Stone Star

Duddon Bridge, Croglinhurst, Little Stickle, Ulpha, Croglinhurst, Bleansley Bank, Duddon Bridge. Quiet paths beside the River Duddon and then the River Lickle lead you over the fells to Ulpha, with a similar way back to complete this delightful circular walk. It starts from a large layby on the side of the road to Ulpha, less than 0.25mile from Duddon Bridge.

1. Return to cross the busy A-road by the traffic lights before the Duddon Bridge and take the track opposite, signposted Lickle Bridge. The reinforced way is edged by a hedgerow on the left and a copse to the right and in late March is bright with daffodils. Then the track continues close to the sweetly surging river. Go through the signposted gate and keep beside the wall on your left, heading away from the Duddon. Continue on to cross the River Lickle by its tractor bridge.2. Carry on up the hedged track to the side of the A-road once again. Cross, with care, to go through a signposted gate. Stride on to pass through the gate ahead into a grassy hedged green track. This can become overgrown with nettles and brambles in the summer. Climb a stile and go on, with woodland now to your left. Where the trees end, go through the gate on your left. Walk left, beside the woodland, with a fine view, to your right, of the Coniston range of mountains.3. Continue on with the meandering River Lickle to your left. Cross the footbridge and head over the pasture to a gate to outbuildings at Low Moss Farm. Pass through the next gate and wind right in front of the farmhouse to go through a third gate. Carry on towards the barns at Lower Bleansley Farm to pass through a fourth gate. Bear left and continue up the slope, parallel with the wall on your right. This too can become overgrown in summer. A gate at the end of the wall gives access to a pleasing track. Turn right and walk towards the pretty white farmhouse.4. Join the narrow lane and walk on. The delightful way takes you past the dwelling at Middle Bleansley and the to the farmhouses at Croglinhurst. Ignore the right turn and go on up the steep hill. In April, as you pass Wood House Farm, great drifts of bluebells perfume the air. Ignore the left turn to Pickthall Ground and go on where the lane now has grass growing along its middle to pass the old farmhouse at Hawes. Go through the gate beyond and follow the track as it winds left and out onto the fell, with glorious views of Great Stickle. Beyond the next gate continue to the next and once through, turn right to walk a walled way.5. Pass through the gate at its end, climb a small slope and walk left along a good track. Now you are really up on the fells, with a wonderful feeling of freedom and remoteness. From this track you can see far out over the Duddon estuary and to Morecambe Bay. Keep on the wide green trod, ignoring lesser paths going off right and follow it as it climbs gently to a ridge. From here you can look down into the Ulpha valley and the hills beyond. Follow the track as it makes a gentle descent. Ignore a left turn and begin dropping down several wide zigzags and stepping across a couple of tiny streams. Below you can see a particularly lovely stretch of the River Duddon.6. About three hundred yards above the road you reach a wider stream, where scattered holly and ash grow. Leave the main path and head down the side of this beck. Look for a clear path going off left and take this to descend diagonally, through bracken, to reach the fell road and a signpost, directing up a wide green trod into a stony gill.7. The grassy way, indistinct at first, soon reveals itself to be a magnificently engineered buttressed path. It runs high above a wild boulder-strewn almost waterless gill. The slopes opposite are inhospitable scree but alongside the path rowan and oak have rooted. Against the rock face on your right is a haven for fern, moss, lichen and heather. Pause often to look at the workmanship of the way, which zigzags steadily upwards.8. At the top of the gill, step across the beck and go on ahead, beside it. The gate you need to continue on your way lies directly ahead but it is not easy to reach; at a junction of paths bear left and then, a short way along, take the right fork. Where the path swings left go straight ahead to the gate in the fell wall, which is now clearly visible. Beyond, follow the wall on your left, walking a rutted way. Keep with it as it winds right away from the wall and comes beside another wall on your right. Continue to a waymarked gate, which you pass through. Bear half right along a track leading to a gate into Pickthall Ground. Bear left in front of a pretty white cottage, with bright yellow shutters, and follow the access track down over a pasture to come to the minor road walked earlier.9. Turn right. Descend the steep hill and continue on, leaving Croglinhurst on your left. Stride the delightful lane past Middle Bleansley to come to Lower Bleansley. Where the tarmac ends, join a grassy trod and press on, with the wall to your left. The way ascends gently, through oak woodland. Enjoy this glorious high-level track. After another climb, pass through a gate and then begin your delectable descent to the Ulpha road. Turn left to walk the short distance to the layby where you have parked.

Getting there

Parking: Lay-by on road to Ulpha.

Waypoints