Slaidburn

Sunday, 2nd Sept  2012
10.8 km (6.7 miles) - 3hrs 7 mins
Map : OL41 Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale

A wonderful walk in the heart of the Forest of Bowland.  The walk was published in the  August edition of "Country Walking", who have now joined up with Trailzilla.com, so that walk details and gps downloads of the walks they publish are available.  At £25.00 for a year's subscription this seems pretty good value for money and I'm hoping that we will be able to download a lot more walks during the coming months.

As the title suggests the walk starts in the hamlet of Slaidburn - about 40 mile from where I live. Plenty of parking is available (GR : SD713523) with the added advantage of toilets and a cafe right next to the parking area which seemed a particular favourite of motorcyclists.

The aim of the walk is fairly straightforward - to get to the top if Sadler Hill (approx 350m) and then back to Slaidburn but, of course, you have to get to the top first !
From the car park a short stretch of road walking is required before cutting back and across at a finger post (GR : SD715521).  The easily followed path cuts over the flank of Gaughey Hill before dropping down to Broadhead Farm.   Thanks (and a mention) must go to the owner of the farm who guided us through gates and around the sheep he had just separated with good humour, pointing us in the direction of Skelshaw (GR : 722505).

Here you pick up a rough track that slowly and inexorably gains height as you ascend Sadler Hill.

At approximately the 330m contour line the track is discarded and a "route 1" approach is adopted, straight up the hill side until the cairn on the top of Sadler Hill is spied and provides a focus for the ascent.  Here we decided to stop for some lunch and, it has to be said, there aren't many "restaurants" that could boast this view. 

After walking along the ridge a cairn appears (approx GR : SD717491) and the descent (which takes another "route 1" approach drops you directly down to a farm marked as Smelfthwaites on the map.

From hereonin the walking is much gentler and the river Hodder is soon encountered just by the village of Newton.(GR : 698502).  The remainder of the walk couldn't be simpler as the river is followed all the way back to Slaidburn and the car park.

A delightful Sunday afternoon with variable weather - despite the forecast cloud kept rolling in and the threat of rain never felt very far off.  It also has to be said that the middle stretch from Skelshaw to the top of Sadler Hill is a reasonable climb.  However, the reward is the magnificent views from the top of the hill.  Hopefully the pictures in the on-line album will reflect this.  Stiff legs but a happy heart this evening!

Another short video showing the view from the top of Sadler Hill.  (I MUST learn how to turn the sound off !!)