Slaidburn to Dunsop Bridge

OS Explorer Slaidburn to Dunsop Bridge OL41 Start Point End Point Distance/Time Terrain Key to Facilities Slaidburn, SD 7142 5239 Dunsop Bridge SD 6601 5014 5.5 Miles Tracks, fields and roads. Pubs, Cafés, Shops, Bus service: B10 from Bus service: B10 to Clitheroe, Gates and some stiles. Toilets Clitheroe and Settle. Slaidburn and Settle (cut off point 3 Hrs Some short ascents. at Newton, also served by B10) Can be wet under foot.

GPS Waypoints (OS grid refs) N 1 SD 7142 5239 2 SD 7020 5077 1 3 SD 6978 5041 4 SD 6939 5079 5 SD 6911 5083 6 SD 6851 5021 7 SD 6866 4963 8 SD 6685 5016 SD 6601 5014

5 2 4

6 3 8

1 GPS: SD 7142 5239 4 GPS: SD 6939 5079 7 GPS: SD 6866 4963 This walk follows the Hodder Valley From Slaidburn car park and bus stop, Continue straight ahead as a fine view Over the bridge and bend right to downstream from Slaidburn to Dunsop turn right onto the riverbank and of the fells opens up. On the brow of meet the track. Turn right and follow Bridge. After following the river as far as Newton, the route then cuts over a follow the river to join a riverside the hill, bend left to follow a line of this track, which soon bends and splits hillside through field paths for fine views path. The path follows the river, before trees (ignore the footpath signs on the - take the branch over the bridge, passing the Concessionary Footpath across the Hodder Valley towards the diverting round a small sewage works. stiles on the right and straight ahead!). Newton fells and the Dunsop Valley. Continue along the river, past the A waymarked post appears on the sign and continue along the track past bridge and through the bottom edge bend, follow this round and cross the Knowlmere Manor. Follow the track to Slaidburn - Nestling in the upper Hodder of Dunnow Great Wood. stream ahead. Heading for the its end, where a waymarked grassy Valley, Slaidburn is a picturesque stone electricity pylon in front, the (ill- track starts by the gate at Mossthwaite. built village, notable for the Parish church 2 GPS: SD 7020 5077 of St. Andrew dating back to 950 AD, with defined) path emerges on a narrow Follow this grassy track past the metal After the wood, take the path marked aqueduct below, and take the next a Norman period font. Stock and cattle road to the left of a gate fairs have been held in the village since by a gate ahead. Go right at the road stile (right) over the wall. and uphill into Newton village. 5 GPS: SD 6911 5083 1294, and the village once had a smith, tannery, wheelright, corn mill, hat Cross the road to take the path over 8 GPS: SD 6685 5016 3 GPS: SD 6978 5041 manufacturing shoe and dress making. The the stone stile, and follow the wall Turn left to head diagonally towards Past the pub, take the right fork, which famous Hark to Bounty pub has a along; follow the field boundary which the riverbank. Go to the right of the leads to another junction. medieval courtroom with the original becomes a fence then trees and keep wall to follow the riverside to the By the phone box take a signposted benches. The old grammar school, in the same direction when bridge. Cross the bridge to take the track on your left, up a slope. Take Brennand’s Endowed School, is now a descending the hill down to a stile metalled lane to the main road, which primary school for the village and the path straight ahead over the stile, (the trees bend to the right). Cross leads left to the village of Dunsop surrounding area. Slaidburn hosts an and continue uphill. Go through the the track and follow the stream to a Bridge. excellent café frequented by walkers and gate, slightly to the left and then to gate and stile. Cross a second track cyclists, as well as a youth hostel. the footpath waymarked by the GPS: SD 6601 5014 and go straight ahead to the road. barn ahead. Dunsop Bridge, end point. Newton - is a pretty village sited above the River Hodder floodplain and has a 6 GPS: SD 6851 5021 pub offering meals. Turn right on the road and take the next signposted footpath on the left. Dunsop Bridge - Gateway to the Trough The path then goes to the left of the of Bowland, the Ordnance Survey hillock (with a small disused quarry at recognises Dunsop Bridge as the nearest village to the exact centre of Great Britain, its base) and diagonally left through a with a public phone box commemorating metal gate. Continue to the footbridge the fact. Opposite the post office and café and over the River Hodder. is the village green, frequented by ducks eager to relieve picnickers of spare food.