryside, without seeing anyone else all day.
This easy, but interest-filled walk starts from a free car park at Little Cragg outside Brookhouse. The high farmland here offers great views over Morecambe Bay to the Lakeland Fells, before we drop down and cross the Udale Bridge, then climbing up to Crossgill with Caton Moor on our left and Littledale Hall on our right.
We head up one side of the valley at high level and then descend to the river (Closegill Beck) to return at low level, before exploring the woodlands next to the Hall and then heading back via Littledale and Sweet Beck to Little Cragg.

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Storth and Arnside

Easy

7.4 miles | 12.0 km | 183 m Ascent | 8.3 Naismith miles |Sue King
Arnside is a firm favourite of the Bentham Footpath Group, and this is the second walk in this area in the 2023 spring program. So why do we like Arnside so much?
Well, where else can you find an easy walk that combines a sandy estuary with a backdrop of the Lakeland fells, a disused railway track bed converted into a safe and accessible path, industrial archaeology, beautiful riverside meadows, a country house and deer park, an ancient corpse road, atmospheric paths through rock fissures, a pele tower, and a seaside town with a unique railway viaduct.
The entire area is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) so expect to see interesting flora and fauna too.

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Furnessford & Hindburn Bridges

Moderate

8.5 miles | 13.6 km | 361 m Ascent | 10.3 Naismith miles | Susan Badley
Bentham Footpath Group Walks generally start within an hour’s drive of Bentham – there is so much wonderful walking country within that radius that we are always spoiled for choice. This excellent walk – aided by near perfect weather – highlights the fact that Bentham itself is a great place to start a walk.
We start in low Bentham and cross the Wenning at the pedestrian bridge were the Silk Mills once stood, and then head up Mill Lane as far as Kirkbeck where we take paths across fields to Mewith lane and then across to Spens Farm.
We cross the Hindburn for the first time at Furnessford Bridge, and then head over to Cragg Hall, before descending back to the river to cross at Hindburn Bridge. From there we head up to Mealbank and take paths across fields to follow the Wenning Valley upstream with great views across to Ingleborough and Whernside along the way. Passing Robert Hall, we head down Eskew Lane and back to Low Bentham.

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