Pinhaw Beacon - The Bull
The Pennine Way was the first long distance footpath established in the UK - and one
of the longest, at some 256 miles. This walk touches on a short section of the route,
taking patrons of The Bull with a couple of hours to spare to the beautiful viewpoint of
Pinhaw Beacon - a taster to whet the appetite for longer walks in future.
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START: Roadside car park close to junction of Clogger Lane and Carleton Lane. From the Bull
turn left and then immediately take a left slip road leading down to the gates of Broughton Hall.
Follow Church Lane right as it leads past the church of All Saints to the edge of the hamlet of
Elslack. Here bear right and then left onto Clogger Lane. This climbs steeply uphill to reach a
junction with Carleton Lane. Turn left. There is off road parking a short distance along.
DISTANCE:
31/2 miles (5.6km)
TIME:
11/2 - 2 hours
This is not a long walk but it does involve a climb of a little more than 650 feet.
Some people might regard this as strenuous. Alternatively you walk the road section to the
cattle grid - just under a mile - 25 minutes
SUMMARY:
MAP: OS OL 21 The South Pennines.
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Pinhaw Beacon
START:
1 Between the T-junction and car park take
a narrow unmarked footpath (on your right
when facing the T junction from the car
park). Follow this down the hill for 500 yards
to the corner of a large conifer plantation.
Go through the gate, keeping the wall on
your right as you walk.
After 250 yards cross a stone stile into the
plantation. Continue downhill through the
trees for 200 yards until you meet a forestry
track. Turn right. You are now making your
way back to the road.
Follow this track for 1000 yards (approx. 15
minutes). At a T-junction of tracks turn left,
and then 20 yards before the next junction
take a footpath on your right, forking right
round a tree shortly afterwards.
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Follow the path for 200 yards to a gate onto
Carleton Lane. The road is not busy but
seems to encourage fast driving so take care.
Turn left. Keeping to the right continue on
the road for 350 yards, cross a cattle grid and
immediately take the footpath on the right.
2 The footpath follows a wall steeply
upwards over Ransable Hill. After 700 yards
the path levels off and then begins its descent
towards Kirk Styles Farm, the nearer of two
farms.
Within 100 yards of the buildings the path
meets the Pennine Way coming up from
Lothersdale. After crossing a stone stile, turn
immediately right along the wall for 30 yards.
At the corner of the field, turn right and
cross the stile onto the Pennine Way.
Pinhaw Beacon
3 After 50 yards veer left on a paved
section, following this until it becomes a clear
footpath across open moorland. This will
take you up to the trig point.
Before reaching the trig point there is an
interesting diversion. Some 500 yards after
leaving the paved path a waymarker shows
a path coming in from the right. Robert
Wilson’s gravestone is 120 yards down this
path on the right. After seeing the grave
retrace your steps to the main path.
Guardsman Robert Wilson had responsibility
for lighting the beacon during a period
when the country was under threat of
Napoleonic invasion. Severe weather
trapped his detachment and Wilson was sent
to obtain vital supplies. He was never seen
alive again. Sometime later his body was
discovered - and buried where it was found.
The inscription reads ‘Here was found dead
the body of Robert Wilson, one of the Beacon
Guards, who died Jan 29 1805 aged 69 years’.
The view from the trig point is outstanding
which is why we have left it to the end; to
the west Pendle Hill dominates the Ribble
Valley while to the north the Three Peaks of
Yorkshire can be easily picked out.
The way back to the car is clear. Continue on
the Pennine Way as it descends to Carleton
Lane. When you reach a wall turn right. On
reaching the lane junction turn right for the
car park. Or if you prefer continue on the
Pennine Way - from this point there is about
200 miles of it left.
Make time to visit The Highwayman
The Highwayman is situated in the hamlet of Burrow on the outskirts of Kirkby Lonsdale.
Surrounded on all sides by the Lake District National Park, Yorkshire Dales and Forest of Bowland
it couldn’t be better situated for an enjoyable walk in the countryside. And now Summer has
finally arrived, what could be better than lunch served with genuine Lancashire hospitality on
our beautifully appointed garden terrace?
To avoid any disappoint call or go online and make your reservation today!
The Highwayman Inn, Burrow, Kirkby Lonsdale, LA6 2RJ
Tel: 01524 273 338 | www.highwaymaninn.co.uk
facebook.com/theHighwaymanInn | twitter.com/@Highwayman_Inn
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