Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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11th May 2015 - River Lune bluebells

Walk Details

Distance walked: 7.3 miles

Total ascent: 840 ft

OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale

Time taken: 5 hrs

Route description: Crook o'Lune picnic site-Lune Valley Ramble-Lawson's Wood-Lune Valley Ramble-Over Lune Barn-Aughton Barns-Aughton-Far Highfield-Middle Highfield-Lower Highfield-Hawkshead-Park Lane-Crook o'Lune picnic site

My one and only previous visit to the Crook o 'Lune was in July last year. I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoons walk following this route upstream by the river then returning across the hillside above. I didn't want to leave it too long before visiting again so I thought today was a good time to head back as there are bluebells to be seen in Lawson's Wood. It started out sunny but then clouded over for a while before brightening up for the walk back. It was windy throughout. Also, it was a little unnerving walking round the meander with the river high after recent rain.

I started my walk today from the car park at the Crook o'Lune picnic site. There were no problems finding a parking space at 1130 on a Monday morning. I set off by following the Lune Valley Ramble by the north bank of the river to Lawson's Wood. Here, I left the public footpath for a concessionary path up and across Lawson's Meadow and back down through Lawson's Wood. This is where most of the bluebells are. Once back on the Lune Valley Ramble I followed it round the large meander and past Over Lune Barn to Aughton Barns. I then made my way up a lane to the hamlet of Aughton. My return route took me across the hillside above the valley past the farms of Far Highfield, Middle Highfield and Lower Highfield, through a wood to the farm of Hawkshead and out to Park Lane. I then followed this road down to Low Road and back to the Crook o'Lune picnic site.

Route map
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© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

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Lunchtime at the Crook o'Lune and the weather is lovely...
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By the river as I follow the Lune Valley Ramble path to Lawson's Wood..
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Past the weir and level monitoring station. It's quite high today.
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Through a patch of woodland that's full of wild garlic in flower
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and then into Lawson's Wood, part of the Aughton Woods Nature Reserve
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I'm taking the concessionary path that..
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..heads up and across Lawson's Meadow
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A bench at the top of the path provides a great spot to take in the view across the Lune valley
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Including Clougha Pike and the big meander I'll be walking round the inside of later
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Lots of bluebells as I make my way down through Lawson's Wood....
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Bluebells and stitchwort
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I finally exit Lawson's Wood at the tight bend in the river. The water is surging round it and creating whirlpools and eddies.
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Back on the Lune Valley Ramble...
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..to Over Lune Barn
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A last shot from by the Lune to a distant Ingleborough
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Past Aughton Barns
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and in Aughton
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This old cottage with its mullioned windows caught my eye
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As did these forget-me-nots in flower on the verge
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Turning round to see a great view of the Lune valley and Ingleborough as I take the footpath up to Far Highfield
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Caton Moor, Ward's Stone and Clougha Pike
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Middle Highfield
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Looking back to Middle Highfield
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Leaving Lower Highfield behind
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Views across the valley..
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until I reach Hawkshead Farm
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An unexpected bonus of a hillside of bluebells in a patch of woodland by Park Lane
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and there's a nice view across the valley as I follow the road down
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A concessionary bridleway then avoids the busy Low Road..
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..and brings me back to the Crook o'Lune

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2025                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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