Woodhouse Gate Farm Cottage

Walking

The Forest of Bowland provides a variety of walks for all ages and abilities. The Hodder Valley has numerous walks through pasture and meadow land and some beautiful riverside walks.

A recommended map is the 1:25000 (4cm to 1Km) scale Ordnance Survey Explorer Series OL41 Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale, although it is double-sided, large and unwieldy for use in the field. It does however, have details of Open Access Areas.

If available, other useful maps include OS Sheet SD 65/75 Pathfinder 660 1:25000 (4cm to 1Km) scale "Slaidburn & Forest of Bowland. SD 66/76 "High Bentham and Clapham" and OS Sheet SD 64/74 Clitheroe and Chipping.

A particular favourite is the easy 3 mile circular walk alongside the River Hodder between the villages of Slaidburn and Newton. The route leads through some beautiful farm and woodland beneath the steep escarpment of Great Dunnow Hill to join the road just above the bridge over the Hodder at Newton. The "Parker's Arms" pub in Newton is just a hundred metres up the road and is perfect for a pint before crossing the bridge and following the footpath back up the opposite bank of the river back to Slaidburn.

Moorland walks are also possible as there are many upland footpaths in the area some of which provide wonderful distant views of the Lake District and Morecambe Bay, the "Three Peaks" in the Yorkshire Dales and the famous "Pendle Hill". Many of these walks are through wild and remote countryside and can be quite strenuous. They are perhaps best suited to the experienced fit walker. Similar views can however be found from roads in the area for the less fit motorist!

Open access agreements are also in place over most of the open moorland in the area, particularly in areas owned by United Utilities who are major landowners in Bowland. It should perhaps be noted that for safety's sake, walking off-path in the area should be undertaken only by experienced walkers with good map-reading and compass skills as there are few landmarks on the open moors of the Forest of Bowland.

NB. Mobile phone reception is very limited in the area and only the "Orange" network works in large parts of the Forest of Bowland and especially in the Hodder Valley.

Open Access rights may be restricted on some days during the grouse shooting season and dogs may not be allowed on some areas of the fells. If you wish to walk on open moorland check access rights on the Open Access Website

Walking Links

"Mikes Walks" website has details of several walks in the area including a 9 mile circular walk around Stocks Reservoir which follows parts the route of the temporary railway used in the construction of the reservoir dam.