Walking in Lancashire. Mary Welsh

and walk on along the edge of the woodland to go under an aqueduct painted white with bright-red rose motifs. Press on through pleasing Applehouse Wood and then leave by steps down to a stile and out of the trees. Go ahead to the edge of the river – here the bank has been extensively repaired after being severely eroded in the winter floods of 2000. Follow the well-waymarked path as it runs beside a large, horseshoe-shaped meander of the Lune.

      Bluebells and stitchwort in woodland beside the Lune

      Two-thirds of the way round the great curve the waymarked path moves inland to pass to the right of Over Lune Barn and on to the stile ahead. Beyond, the way continues, half right and slightly raised, across a large pasture to come to the side of the waymarked Lune once more. Walk on to climb the next stile, which is up against the riverbank. Continue ahead along a gated track, following it as it winds round to the left to pass some gritstone cottages. Then climb a steep hedged way, its banks a floral highway in summer, to the pretty village of Aughton – and a seat where you can get your breath back.

      Go on uphill in the direction of Halton and take the signposted stile on the left, a short distance along the lane. Head slightly left to the hedge corner and then, on the same diagonal, go up to a stile to the left of a gate. Beyond, climb a long pasture to take a hidden stile in the top fence. A few steps on cross a little footbridge and head up to a stile against the left wall of Far Highfield farm. Walk ahead, with the fence to your right, to a corner stile, and on to the next, with a hedge to your right. Stroll the stiled way beside the hedge to go through a gate into the farmyard of Middle Highfield.

      Pause for a rest at Aughton

      Go straight ahead to cross an access track and continue on to a gap stile to the right of a ruin. Carry on to the front of another ruin, turn left and then walk ahead to an easy-to-miss stile on the side of the track. At the time of writing this small collection of buildings and ruins was being developed, but the right of way was due to remain and waymarks were to be erected to direct you on your way.

      Turn right and remain beside the boundary on your right. Cross a turf bridge over a small stream and go ahead beside a high sturdy wall, on your right, composed of regular blocks of gritstone. Climb a ladderstile and turn right to follow the waymark directing you a couple of steps left through the second of two metal gates.

      Follow the fence down on the right and continue where it winds left to a gate in the far-left bottom corner. Beyond, follow a track that soon winds left through the outbuildings of Lower Highfield farm and comes to a signpost.

      Descend through two more gates and then go on to another. Cross a turf bridge over a stream and head straight across the pasture to take an iron kissing gate into woodland. Continue on the path through the trees to emerge onto a pasture by a similar kissing gate. Stride ahead over a field to a hedge corner and pause here to enjoy the magnificent view. Continue with the hedge to your right, and remain close beside it to come to a short waymarked ‘passage’. This is bordered by a low wall that leaves the hedge on the right just before the dwellings at Hawkshead. Climb the next stile and go on ahead, slightly right, following waymarks that take you down a slope to a stile onto an access track.

      Turn right and walk along a way that soon winds left and descends through more woodland. Join narrow Park Lane, turn left and walk on to pass gracious Halton Park. Continue quietly for another 800 metres (½ mile) to a bend at which you reach Low Road. Turn left and walk the pavement for 100 metres, then turn left again to go through a gate on the left and join the track designed for those of limited mobility. This returns you easily to the car park.

WALK 7

      Hornby and Melling

Start/Finish	Hornby
Distance	11.4km (7 miles)
Time	4 hours
Terrain	Easy walking all the way, but after rain expect plenty of mud
Maps	OS Explorer OL2 and OL41

      Hornby’s spectacular castle was built between 1849 and 1852, with more work carried out around 1889, but during the 20th century much of the building was demolished and remodelled. Standing behind the castle is the wonderful pele tower, the lower section having been built in the 13th century and the upper part in the 16th. Today, viewed from Hornby Bridge, the picturesque castle looks like a scene from a children’s book. St Margaret’s Church at Hornby is charming. It has an interesting tower, built in 1514 by Sir Edward Stanley, Lord Monteagle, who died in 1524 leaving the church unfinished. The aisle walls and windows were added in 1817 and altered in 1889.

      This walk starts from the village and takes you beside the River Wenning and then the magnificent River Lune. Once under or, depending on the flow of the mighty river, over the fine Loyn Bridge, the way crosses flat pastures where the Lune doubles her journey by winding and bending, horseshoe-like, across the valley floor. The route continues to the delightful village of Melling and then climbs up, away from the noise of the A683, to the fells above. Carrying on over quiet walled pastures, it then descends to the splendid motte and bailey above Loyn Bridge before returning to Hornby.

      Hornby’s public car park is on the southwest side of the bridge over the River Wenning, grid ref 585683. Park here and turn left across the bridge so that halfway along you can pause to enjoy the dramatic view of the castle on its hill overlooking the village. At the end of the bridge turn left through a small unsigned gate and walk left. Follow the path as it winds right to continue along a reinforced path with the river to your left. Climb the steps over the low floodbank to your right to pass through a gap stile on your left into a pasture. Beyond the next stile continue along the riverbank, now lined with alders.

      Hornby Castle above the River Wenning

      About 1.4km (just under 1 mile) from the bridge at Hornby the Wenning flows into the River Lune, and here you turn right to walk upstream of the Lune. After another 1.6km (a mile or so) the path passes below a slope covered with brambles and hawthorn bushes, then climbs the slope into a pasture and carries on above the river to arrive at a waymark. Here a notice explains that if the river is in spate then the continuing path below Loyn Bridge will be impassable. If this is the case there is a white waymark directing you right, away from the right of way, to join the road. Here you turn left and descend to the start of the bridge to go through a stile beside the gate on the right.

      If the river is not in spate, then go on along the clear path to a stile into woodland. Here in spring the steeply sloping bank to your right is carpeted with yellow saxifrage, wood anemones and bluebells. Carry on beside the river to a ladderstile that allows you to go under Loyn Bridge, which has carried traffic to Gressingham and Arkholme since the 17th century. On the far side of the bridge, on the right, steps leads up to the footpath.

      Before you set off along the indistinct path, notice the mound to your right. This is the site of a motte and bailey used by the Normans as a defensive position guarding the river crossing. But save your visit to the site until your return, when the right of way takes you close beside it.

      For 1.2km (¾ mile) walk on parallel with the river and close beside an embankment on your right. Soon after the embankment begins to curve slightly right, walk on half left to cross an easy-to-miss concrete tractor bridge over a stream, the Old Lune, that emerges from the ground and flows east, away from the Lune. Look ahead and to the right to see the village of Melling and, behind it, Ingleborough with its top often in cloud. From the tractor bridge walk ahead in the same general direction across a large pasture to a metal gate in the fence.

      Continue