November 2024

Lunesdale ramble from Kirkby Lonsdale

Easy

6.8 miles | 10.9 km | 151 m Ascent | 7.5 Naismith miles | Valerie Eccles & Mary Pickstone
Last week’s walk took us to Wensleydale where we noted that everyone loves a riverside walk, and this week we test that theory with another riverside ramble – this time much closer to home.
We start from Kirkby Lonsdale, a place that Bentham Footpath Group have used as a starting point many times. Our route takes us west to Wood End, then along a quiet path down to Sellet Mill. We then stroll over to Sellet Hall and follow Hosticle Lane through Hag Wood until we get to Whittington. We spend some time at the lovely church there before heading down to the river Lune via Coneygarth Lane, and finally return via a riverside path directly to Kirkby.
We conclude that riverside walks are indeed lovely. This is a great walk, and other than a couple of stretches that can be wet and muddy after heavy rain, is easy going.

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Askrigg

Easy

6.5 miles | 10.4 km | 284 m Ascent | 7.9 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
Take a look at any tourist guide to the Yorkshire Dales and they all feature lovely bright midsummer days.
We do get some of those days, and they are indeed special, but perhaps even better are those really crisp wintery days when the ground is hard, the air is crystal clear and the views uninterrupted by haze.
This walk is not one that only works in winter through. Key attractions are Askrigg, the original and true All Creatures Great and Small village, a couple of water mills, long lost dams, waterfalls, perfect views of the Cam High Road, a unique chapel, a couple of fortified houses, a riverside stroll, a brief diversion to a lovely Dales village, magical stepping stones, and finally a visit to a really good café and cake shop.

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Cockerham to Glasson Dock

Moderate

8.2 miles | 13.2 km | 62 m Ascent | 8.5 Naismith miles | David Longton
Bentham Footpath Group enjoyed a great walk form Galgate to Glasson Dock and the Lancaster Canal in June 2024.
The weather was glorious, and the walk was wonderful – but that begs a question: Is this really a good place to walk or were we just enjoying the sunshine? To answer that we return in the autumn. This time we start at Cockerham, catching a bus to Thurnham Hall where we join the canal towpath which we follow down to the docks. From there we pick up the Lancashire Coastal Way which takes us to Lighthouse Cottage, Plover Hill, then the ruins of Cockersand Abbey. To return, we follow the path around the edge of Cockerham Sands and Cockerham Marshes to Pattys Farm where we cross a live airfield runway and watch parachutists landing, before returning to Cockerham via St Michaels church. We conclude that whatever the weather, this is indeed a fascinating area to walk.

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West Windermere Way and High Dam

Easy

6.8 miles | 11.0 km | 237 m Ascent | 8.0 Naismith miles | Kate Rowe / Kate Butcher
Windermere is the nearest of the major lakes in the lake District, so it’s not surprising that we have started a number of walks in this area. However, a quick glance at our website shows that we have so far stayed to the east of the lake.
This excellent walk shows that that the Western side of Windermere is well worth visiting, and we offer an easy route starting from Finsthwaite, that runs in a figure of eight shape, offering the opportunity to divide it into two shorter trips – of about equal length.
The first half is a climb through ancient woodland at Bell Intake up to High Dam before returning to Finsthwaite via High Stott Park. The second half takes a path through fields and then woodland to Newby Bridge before strolling next to the railway up to Lakeside. From there we take a path through Great Knott Wood back to Finsthwaite.

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