Lancashire
175 km / 109 miles
(click to enlarge)
The Northern Loop is the third part of the Lancashire Way. It is the longest of the three loops at 108 miles and ascends just over 10,000 feet, which is more than the Southern Loop but less than the Central Loop. However, it includes the two highest peaks on the Way - Gragareth/Green Hill at 2,060ft and Ward Stone at 1,840ft, which is just a few feet higher than Pendle Hill, the next highest peak. It is estimated that it will take on average just over 43 hours walking so can be completed in between 5-7 days and thus one complete week.
Unlike the other two loops, it begins and ends in Lancaster, which again helps with logistics, being easy to reach with good rail and road links. There are fourteen Stages in total. The first two stages makes their way south from Lancaster initially via the Lancashire Coastal Way to Glasson and then by following the Lancaster Canal before heading inland to meet up with the Bowland Fells again at Scorton.
The walk then heads north crossing the northern Bowland Fells to Hornby in the Lune valley. At this point the route makes a detour further north to ensure that we do not miss the only peak in Lancashire that is technically a mountain - Gragareth and its near neighbour Green Hill, although the summit of the latter is just over the boundary wall in Yorkshire!
From here the return south is via the other bank of the Lune to Over Kellett. A wander along the final stretch of the Lancaster canal and then we head west through Limestone country across to the coast at Silverdale. The return to Lancaster uses the Lancashire Coastal path, with some superb views of Morecambe bay and the Lakeland hills along its length.
Information is online from the link below.
Details:
| Path Type: |
Other Paths |
| Attributes: |
Other Paths
Challenging
AONB
Coastal
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| Start and Finish: |
SD472617 -
Lancaster Railway Station, Lancashire
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| Web Sites: |
Lancashire Way
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