3rd August 2024 - Ward's Stone and Clougha Pike
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.1 miles
Total ascent: 2308 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Birk Bank car park on Rigg Lane-Birk Bank-Ottergear Bridge-Littledale Road-Cragg Farm-Skelbow Barn-Bellhill Farm-Field Head Farm-Littledale Hall- Littledale-Deep Clough-Haylot Fell-Gallows Hill-High Stephen's Head-Ward's Stone-Grit Fell-Clougha Pike-Clougha Scar-track round the back of Clougha Pike-Ottergear Bridge-Birk Bank-Birk Bank car park on Rigg Lane
I decided to to head to the Forest of Bowland for my walk this weekend to do a route that I worked out that would take in the moorland on the southern side of Littledale, including Ward's Stone and Clougha Pike. Most of it was already familiar to me, particularly the section from Ward's Stone across to Clougha Pike which I've done many times, but the part in Littledale itself included some footpaths that were new to me. I was glad to have tackled the moorland of Haylot Fell to High Stephen's Head as recently as a couple of years ago. The previous occasion to that was in 2009, which would have been more or less the same as never, and the recent experience certainly came in handy with route finding. The going underfoot on the moorland part of the walk was pretty good for the most part, except for the ascent from Deep Clough up Haylot Fell to Gallows Hill. Marshy ground and long, tussocky grass aren't a nice combination. The section around Ragill Beck where access land is entered is particularly bad. It would probably take a prolonged period of dry weather to start to dry the ground out. I was glad that I had my trekking poles with me. The forecast proved to be accurate and I had a fine summer's day for being up on the fells of Bowland, with a mixture of sunny spells and fair weather clouds, although a bit of a haze restricted the long distance views.
From the car park on Rigg Lane I took the path from its back north across Birk Bank to a track, which I followed down to Littledale Road. After walking east along Littledale Road I reached a footpath on the right at Cragg Farm, which I took down through fields to Skelbow Barn, then east across Udale Beck and up to Bellhill Farm. I then took the track east to Field Head Farm, from where a footpath took me down through the woodland around Foxdale Beck to Littledale Hall. Once I'd made my way through its grounds and across a bridge over a beck I took a track east up Littledale until I reached the footpath up to Deep Clough Farm. I left it here for a track down into and across Deep Clough, then I made my way up the hillside with Ragill Beck to my right to Haylot Fell and access land. A rough walk then followed as I made my way uphill to Gallows Hill, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I followed the fence/wall up to High Stephen's Head, then to the moorland top to its south, then southwest to the eastern end of Ward's Stone. Once I'd crossed the summit plateau to the western trig point, stopped for a break and taken in the view, I made my way west across the rather boggy ground of Cabin Flat to the track between Grit Fell and Ward's Stone. I crossed it, and from there I followed a path to the top of Grit Fell. There was a brief stop to take in the view before continuing westwards to Clougha Pike. My route back took me down along the top of Clougha Scar to the top of Windy Clough, and then down to the track round the back of Clougha Pike. Once on the track I followed it downhill until I reached a path on the left, which I took south across Birk Bank back to the car park.
Total ascent: 2308 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Birk Bank car park on Rigg Lane-Birk Bank-Ottergear Bridge-Littledale Road-Cragg Farm-Skelbow Barn-Bellhill Farm-Field Head Farm-Littledale Hall- Littledale-Deep Clough-Haylot Fell-Gallows Hill-High Stephen's Head-Ward's Stone-Grit Fell-Clougha Pike-Clougha Scar-track round the back of Clougha Pike-Ottergear Bridge-Birk Bank-Birk Bank car park on Rigg Lane
I decided to to head to the Forest of Bowland for my walk this weekend to do a route that I worked out that would take in the moorland on the southern side of Littledale, including Ward's Stone and Clougha Pike. Most of it was already familiar to me, particularly the section from Ward's Stone across to Clougha Pike which I've done many times, but the part in Littledale itself included some footpaths that were new to me. I was glad to have tackled the moorland of Haylot Fell to High Stephen's Head as recently as a couple of years ago. The previous occasion to that was in 2009, which would have been more or less the same as never, and the recent experience certainly came in handy with route finding. The going underfoot on the moorland part of the walk was pretty good for the most part, except for the ascent from Deep Clough up Haylot Fell to Gallows Hill. Marshy ground and long, tussocky grass aren't a nice combination. The section around Ragill Beck where access land is entered is particularly bad. It would probably take a prolonged period of dry weather to start to dry the ground out. I was glad that I had my trekking poles with me. The forecast proved to be accurate and I had a fine summer's day for being up on the fells of Bowland, with a mixture of sunny spells and fair weather clouds, although a bit of a haze restricted the long distance views.
