Ribble Valley Walks with Taste

03/04/2023

30/03/2023

09/11/2022

Stunning scenery, amazing food, what more can a person want? 👌🏼🌳🌈

11/08/2022

Yet another BRAND NEW Walk with Taste! 🎉
The Lower Buck have joined our train of walks and have added a "wonderful countryside walk around charming Waddington" 🌳🌿📸
Obtain your collection of brand new Walks With Taste today at: https://www.visitribblevalley.co.uk/ and request your copies! 😁🥾
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09/08/2022

Another BRAND NEW Walk with Taste! 🥾🌳🎉
Derby Arms have joined our team of Amazing Walks and have mapped out a "Hilltop Hike with Heavenly Views" spanning the foothills of The Trough of Bowland all the way to the the Fylde and Wyre coastline! ☀️🌿📸
Grab your collection of Walks With Taste today at: https://www.visitribblevalley.co.uk/ and request your copy!
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04/08/2022

Come and explore another BRAND NEW Walk With Taste! 😁🥾
The White Bull Hotel, Ribchester has helped to create a beautiful walk showcasing the best of their surroundings! 🌳🍃
Our Walks With Taste are extremely popular with locals and holiday-makers alike, and with our vast range of landscapes and wildlife, there is much to entertain on these recommended walks!
To obtain your collection of Walks With Taste, please go to: https://www.visitribblevalley.co.uk/ and request a copy today!
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04/08/2022

Check out our BRAND NEW Walks with Taste! 🥰
Have you walked the new ways yet?
Get your full collection today at: https://www.visitribblevalley.co.uk/ and request your copies!
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24/05/2022

My car showed 20 degrees, on the other hand, the clouds displayed dark silhouettes reminiscent of the previous night's thunder and rain battle. Well, what better time to do a walk that's half covered by trees?

Crossing the road outside of the Arms the flowers bloomed in gardens facing the Cenotaph, roofs peeped over the tops of bushes and locals had already claimed a few benches, chatting and eating ice cream.

I made my way 'behind' the village, passing stone cottages and into the green countryside. Lambs frolicked around the field, sheep bleated their hunger at the quad bike headed towards them and St Peter's Church loomed ahead, its facade sat greeting the sun before the forecasted change later on.
I turned right, alongside the red brick wall - propped up by wooden stakes and towards a rather odd-looking round building with a round roof. This is Stonyhurst Observatory and it is still used today by the students of the college as well as being a functioning weather station used by the Met Office.

A little further along, the farmer was busy herding his cows up the road in time for milking, so i stopped and watched the slow parade for a while before moving on.
The views from the farm tracks are effortless and unrivaled, the colour green bombarding the eyes and the countryside orchestra entertaining the ears.
Striding down the 'Thousand Steps' and over the stone 'Fairy Bridge' I veered off the main path and towards a loud rushing sound where the leaves sparkled with sun spots.
The River Hodder appeared below me beckoning with its clear waters and gently flowing falls. I found a stone platform and hopped to the pebbles below, dipping my feet and gently splashing the cold water. Across the river, a Heron watch on, ready to take flight if i moved too quickly.

Further downstream, as the river calmed down to a quiet trickle, colourful birds appeared, a few of which i did not have the name for. Sitting on the crumbling skeleton of Cromwell's Bridge, I got out my phone to do some detective work.
From Cromwell's Bridge, the walk rose up and away from the water, through farmland and down Winkley Hall Farm. Just a little further on I was reunited with the river, at the exact point where the Ribble connected with the Hodder!

The way forward from here was pretty flat, and green fields rose from all directions. I followed the lightly worn path skirting the river where it changed to artificial grass, a farmer's efforts of saving the landscape from scarring and erosion. Once the artificial grass appeared, there was no need for the map as the path was hard to miss, it then went back through (very steep) woodland and up to the village, but not before going through a field of sheep, lambs, cows, calves, bulls and chickens! - Stick to the edge of the field and you shouldn't bother them!

The final style brought me within sight of my car, a very welcome sight after a beautiful walk down the woods!
A highly recommended walk, extremely popular with locals and tourists alike, there's much to see, rivers to paddle and fields to run in - who else has done the full 5.5 mile, I'd love to know why you love it!

12/05/2022

The bright Tuesday afternoon greeted me as I opened my car door at Higher Trapp Hotel , blossoms fluttered in the breeze and the slight honeyed scent of the Blackthorn bushes hung in the air, I leaned against my car door watching the swaying of the leaves, bushes and trees as I put my feet into my only decent walking boots – Wellies.

Leaving the car park and heading downhill, trees hugged me in from both sides, seemingly protecting me from the outside world. As the walk left the road and cut through fields, I came across a rather unusually shaped barn, almost biblical with its pointy arched doorways. However, on closer inspection seemingly nothing more than an animal hold.

I scanned the field and headed towards my next hurdle – the steps in the wall guarding the woods. It took me 10 minutes to get there, but only because I watched the lambs bouncing around and tried to say ‘hello’ to the cows without them licking me. The steps in the wall shone out from the darkened woodland behind, almost slowing me down getting me to re-think my route, but once I got into the darkness, the dappled floor led the way to the other side.

The other side rose to meet a very small farm, the cute and quaint country cottage feel oozing from the single-paned, slit like 17th century windows. Framed by drooping Wisteria and complimented with an old cart wheel-turned bench, the sun warmed the walls of the farm, making me stop and appreciate the hidden gem. Twenty steps later, the farm disappeared, and the hill opened up for a challenge.

