1. There’s a good car park in Dunsop Bridge (SD66077 50125). Leave the village along the bridleway at the side of the Post Office, passing the playing fields to reach four stone cottages. Continue along the bridleway alongside the River Dunsop for about 20m, there’s a stile over the fence on the R. Ascend the steps and cross the stile over the wall. Follow the power lines across the pasture to reach the farm road at Beatrix (SD66344 51322).
2. Turn L along the farm road, around the barn and through the farmyard at Higher Beatrix to the wooden farm gate (SD66520 51427). Follow the farm track across the pasture as it swings L to reach Back O Hill Barn with its wooden shutters. This is the start of a wonderful mile of Lancashire countryside! Descend the pasture to a stile (SD67015 51331), look for the stone marker posts along the route to reach a gate and stile (SD67295 51443) at Rough Syke. Cross the delightful ‘clapper bridge’ and climb the slope to the ruin of Rough Syke Barn. Continue along the turf road across the fell to reach a stile at the start/end of Bull Lane (SD67890 51481). As we gain height we enjoy extensive views of Totridge and Beatrix Fell.
3. Follow the walled Bull Lane, turning R then L before reaching the tarmac road, turn R and walk down the quiet road into Newton village. Turn L in the village, then soon take the R fork descending the road. Keep R at the next junction, leave the village descending to and crossing Newton Bridge over the River Hodder.
4. Take the footpath alongside the Hodder heading downstream. Follow the riverbank, cross a stile and continue just before the river sweeps to the R, leave the river bank head across the meadow on the same line to a stile by a leaning hawthorn tree (SD69483 49610). Continue on the same line to reach a gate by hawthorns, then descend the pasture to the road, there’s a stile (SD69314 49333) near the converted barn ‘Farrowfield’. Turn R at the road, over the small bridge and pass two more barns to reach the Estate Road (SD69101 49272).
5. Turn R along the Estate Road, notice the rope bridge over the Hodder across the field to the R. Knowlmere Manor comes into view as we take the R fork over Giddy Bridge. Here we follow the Concessionary Path passing Knowlmere Manor to reach the farm at Mossthwaite. Continue through the gate, follow the grassy track above the Hodder, another rope bridge crosses the river. Continue along the Concessionary Path to a steel gate in the stone wall (SD66832 50081) on the R.
6. Go through the gate and follow a faint path across the grassy meadow towards the river, however don’t go through the gateway, there’s a hidden stile (SD66647 50095) among trees on the L. Cross the stile, follow the overhead lines to a stone wall. Turn R and follow the perimeter of the wall along the river bank to reach the entrance to Thorneyholme Hall. Turn R, cross the bridge and follow the driveway to Dunsop Bridge and finish.
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Back O' Hill barn
clapper bridge
Basic map: From Dunsop Bridge to Newton and back: Barns, Byres, Bridges and By-ways