2023

Tatham Fells

6.4 miles | 10.4km | 344 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Mary Taylor
Members of the Bentham Footpath Group tend to consider the Yorkshire Dales, the Forest of Bowland, and the South Lakes as their walking territory. This relatively easy walk is at the North end of the Forest of Bowland and is very local to Bentham – so much so that many of the farms, and other buildings that we passed along the way hold important personal memories for those in the group lucky enough to be born and bred in and around Bentham.
For the rest of us, this is still a great walk in a timeless landscape that never gets busy – despite the idyllic autumn weather we enjoyed, we passed no other walkers, and the only people we met all day were residents pottering in their gardens and making the most of the sunshine before winter sets in.
Although we consider this walk to be “easy” based on the total distance and elevation change, you should be aware that Tatham Fells are poorly drained, and so the ground can be very wet. This can make the walk feel longer than stated but on the other hand wet weather makes the rivers and becks we cross so much more attractive.

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Two counties walk

5.7miles | 9.2 km | 181 m Ascent | 6.6 Naismith miles | Mary Taylor
This easy route – ideal for a summer evening stroll – starts from Bentham and heads into open countryside to the South of the town, passing Lower Flannagill before entering Lancashire at Moorlands. We then go via Fleet House to Whitepits Lane, and then follow County Beck, which marks the county boundary, up to Oakhead.
We head west for a while before passing Oak Bank on the way to Mewith Lane and the County Beck again. We follow this – still in Lancashire – until we get to Kirkbeck where we cross back into Yorkshire, and head across fields back to Bentham.
This walk offers a variety of excellent views, wild flowers, glimpses of old mining activity, and lots of livestock. There are no steep climbs, but sections have the potential to be boggy after wet weather.

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