OS Explorer Bowland Rambler – Tosside to OL41 Start Point End Point Distance/Time Terrain Key to Facilities Tosside, SD 7694 5609 Slaidburn, SD 7137 5232 7.25 Miles Tracks, fields and roads. Pubs, Cafés, Shops, Bus service: B10 from Bus service: B10 to Gates and some stiles. Toilets and Settle. Clitheroe, Tosside and Settle. 4 Hrs Some short ascents. Can be wet under foot.

2 GPS Waypoints (OS grid refs) N 1 SD 7694 5609 2 SD 7618 5706 3 SD 7463 5599 1 5 3 4 SD 7420 5549 5 SD 7373 5598 4 6 SD 7311 5535 6 7 SD 7208 5443 8 SD 7195 5383 9 SD 7142 5263 7 SD 7137 5232

The Bowland Rambler 8 The Bowland Rambler Bus service (13) is a summer Sunday and Bank Holiday scenic bus service direct from East and Settle into the 9 heart of the . For further details of walks from the bus and a timetable visit www.forestofbowland.com/ramblerbus © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved (100023320) (2010) © Copyright. Crown 0 Miles 0.5 Mile 1 Mile 0 Km 1 Km www.forestofbowland.com Bowland Rambler – Tosside to Slaidburn Walk Description About This Walk

Note: In Forest, the route does not 4 GPS: SD 7420 5549 plantation. Just as the dam wall comes The walk starts in the hamlet of Tosside, follow the rights of way as indicated by the This track descends to pass a barn into view, look for a stony track, which which straddles the Lancashire/ OS map, but the trails marked by the (Bottom Laithe) then at the next junction ascends through a gate to the left. border on a hillside watershed. The route takes the Forestry Commission tracks Forestry Commission. keep straight ahead following the 7 GPS: SD 7208 5443 through Gisburn Forest, before descending waymark post onto a narrow, surfaced 1 GPS: SD 7694 5609 At the top, take the right fork and go to and dropping down to cycle path which climbs over a small the and Slaidburn village. From Tosside follow the road towards through the next gate on the left. Go hillock. This descends and bears right to Slaidburn and take the track on your right, straight ahead following the boundary of Gisburn Forest is the largest wooded gradually parallel and reach the main road. which meets the road on the corner at area in Lancashire. Created in 1948, the the wood then right meadowland and pastures were planted the edge of the village. Follow the track 5 GPS: SD 7373 5598 onto the track. The track peters out here, with conifers, tolerant of the wet acidic soil for 1.3 km, past the sawmill and the Turn right in the road for 50 metres to but continue in the same direction parallel conditions. In more recent years, more Gisburn Forest sign and turn left through walk to the end of Stocks Reservoir to the stonewall. Descend to the farm, native British species such as alder, ash barrier at the junction . Causeway, before going through the new joining another track after a gate. beech and oak have been planted to replace the felled trees. pedestrian gate on the right to follow a 2 GPS: SD 7618 5706 8 GPS: SD 7195 5383 recently constructed walkway through Stocks Reservoir - built in 1932 to supply Continue along this track as it descends Take the next left to follow an enclosed the Fylde, the reservoir holds approximately woodland alongside Stocks Reservoir, gradually, following red and blue cycle track, which descends to a small bridge. 13.6 million m3 of water with a maximum marked as Stocks Reservoir Circular Walk. path waymark, but keeping to the main Cross the bridge and turn right. Follow depth of 31m (103ft). Wildfowl and wading This ascends to a junction of paths. Turn birds visit the reservoir and a hide for bird track throughout. Turn left at the next the stony track as it crosses the river via a right through the pedestrian gate, watchers is provided at the original site of junction going downhill then curving right stone arch bridge then take the footpath following Circular Walk waymarks, heading Dalehead church. along the forest track over a shallow left waymarked by a wooden post in parallel to the Reservoir, through a tall Slaidburn - nestling in the upper Hodder valley for approximately 1.3 kilometres. front of a stonewall. gate in a deer fence, walking through and Valley, Slaidburn is a picturesque stone built village, notable for Parish church of St. 3 GPS: SD 7463 5599 beyond the woodland enclosure, with 9 GPS: SD 7142 5263 Andrew dating back to 950 AD, with a You pass an area of bog to reach a views of Stocks Reservoir below. After the next gate go off the track Norman period font. Stock and cattle fairs converted barn and residential complex towards the right to follow the stream up have been held in the village since 1294, 6 GPS: SD 7311 5535 (Stephen Park). Keep straight ahead on to a bridge by a house. Go through the and the village once had a smith, tannery, When Black House Farm appears ahead, the track to go below the main Forest kissing gate and over the bridge into wheelright, corn mill, hat manufacturing turn right at the waymark post as the shoe and dress making. Hub car park for another 450 metres, Slaidburn village. At the memorial turn left path dips; take the left fork above the The famous Hark to Bounty pub has a then take the track on the right guarded and go downhill to the car park at the next waymark post to regain height and medieval courtroom with the original by a green metal vehicle barrier. bottom of the village. benches. The old grammar school, continue just to the right of a conifer Brennand’s Endowed School, is now a plantation. The path continues in the same GPS: SD 7137 5232 primary school for the village and direction, below and close to the Slaidburn, end point. surrounding area. Slaidburn