Walk 3329 - Stocks Reservoir from Slaidburn

      
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The Forest of Bowland offers a wide selection of walks in a variety of scenic contexts. This route starts from the attractive village of Slaidburn, which is worth further exploration, and complete a full circuit of the Stocks Reservoir, which was constructed in 1922 to provide water for Blackpool.

      
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The start is the pay and display car park near the river in Slaidburn (Grid ref. SD714524). Exit the car park and turn right. Walk up to the war memorial in the village centre and turn right onto the road to Bentham. Just after crossing Croasdale Brook turn right onto the path beside the river. The path takes a short cut across meadows to reach the River Hodder at Holmehead Bridge (Grid ref. SD 715531). Cross the bridge and turn left and continue on the track to Hammerton Hall. Passing the Hall on your left bear left at the fork in the tracks (Grid ref. SD719539) and make the steady ascent onto Ten Acre Hill from where you see Stocks Reservoir for the first time.

The path drops down to pass to the left of Black House Farm where a gate allows you to join the main drive. This leads down to a minor road (Grid ref. SD736553). Turn left and pass the chapel on your right. Continue along this road, crossing a causeway over the reservoir, to reach a picnic site where the road turns sharp right (Grid ref. SD732565). Leave the road here and follow the path that shadows the reservoir shore to reach the edge of the plantation (Grid ref. SD725573).

The path crosses Hasgill Beck and soon after becomes a track and leads you up past derelict New House. Stay on this track (not marked on some OS maps) to reach another track at the head of Parks Clough (Grid ref. SD718586). Turn left here and descend to Lock Bridge where you cross the River Hodder. A gentle ascent along this track leads you past the hamlet of Kenibus to join a lane (Grid ref. SD708578). Turn left along this lane from where excellent views are to be had of the surrounding countryside.

Where the lane bends right (grid ref. SD710574) continue straight ahead on a track. This leads you onto the right of way that follows the track bed of the railway that was used during construction of the reservoir (Grid ref. SD713573). There were some signs in this area but they were rather confusing and the use of good map is probably a better to way of route finding. Once the old railway has been reached stay on this for over a mile. Reaching a sign (Grid ref. SD723559), bear right uphill. Keep left of the trees and a ruin, your reach another derelict building.

Keep this on your right and follow the developing path over a small bridge and up to the corner of a wood (Grid ref. SD716559). Continue on the occasionally waymarked route to reach the main drive (Grid ref. SD714556) to Hollins House. Turn right onto this drive to reach a road. Turn left here and walk over Sagar Hill to reach a signed drive to Shay House on your right (Grid ref. SD710546). Follow this drive towards Shay House turning left onto a signed footpath just before reaching Croasdale Brook.

This path takes a direct route across meadows beside the brook before climbing straight ahead over a hill. During the climb there are some excellent views behind you to the higher fells of the Forest of Bowland. Just over the summit of the hill the path turns half right to descend to a stile on the Bentham road. Turn right along the road, left at the war memorial and return through the village to the car park.

Suggested Maps

It is recommended you take a map with you when following a walk route. The preferred scale is 1:25000 used by the Explorer series.

	OS Explorer	1:25,000	Sheet OL41
	OS Landranger	1:50,000	Sheet 103

Note : If two maps are listed at the same scale then either (a) both are required for full coverage of the route or (b) the route is covered on both maps.

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