25th June 2016 - Bleasdale Moors & Fair Snape Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.5 miles
Total ascent: 1703 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Delph Lane-Stang Yule-Oakenclough Fell-Hazlehurst Fell-Fiendsdale Head-Fair Snape Fell-Paddy's Pole-Parlick-Higher Fair Snape-Holme House-Hazelhurst-Brooks Barn-Fell End-Stang Yule-Delph Lane
I decided to head for the Forest of Bowland today and reacquaint myself with a route (the part of it on the fells at least) that I did nearly five years ago but I also had reason to believe that I might get the best of the weather in this neck of the woods. A showery day was forecast but with the breeze from the northwest I stood a better chance of avoiding them by being close to the coast. It seemed to work out. I set off in the morning with sunny spells, they lasted into the afternoon and it wasn't until about 3 o'clock that one caught me while I was on Parlick. I'd watched some very dark clouds building up inland to the east during the previous couple of hours. Nuisance showers then plagued me for a while as I made my down from Parlick and across the farmland towards where I was parked. Bowland is definitely a place for a quiet walk. I didn't bump into anyone at all apart from a fellrunner heading for Fair Snape Fell as I was heading for Parlick (he remarked on the shower that he was caught in as he passed me again heading down).
From the small layby on Delph Lane where I parked I walked north up the road to the cottage of Stang Yule. I left the road here for a track that gave access to Oakenclough Fell. A clear path makes its way east up the fell by the forest boundary to reach a track on the flank of Hazlehurst Fell, which I followed, apart from a diversion for a pathless ascent to the trig point on Hazlehurst Fell. Further on and this track meets another coming up from the valley, I turned left and headed north and east on the track round the back of Winny Bank. As it reached the point where it started to descend into the valley to the north and was obviously going the wrong way I kept an eye out for any sign of where I should leave it for Fiendsdale Head. Spotting a sign for a concessionary route to it helped. A reasonably clear path could be followed to Fiendsdale Head but there was much clearer one to use to reach the summit of Fair Snape Fell. A large cairn with a pole embedded in it marks the spot. I then made my way to the trig point, cairn of Paddy's Pole and the freshly rebuilt shelter on the edge of the fell. After having a late lunch here it was time to make tracks, by following the path across to Parlick. Once I'd made my way down from the summit to the edge of access land I picked up the public footpath that heads northwest across fields and the River Brock to Higher Fair Snape Farm and then on to Holme House Farm. A track was joined here which took me to Hazlehurst then Brooks Barn, and then west past Bleasdale Tower and Fell End to Stang Yule and Delph Lane. I was then left with a walk south down the lane to where I was parked.
Total ascent: 1703 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Delph Lane-Stang Yule-Oakenclough Fell-Hazlehurst Fell-Fiendsdale Head-Fair Snape Fell-Paddy's Pole-Parlick-Higher Fair Snape-Holme House-Hazelhurst-Brooks Barn-Fell End-Stang Yule-Delph Lane
I decided to head for the Forest of Bowland today and reacquaint myself with a route (the part of it on the fells at least) that I did nearly five years ago but I also had reason to believe that I might get the best of the weather in this neck of the woods. A showery day was forecast but with the breeze from the northwest I stood a better chance of avoiding them by being close to the coast. It seemed to work out. I set off in the morning with sunny spells, they lasted into the afternoon and it wasn't until about 3 o'clock that one caught me while I was on Parlick. I'd watched some very dark clouds building up inland to the east during the previous couple of hours. Nuisance showers then plagued me for a while as I made my down from Parlick and across the farmland towards where I was parked. Bowland is definitely a place for a quiet walk. I didn't bump into anyone at all apart from a fellrunner heading for Fair Snape Fell as I was heading for Parlick (he remarked on the shower that he was caught in as he passed me again heading down).
From the small layby on Delph Lane where I parked I walked north up the road to the cottage of Stang Yule. I left the road here for a track that gave access to Oakenclough Fell. A clear path makes its way east up the fell by the forest boundary to reach a track on the flank of Hazlehurst Fell, which I followed, apart from a diversion for a pathless ascent to the trig point on Hazlehurst Fell. Further on and this track meets another coming up from the valley, I turned left and headed north and east on the track round the back of Winny Bank. As it reached the point where it started to descend into the valley to the north and was obviously going the wrong way I kept an eye out for any sign of where I should leave it for Fiendsdale Head. Spotting a sign for a concessionary route to it helped. A reasonably clear path could be followed to Fiendsdale Head but there was much clearer one to use to reach the summit of Fair Snape Fell. A large cairn with a pole embedded in it marks the spot. I then made my way to the trig point, cairn of Paddy's Pole and the freshly rebuilt shelter on the edge of the fell. After having a late lunch here it was time to make tracks, by following the path across to Parlick. Once I'd made my way down from the summit to the edge of access land I picked up the public footpath that heads northwest across fields and the River Brock to Higher Fair Snape Farm and then on to Holme House Farm. A track was joined here which took me to Hazlehurst then Brooks Barn, and then west past Bleasdale Tower and Fell End to Stang Yule and Delph Lane. I was then left with a walk south down the lane to where I was parked.
Route map
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I can just about make out the coast from where I'm parked by Delph Lane
and Beacon Fell to the south
Looking back as I make my way up Oakenclough Fell and I can make out the Fylde coast
and if I turn to my right, glimpses of Morecambe Bay
Beacon Fell from the track on Hazelhurst Fell
Which I leave to reach the trig point on its top
Looking to Fair Snape Fell and Parlick
Back on the track which winds its way across the top of the southern side of the fell
Looking back to Hazelhurst Fell as the track makes its way round to the north side of Winny Bank
I have a good view into the heart of Bowland now
and its even better as I reach Fiendsdale Head. Looking north across the fells around the Trough road to Wolfhole Crag.
The cairn and pole on the summit of Fair Snape Fell with Pendle Hill in the distance
Whins Brow and Totridge to the northeast
Looking back along the fence towards Fiendsdale Head with Hawthornthwaite Fell Top in the distance
I pass a sea of cotton grass as I head for the trig point on Fair Snape Fell
Looking west to Hazlehurst Fell, which I was on earlier in the day
The cairn of Paddy's Pole and a freshly rebuilt shelter
Pendle Hill and Longridge Fell
Longridge Fell and Parlick
Beacon Fell below
The trig point on Fair Snape Fell with Hazlehurst Fell in the background
Heading for Parlick
Looking back to Fair Snape Fell from Parlick and I finally get caught by a shower
It didn't last long and the skies brightened as it cleared. The fell of Totridge behind the pole and Easington Fell in the distance on the right.
Pendle Hill and Longridge Fell
Down from Parlick and there are fields to cross to reach Higher Fair Snape
and the infant River Brock. It's less than a mile from it's source here. Despite that I still found it tricky to get down to and cross. The footbridge that I could have used had been moved and was no use.
Approaching Higher Fair Snape
Looking back to Parlick
Fair Snape Fell and Parlick as I pass Holme House
and again from past Hazlehurst
Beacon Fell
Past Bleasdale Tower
I set a brisk pace as I walk down Delph Lane to where I'm parked. Dark clouds are gathering.