Moor Lane – Bentham Footpath Group

Lancaster – City country and coast

7.5 miles | 12.1 km | 139 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
A couple of years ago, we tried an interesting experiment – we started a walk in the centre of Lancaster and included a significant rural element in our route. That walk was a great success, and with a little time having passed we thought it worth re-running with a few minor changes to the points of interest we visit in the city centre.
Starting from Sugar House Alley, we walk through the city centre to the Lancaster Canal where we head South along the towpath – this gives a very urban view of Lancaster and its industrial heritage.
We leave the canal just after the west coast main line railway bridge, and head down a side street into the Fairfield Association Nature Reserve. That trail brings us back to the canal at Haverbreaks, and we again head South before leaving almost immediately to take a path through Aldcliffe to the Lune estuary where we take the embankment North through the marshes. Opposite Oxcliffe Hill, we head inland through Freemans Wood and on to Abrahams Heights. We are now back in a very urban environment, heading past the bustle of the railway station and then the Priory and Castle, before returning to the city centre, where we visit more heritage sites.

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Bordley

Easy

7.2 miles | 11.7 km | 296 m Ascent | 8.7 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
We try very hard when we design our walks: We need to find starting points with suitable parking, and we need to find walks that offer a wide variety of interests on the way round. We need to think about where we can stop for breaks, and we need to think about whether changing conditions might make the route impassible – ideally, with an alternative if that’s the case. Finally, we like to offer great views – because that after all is such a big part of why we go walking in this wonderful landscape.
What we can’t do unfortunately is turn off the fog. So, today’s walk does have brilliant views . . . it’s just that they were hidden by mist and so don’t show on the pictures. Follow the route on a better day and we promise you there’s a lot to see.

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Yarnbury Lead Mines and Mossdale

Challenging

9.9miles | 16.0 km | 333 m Ascent | 11.6 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
This walk can be considered to connect with at least two other Bentham Footpath Group walks: It physically shares part of the route of our Copplestone Gate and Conistone Pie walk, and although in a different part of the Yorkshire Dales, it shares much of the industrial heritage of the Gunnerside and Old Gang Smelt Mill walk.
The first half of the walk heads across Downs Pasture to the top of the Dib at Conistone, with great views of the Wharfe Valley and as far South as Pendle Hill. From there we head up the Bycliffe Road to Kelber Gate and then on to Mossdale Scar. The return journey takes us over Grassington Moor and through increasingly bleak, but strangely beautiful lead mining spoils back to the mines at Yarnbury where we spend a while exploring the remnants of this once vast industry.
We rate this walk as Challenging mainly because it’s quite long. There are no particularly steep climbs and there are options to shorten the route if needed.

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Roeburndale Bluebells

Easy

6.5 miles | 10.5 km | 351 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Kate Rowe
The clue is in the name as they say . . . this walk features the woodland in Roeburndale, and the spectacular bluebells and other wildflowers that make the most of the spring light that reaches the woodland floor just before the trees get into full leaf. Timing is everything, as this phase of spring lasts for just a couple of weeks; we scheduled our walk for early May.
Is this a worthwhile walk at any other time? It absolutely is. Roeburndale, like the rest of the Forest of Bowland is quieter than the Dales or Lakes, yet this particular part of it is very accessible. The village of Wray has an interesting history, and an excellent tearoom. On the walk we pass an abandoned rope bridge, a hidden orchard, see slow worms, and there are great views over the three peaks. So, this is a great walk at any time, and or is perfect in early May.

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