30th August 2014 - Earl Crag
Walk Details
Distance walked: 6.6 miles
Total ascent: 1250 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 3.5 hrs
Route description: Ickornshaw-Pennine Way-Lower Summer House Farm-Close Lane-Piper Lane-Earl Crag-High Jack Field-Jack Field Lane-Bent Farm-A6068-Glusburn Bridge-Scott House Farm-Birks Farm-Birks Bridge-Ridge Mill Bridge-Cinder Hill Lane-Ickornshaw
Another fine weekend forecast in this spell of good weather. The best day will be tomorrow but this walk in the South Pennines was a great way to spend a few hours in the afternoon. Warm sunshine to appreciate what were surprisingly good views from Earl Crag.
From Ickornshaw I followed the Pennine Way south out of the hamlet, across Colne Road, up and past Lower House Farm to reach the bridleway of Close Lane. I followed Close Lane to the road of Piper Lane for a short road walk to the path towards Earl Crag. I then walked the length of Earl Crag past the two monuments of Wainman's Pinnacle and Lund's Tower. I descended from Lund's Tower to the road below and then took the path past the ruin of Brush Farm, down Jack Field Lane and past Bent Farm to the main road. The route I was folllowing then went across Glusburn Bridge and onto a residential street where the footpath is signposted through an archway. The path went uphill to a track which I followed west to a path down to Birks Bridge. A bit of road walking brought me to Lane Ends Bridge where I used a footbridge to cross Ickornshaw Beck for the path that follows the beck upstream to Ridge Mill Bridge. The track of Cinder Hill Lane then took me back to Ickornshaw.
Total ascent: 1250 ft
OS map used: OL21 - South Pennines
Time taken: 3.5 hrs
Route description: Ickornshaw-Pennine Way-Lower Summer House Farm-Close Lane-Piper Lane-Earl Crag-High Jack Field-Jack Field Lane-Bent Farm-A6068-Glusburn Bridge-Scott House Farm-Birks Farm-Birks Bridge-Ridge Mill Bridge-Cinder Hill Lane-Ickornshaw
Another fine weekend forecast in this spell of good weather. The best day will be tomorrow but this walk in the South Pennines was a great way to spend a few hours in the afternoon. Warm sunshine to appreciate what were surprisingly good views from Earl Crag.
From Ickornshaw I followed the Pennine Way south out of the hamlet, across Colne Road, up and past Lower House Farm to reach the bridleway of Close Lane. I followed Close Lane to the road of Piper Lane for a short road walk to the path towards Earl Crag. I then walked the length of Earl Crag past the two monuments of Wainman's Pinnacle and Lund's Tower. I descended from Lund's Tower to the road below and then took the path past the ruin of Brush Farm, down Jack Field Lane and past Bent Farm to the main road. The route I was folllowing then went across Glusburn Bridge and onto a residential street where the footpath is signposted through an archway. The path went uphill to a track which I followed west to a path down to Birks Bridge. A bit of road walking brought me to Lane Ends Bridge where I used a footbridge to cross Ickornshaw Beck for the path that follows the beck upstream to Ridge Mill Bridge. The track of Cinder Hill Lane then took me back to Ickornshaw.
Route map
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At the start of the walk in Ickornshaw, where the Pennine Way passes through
Looking back down on Ickornshaw
I've left the Pennine Way for the bridleway of Close Lane. I can see the escarpment of Earl Crag on the left.
A beautiful afternoon in the South Pennines
Onto Earl Crag with the first monument of Wainman's Pinnacle ahead
Wainman's Pinnacle
The view from Wainman's Pinnacle. Barden Moor in the Yorkshire Dales under dark cloud, Skipton Moor and Simon's Seat.
Earl Crag
Ickornshaw and Cowling in the valley below. Pendle Hill in the distance next to Wainman's Pinnacle.
Approaching Lund's Tower
Lund's Tower, at the other end of Earl Crag
Looking down on Cross Hills, Sutton-in-Craven and Airedale
Cowling with the Lothersdale hills beyond
From Earl Crag I've followed a path downhill onto Jack Field Lane which ends here at Bent Farm. Another path will take me out to the main road.
Earl Crag just before I reach the main Colne Road
and again from the path on the other side of the valley as I head back
Across the footbridge over Ickornshaw Beck
Across Gill Beck by Ridge Mill Bridge
On Cinder Hill Lane and nearly back in Ickornshaw. Cowling below Earl Crag.