That is, for a wet and or windy day, although a wet north-westerly gale would make Harrisend Fell very unpleasant. It has a mixture of moor, riverside and woods in its nine miles, but only 1100ft of ascent. Unfortunately, the M6 does aurally spoil the Wyre Way section. Start at the small carpark at Grizedale Bridge on the road from Dolphinholme to Oakenclough, and go north long the road a short while till a track on the left takes you down then along past two plantations. DO NOT BE PUT OFF by signs indicating this is a private track with no public access, this is open access land. I have asked (Oct 20) the countryside access officer about this and they are going to ask for the signs to be removed. Don’t try and follow the line of the signed path through very rough terrain back to the road, (picture of this below), but carry on beyond the end of the second plantation till a green track turns acutely right and leads more easily upto the road again. The signposts here indicate the line across Harrisend Fell, a good small path with extensive views. An interesting large cairn is at halfway.
As the path joins another at right angles, turn sharp left and descend first on paths then a road lined with grand oak trees from Lane Head, itself a tastefully extended farm house. Keep on the roads to Street, past Sir Bradley’s pad on the right with an extensive “gym” with cycling machines, and turn left onto the Wyre Way over the Wyre Bridge. This is now wooded, mainly sycamore now, and from here to Scorton the main activity is commercial fishing in the extensive man made lakes, and the river itself, hence many private and keep out signs that go with the commerce. Signs keep you right all the way to Scorton, through Sunnyside Caravan park, deserted today, Guys Farm, the Guide’s campsite base, no longer over the M6 on a pedestrian Bridge, see the addition of January 2020, but follow the path to Nan’s Nook then straight on, guided by yellow cubes to the side of the M6 then under it by the Wyre. A pleasant wooded stretch to Cleveley Bridge follows. At Scorton the Barn café beckons for snacks or teas, or the Appletree café, although this a bit off the route up Snowhill Lane. Continue through Scorton to turn left up Tithe Barn Lane, and after the sharp left hand bend take the second path right, to Higher Lane by Slean End Farm. Turn down the lane right, then left at a corner into Grizedale along the side of a lovely oak and beech wood. Cross the little beck and turn up the valley on a good track, enjoying the wooded valley, although higher up Rhodendrons have taken over. Today chainsaws were buzzing hard to halt these invaders. Past the northern “inlet” of the Reservoir, dry today and obviously for some time in this dry year, take the path right, round the inlet and up through more woods and over duckboards direct to the car.
The tastefully extended Lane Head.
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