3rd January 2026 - Wyresdale and Grizedale Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.1 miles
Total ascent: 1734 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Grizedale Bridge-Fell End-Harrisend Fell-Trough Road-Waste Lane-Lower Swainshead Farm-Wyre Way-Catshaw Farm-Cam Clough-Hawthornthwaite-Doeholme Rake-Cam Brow-Catshaw Greave-Greave Clough Head-Grizedale Head-Grizedale Fell-Harrisend Fell-Grizedale Bridge
For a final walk before going back to work on the 5th I decided to make the most of the cold winter weather, and the frozen ground that's the result of it, by heading to the Forest of Bowland. The route that I worked out, starting from Grizedale Bridge, took in some footpaths and bridleways in Wyresdale that were new to me, before heading up onto the moorland of Grizedale Fell. That part of the walk I had done before, in May last year. The forecast was for a fine winter's day with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, but with a bitterly cold northerly wind. With hindsight I should have shortened the part of the route in Wyresdale a bit to give myself more time for the moorland stretch. I found myself setting a good pace to make it back down before the sun set. It was a lovely winter's day, with excellent visibility meaning great long distance views, and that bitterly cold northerly wind had frozen the ground solid, which meant easy going on the moorland stretch of the walk.
After parking my car at Grizedale Bridge I took the bridleway down and across fields to the farm at Fell End, then from there a footpath up to the road on Harrisend Fell. I crossed the road and took the footpath opposite, following it north across the slopes of Harrisend Fell, then Foxhouses Brook, and fields to reach Trough Road. A walk north down the road brought me to the bridleway on the track of Waste Lane, which I took north to its end at Lower Swainshead Farm. I then took a footpath down into Mark Holme Wood to briefly join the Wyre Way, before taking a footpath up to Catshaw Farm, from where I followed a footpath along a track east towards Cam Clough. The footpath then took me across Cam Clough, east across fields to Marl House, and along a track to Hawthornthwaite and the lane of Doeholme Rake. I walked up Doeholme Rake, and then south along Cam Brow (with a stop for lunch) until I reached a track on the left that crossed a bridge over Cam Brook then went up Catshaw Greave. I followed this track up Catshaw Grave, then the path from its top up to the fence across Greave Clough Head, where I turned right and followed it west. Keeping to the fence I made my way west to Grizedale Head and across Grizedale Fell towards its western end, where I crossed the fence, and went through a gate in another to reach a cairn on the western end of Grizedale Fell. Once I'd taken in the view I made my way across to and down the southern slopes of Harrisend Fell back to Grizedale Bridge.
Total ascent: 1734 ft
OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Grizedale Bridge-Fell End-Harrisend Fell-Trough Road-Waste Lane-Lower Swainshead Farm-Wyre Way-Catshaw Farm-Cam Clough-Hawthornthwaite-Doeholme Rake-Cam Brow-Catshaw Greave-Greave Clough Head-Grizedale Head-Grizedale Fell-Harrisend Fell-Grizedale Bridge
For a final walk before going back to work on the 5th I decided to make the most of the cold winter weather, and the frozen ground that's the result of it, by heading to the Forest of Bowland. The route that I worked out, starting from Grizedale Bridge, took in some footpaths and bridleways in Wyresdale that were new to me, before heading up onto the moorland of Grizedale Fell. That part of the walk I had done before, in May last year. The forecast was for a fine winter's day with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, but with a bitterly cold northerly wind. With hindsight I should have shortened the part of the route in Wyresdale a bit to give myself more time for the moorland stretch. I found myself setting a good pace to make it back down before the sun set. It was a lovely winter's day, with excellent visibility meaning great long distance views, and that bitterly cold northerly wind had frozen the ground solid, which meant easy going on the moorland stretch of the walk.
After parking my car at Grizedale Bridge I took the bridleway down and across fields to the farm at Fell End, then from there a footpath up to the road on Harrisend Fell. I crossed the road and took the footpath opposite, following it north across the slopes of Harrisend Fell, then Foxhouses Brook, and fields to reach Trough Road. A walk north down the road brought me to the bridleway on the track of Waste Lane, which I took north to its end at Lower Swainshead Farm. I then took a footpath down into Mark Holme Wood to briefly join the Wyre Way, before taking a footpath up to Catshaw Farm, from where I followed a footpath along a track east towards Cam Clough. The footpath then took me across Cam Clough, east across fields to Marl House, and along a track to Hawthornthwaite and the lane of Doeholme Rake. I walked up Doeholme Rake, and then south along Cam Brow (with a stop for lunch) until I reached a track on the left that crossed a bridge over Cam Brook then went up Catshaw Greave. I followed this track up Catshaw Grave, then the path from its top up to the fence across Greave Clough Head, where I turned right and followed it west. Keeping to the fence I made my way west to Grizedale Head and across Grizedale Fell towards its western end, where I crossed the fence, and went through a gate in another to reach a cairn on the western end of Grizedale Fell. Once I'd taken in the view I made my way across to and down the southern slopes of Harrisend Fell back to Grizedale Bridge.