From the car park on Rigg Lane I took the path from its back north across Birk Bank to a track, which I followed down to Littledale Road. After walking east along Littledale Road I reached a footpath on the right at Cragg Farm, which I took down through fields to Skelbow Barn, then east across Udale Beck and up to Bellhill Farm. I then took the track east to Field Head Farm, from where a footpath took me down through the woodland around Foxdale Beck to Littledale Hall. Once I'd made my way through its grounds and across a bridge over a beck I took a track east up Littledale until I reached the footpath up to Deep Clough Farm. I left it here for a track down into and across Deep Clough, then I made my way up the hillside with Ragill Beck to my right to Haylot Fell and access land. A rough walk then followed as I made my way uphill to Gallows Hill, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I followed the fence/wall up to High Stephen's Head, then to the moorland top to its south, then southwest to the eastern end of Ward's Stone. Once I'd crossed the summit plateau to the western trig point, stopped for a break and taken in the view, I made my way west across the rather boggy ground of Cabin Flat to the track between Grit Fell and Ward's Stone. I crossed it, and from there I followed a path to the top of Grit Fell. There was a brief stop to take in the view before continuing westwards to Clougha Pike. My route back took me down along the top of Clougha Scar to the top of Windy Clough, and then down to the track round the back of Clougha Pike. Once on the track I followed it downhill until I reached a path on the left, which I took south across Birk Bank back to the car park.
Route map
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Setting off from the car park on Rigg Lane I take the path north across Birk Bank
I leave that path for a concessionary footpath down a track to Littledale Road
Heading east along Littledale Road
Looking back to Baines Cragg
At Cragg Farm I leave Littledale Road and take the footpath down into Littledale
Passing Skelbow Barn
Looking across Littledale to Caton Moor
Following the footpath across Udale Beck
Looking back to Bellhill Farm..
..as I follow the track to Field Head Farm
From Field Head Farm I take the footpath down to Foxdale and to Littledale Hall..
Making my way east along the track to the head of Littledale..
Looking back down Littledale from the footpath up to Deep Clough Farm
Leaving the footpath to Deep Clough Farm, I take a track across Deep Clough..
Above Ragill Beck and reaching access land at the foot of Haylot Fell
Looking down Littledale from Haylot Fell
After making my way up the boggy and rough moorland of Haylot Fell I arrive at Gallows Hill
Looking back down onto Haylot Fell
On Gallows Hill. The slopes of Ward's Stone rise to the south.
Blanch Fell and Foxdale below
Looking across Roeburndale to the Yorkshire Dales in the distance
White Hill in the distance beyond Mallowdale Pike
Finally, the view down Littledale and out to Morecambe Bay
After a break for lunch, I leave Gallows Hill and follow the fence up to High Stephen's Head
Looking back to Gallows Hill from High Stephen's Head
The wooded valley of Roeburndale below
Looking northeast across Goodber Common to Middleton Fell, Great Coum, Gragareth, Whernside, Ingleborough and Penyghent in the Yorkshire Dales
Ward's Stone and Grit Fell behind me
I leave High Stephen's Head by following the wall to the moorland top to the south
Looking back north as I reach the junction of walls and fences at the moorland top to the south of High Stephen's Head
Ward's Stone rises to the west
White Hill and Wolfhole Crag to the east
There's a great view across to the Yorkshire Dales from up here
Heading for the eastern end of Ward's Stone
The eroded gritstone boulder of Queen's Chair
On the gritstone boulders of Grey Mare and Foal. Totridge, Fair Snape Fell, and Hawthornthwaite Fell to the south.
White Hill, Wolfhole Crag, Pendle Hill and Whins Brow in the distance
Great Coum, Whernside, Ingleborough and Penyghent in the distance to the northeast
White Hill, Wolfhole Crag, Pendle Hill and Whins Brow from the eastern trig point. This is the higher one, by 1m, though it seemed to me that whichever one I was stood by the other one looked higher.
Crossing the summit plateau to its western end
Ward's Stone, the large outcrop of rock that gives the fell its name
The western trig point on Ward's Stone with Grit Fell beyond
A hazy outline of Pendle Hill beyond the nearby Bowland fells
The broad top of Ward's Stone
The Fylde coast, Lune estuary, and Grit Fell
Finally, taking in the view across the valley of the River Lune to Morecambe Bay..
Leaving Ward's Stone I make my way west towards Grit Fell
On the summit of Grit Fell. The Trough of Bowland and Hawthornthwaite Fell on the other side of Wyresdale.
Looking northeast to Ingleborough in the distance on the left, with Ward's Stone on the right
I'll never get tired of seeing this view across Morecambe Bay
Heading for Clougha Pike
Bowland grit
At the shelter cairn and trig point on Clougha Pike
Looking northeast to the Yorkshire Dales in the distance
Wyresdale and the Fylde coast to the southwest
and the Lune estuary to the west
Looking northwest along Clougha Scar to Morecambe Bay, with the Lake District largely hidden by the slight haze
Heading down Clougha Scar
For a change I stick to following the wall along the top of Clougha Scar
Looking back to Clougha Pike
From the top of Windy Clough a thin path through the heather takes me north with a view across Littledale and Caton Moor
and to Morecambe Bay in the distance
After all that traipsing through heather I reach the track on the northern slopes of Clougha Pike
Following the path on Birk Bank back to the car park