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Parlick, Fair Snape Fell, Bleasdale circular walk.

By Hugh Stewart February 3, 2019 Leave a Comment

We had always done this popular walk from Fellfoot, up Parlick first, as described by Graham Dugdale in the Lancaster Guardian years ago. Today, to be different, and way after it could have been done easier when parking was allowed at Bleasdale opposite the Post Office, (yes , we are that old, closed 2002), we did it anti-clockwise to include Bleasdale Church. There is space for one car at the start of the track to Blindhurst, near Lower Core Farm on the main road to Chipping. Go through Blindhurst turning left by the house and through a gate  signposted on a wall before it. The track/path leads to a bridge over the infant River Brock, not a ford as the OS would have it, and up to Bleasdale primary school, to the left of the obvious church. The plantation before the school is also not there now. Visit St Eadmer’s if you wish, there probably aren’t any others around, and on to Holme House by road/track. At Vicarage Farm you could, best outside of winter, visit the Bleasdale circle by a path from here. It is a Bronze Age earthwork with originally a wooden circle also,  gone now but marked by concrete stubs. Curve round Holme house and north to the fell, leaving the track just after a cattle grid. The good path gently climbs the side of Winny Bank to Fiendsdale Head, where turn right and the deteriorating path by the fence goes along, up and over and through peat hags and hummocks, good for breaks out of the wind. Eventually a cairn is passed and it can be seen on a snowed up day like today that a popular path from the East joins, probably coming from Chipping via Saddle Fell. A much easier passage leads to Fair Snape Fell cairn, shelter and trig point, and an easy descent towards Parlick. At the col, take the path that veers right and contours/gently climbs then descends round Parlick. After a wall joins from the right, an old sunken track choked with rushes descends diagonally to the right (the “path”, not on the map, continues round to Fell foot). This choked track can be followed by its sides down to the edge of the Open Access land, then a path goes west over a small hump in a field and down to a definite track. where this meets another track go over a stile and down the marked permissive track to Blindhurst and back. This makes a good 8.5 miles, with 1500ft of ascent. Plenty of hares about, no dead ones, although we believe myxomatosis has come to haredom recently.

The Bridge over the River Brock
The path north upto the Fell
Fair Snape Fell from Winny Fell.
In the peat hummocks.
Looking to Parlick from Fair Snape Fell
Parlick from Fair Snape Fell
The choked descent track.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: parlick.gpx

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

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Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

Note, this is now fully described in the Second Edition of "Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations", 2014, walk 1b. If the long Langcliffe Scar track does not appeal, but a bit more hillwork does, try this start: as per the book, walk 1, but at the Malham/Settle road turn right … Read More » about Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

Another plague walk which we could do from home, and although this seems to be a popular walk for locals, we had never done it, and decided to do it both because of that and as we thought it would be less popular and hence less boot-churned muddy than others round Caton and the Bowland Fells. The … Read More » about The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

I.e. avoiding any crowds parking there. Start at Little Cragg car park and go down the road, turning right to go over the top of Baines Crag for your first view of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells. At the road go down then left over the first ladder stile and cross the infant Condor by stone or … Read More » about A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

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