Route map
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I set off from Grizedale Bridge by taking the bridleway down to the farm at Fell End..
A footpath takes me from Fell End up to the road on Harrisend Fell
Looking back to the hill of Nicky Nook
A view out to Morecambe Bay as I cross the road and take the footpath on the other side
I follow the footpath north across the slopes of Harrisend Fell
Looking back to the hill of Nicky Nook
The footpath heads east into Wyresdale and across fields to reach Trough Road....
Walking north along Trough Road
I leave Trough Road and take the bridleway along the track of Waste Lane
Winter sunshine on the fields to my left
Following the bridleway north to its end at Lower Swainshead Farm..
A footpath takes me from Lower Swainshead Farm down into Mark Holme Wood to join the trail of the Wyre Way
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Following the Wyre Way east through Mark Holme Wood..
Frosty fields by the River Wyre as I leave the woods
Looking across to the southern slopes of Grit Fell and Ward's Stone from the footpath up to Catshaw Farm
Making my way through Catshaw Farm
Following the footpath east from Catshaw Farm to Cam Clough
The footbridge over Cam Brook. It took a while to find as earthworks had removed any signs of the course of the footpath through Cam Clough.
A footpath takes me east from Cam Clough to Marl House and Hawthornthwaite
Looking across Wyresdale to Grit Fell and Ward's Stone
From Hawthornthwaite I walk up Doeholme Rake to Cam Brow, and then south along the road of Cam Brow with the slopes of Hawthornthwaite Fell to my left
Looking back along Cam Brow
I leave for the road for a track up Catshaw Greave..
Looking back across Wyresdale to Grit Fell and Ward's Stone
Into the cold and frosty Catshaw Greave
With some height gained I can now make out some of the Lake District fells in the distance..
From the top of the track I follow a path through the heather by Catshaw Greave to Greave Clough Head
Great view looking back down to Wyresdale, and out to the coast, Morecambe Bay, and some of the Lake District fells
Approaching the fence across Greave Clough Head
From Greave Clough Head I follow the fence west. I should be able to set a good pace as the normally boggy moor is frozen solid.
Grit Fell and Ward's Stone across Wyresdale to my right
and a view across Catshaw Fell to Morecambe Bay
Looking back to Greave Clough Head
Stake House Fell ahead, and Grizedale Fell to the right
The fence bends to the right and heads towards Grizedale Fell
Looking across Wyresdale to Morecambe Bay and distant Lake District fells
and to Clougha Pike, Grit Fell, and Ward's Stone
Following the fence down to Grizedale Head
Stake House Fell behind a moorland pool
Looking back to the moorland of Greave Clough Head
Making my way west across Grizedale Fell..
The Lake District fells in the distance to my right
Looking back along the fence to Grizedale Head
Clougha Pike, Grit Fell, and Ward's Stone on the other side of Wyresdale
Approaching the high point of Grizedale Fell
Passing a boundary stone
Looking back east across Grizedale Fell
Taking in the view from the cairn on the high point of Grizedale Fell. Grizedale Lea Reservoir, Barnacre Reservoirs, Nicky Nook, and the Fylde coast to the west.
Morecambe Bay and the Lake District in the distance to the northwest
Stake House Fell on the other side of Grizedale
Great views towards the coast and the setting sun as I follow the fence west, and then southwest..
That fence was crossed, and then I went through a gate in another to reach a cairn on the western end of Grizedale Fell
Taking in the view from a cairn on the western end of Grizedale Fell. Morecambe Bay and the Lake District fells to the northwest.
The Fylde coast to the west
Heading for Harrisend Fell, with the hill of Nicky Nook below the setting sun
The Lune estuary, and the coast around Heysham and Morecambe Bay from the cairn on Harrisend Fell
Grizedale Lea Reservoir, Barnacre Reservoirs, and Nicky Nook
Making my way back down to Grizedale Bridge