The path went straight up the hill and as soon as I reached one apex, another summit made itself known. Being who I am and thinking I’m a lot more in shape than in reality, I walked without stopping for the next hundred meters and when the top of the hill was done, I looked down into the valley of Sabden below and slumped to the ground for a rest.

The way down was unsurprisingly a lot quicker, and I almost ran with gravity through the grove, twisting around trees and jumping rocky outcrops. Sabden was relatively car-free, the only sounds coming from the school in the distance and several walkers out with their pooches. I joined onto the bridleway, wandering through back lanes home to colourful gardens, and passed the last houses out of the village... back up the hill.

The Higher Trapp’s 'Walk with Taste' is a rewarding hike, offering amazing views, quiet roads, friendly animals and ancient woodlands. I thoroughly enjoyed the endeavour and would recommend to anyone who is willing to tackle the 5 mile ‘challenging’ walk. Afterwards, I struggled to stay on my feet, tired but happy – at least I’d sleep tonight!

25/04/2022

I woke to the morning sun glittering the outdoor carpet of dew and a surprise phone call telling me to go on some walks and take some pictures. However, the only walk that came to mind that I had not yet done, was the 10km uphill battle recommended by the The Spread Eagle, Sawley in Sawley.

Already the pub’s car park was pretty busy, so I decided to leave my car next to the village hall and head towards the ankle-deep river. As I walked along the riverside, the abundance of wildflowers caught my eye and I tried to capture the pop of colour. Mayflowers wobbled in the breeze whereas dandelions stood to attention unbending in the wind. The smell of wild garlic rushed past, quickly followed by a concoction of home cooked food and farm manure, fitting for this tiny village of Sawley.

As I climbed out of the village, the views of Pendle Hill followed behind and for a long time I caught myself being tricked by the landscape as the hills blocked out Clitheroe from view, making me think that somehow it had disappeared. I stopped every so often, puffing and panting, to turn back and see the progress I had made, 6 fields down, many more to go…
It wasn’t until I reached the tarmacked road that I realised just how steep the hill was – the relatively short distance from the end of the footpath to the woods on the fell was anything but easy on foot! I carried on slowly (again) uphill, the sun beating down on my back and the wind seemingly having disappeared from the small dip I was in, to my disappointment!
I finally reached a plateau where, red in the face, a farm within the slight depression of the land blocked out much of the urban view and it was easy to imagine you were the only person around for miles. I slowly carried on along the small track, looking around it wasn’t hard to imagine that just 48 years ago the rolling hills, moors and dry stoned walls of this fell belonged to Yorkshire.

Beacon Hill is crowned in spiky Pines and wispy grasses, and the Ginnels left behind as fire breaks play tricks on the ears – perhaps why the path is called the Shivering Ginnel!
Once I got to the edge of the tall trees, the white, stone, summit marker caught my eye, perched on top of a rocky outcrop and (with daunting Pendle Hill behind it) seemingly minuscule against the surrounding views showcasing much higher scars and moors, stretching across Lancashire and into much of the Ribblesdale and Craven Districts of Yorkshire.

I spent a small while observing the view, getting my bearings, but with the wind picking up and the cold chill startlingly apparent, I made quick work of the downhill journey and warmed up again. I trudged side by side with gravity, past beautiful stone farms, down old sunken roads and through an unusually quaint back garden before I met up with the river again.

Altogether this was a challenging but rewarding walk and features incredible views spanning across 2 counties, definitely not for the faint-hearted and certainly needs to be finished with a good rest and a drink in the Spread Eagle afterwards!

15/03/2022

Spring is in the Air! Waking up to the songs of the birds and the sunshine warming the land, my mood lifted and I was ready to explore.

Today's Walk With Taste starred Assheton Arms and the pub's surrounding landscape. I parked up near the bridge at the bottom of the village and was ready to explore this place that I had never traversed before.
I started up and out the village, and was greeted by countless tiny lambs, jumping, running, playing and sleeping. I happily stopped and watched for a little while trying to figure out the unique calls which alone could tell the lamb where it's mother was, but it still just sounded like a croaky moan to me.
The benches which were strategically placed at the top of the hill with a wonderful view were a much welcome sight and allowed me to cool off before the next leg of the journey. Walking past the small, old farms built from the land conjured up images of a harsh life in harsh weathers with little contact from the outside world.

As the walk is rather aged, I did get 'lost', however, recognising that there was either a stream between me and where I needed to be or a stretch of woodland before I needed to make a turn, I managed to find myself back onto the path, but not without going through a beautiful wooded ghyll, with crystal, clear waters and multicoloured rocks!
Just a little further on from this, the call of a Buzzard told me to look up, and there they were, 3 huge, dark predators effortlessly gliding through the air and incredibly hard to get a picture of.
The walk back into the village stopped me in my tracks as I suddenly came across some grazing mops! It took me a moment to realise these mops had heads and that these heads were actually the woolliest, messiest and some of the cutest sheep I had seen!
Overall, this may be one of the nicest walks I have been on in quite some time - the fact that again there was no other person was in sight or that the landscape made it seem as though you truly were in the middle of nowhere definitely attracted me and I will certainly be exploring more of the surrounding area soon!

07/03/2022

The experts at travel company Sawday’s reveal their top watering holes across the UK, from Norfolk to Devon...