Thursday 5 June 2025 - Silverdale

Andy W joined me and Sue on this long overdue visit to one of our favourite places, Silverdale. We parked at RSPB Leighton Moss and enjoyed their coffee and cake whilst waiting for the rain to abate. Donning of waterproofs at the start of our walk did the trick. After that there was just one light shower all day.

We paused in the public hide on the causeway, where the view was pretty ordinary - just a variety of common ducks and gulls in the middle distance.

However, on the path that leads out of the reserve towards Leighton Hall, the fog-horn like call of a bittern drew our attention as we passed some friendly swans.

A sharp gradient took us past Leighton Hall and up the hill towards Yealand Conyers via a convenient bench, on the designated path past cows and sheep.

There's a good view back past the hall to Morecambe Bay.

The path we needed involved a right turn just beyond a large cairn.

Heading downhill now, we passed an old kiln before heading into the woods towards Crag Foot.

We chatted for a while with a couple heading in the other direction on a route that was partly the reverse of ours.

Descending to Crag Foot, there are good views over the wetlands of Leighton Moss.

Crag Foot appears to be on the boundary of the Silverdale district.

A pleasant coastal walk took us towards Jenny Brown's Point, before which we reached the chimney that we used to think was part of a lime kiln. An alternative theory has now been put forward, as explained on a helpful information board. (Click on the image for a better version/slideshow.)

After enjoying our lunch beside the chimney sheltered from the cool breeze, we continued to Jenny Brown's Point, where the remains of an embankment stretch out across the bay.

There's currently a major construction site on the quiet lane that leads past Gibraltar Farm to the Wolf House Gallery.

These rental properties  at the front of the gallery conceal work which is going on in the gallery which is currently closed for the renovations to take place.

Someone at Gibraltar Farm has produced a lovely sign that advertises their eggs.

I used to bring the children here for a camping experience (there's a children's playground and pub nearby) - the facilities were minimal and you could just roll up and camp anywhere in the big field. I suspect booking is now advised...

Anyway, we passed the gallery entrance and strolled up the road to a path that leads to Wood Well, where the water drips from the roof of a small recess in the base of the cliff and is collected in a small trough from which it flows into a large basin used originally for watering cattle.

We continued past a brand of Martagon Lily and some nice properties, to a left turn that took us down a back ginnel of Silverdale to the shore road.

The tide was out, so we enjoyed a stroll on firm sand to The Cove, where Sue and Andy explored the small cave.

Then it was up the lane and a right turn to Elmslack, where Elmslack Well is hidden behind a litter bin (as it has been since I discovered the beauty of this area in the 1980s).

The  camera went away for a while as we made our way across the railway and past Waterslack to Hawes Water.

On the approach to Hawes Water we passed what I can only describe as a 'curious stone building', suitable as a lunch hut. My 1986 Cicerone guidebook describes it as 'ruined', which it is no longer. A fine place for lunch on a rainy day.

With the camera out again, a sense of mystery as to the interior of the building, and Andy's lost foot.

Ah, that's better.

Rounding Hawes Water, we passed several properties and acquired some duck eggs for a small donation (they were delicious). After a campervan park we passed a campervan that was perhaps what motivated the farm to set up the park. This van is over 50 years old and perhaps not such a good advertisement for the park.

That took us to Red Bridge, where a wrong turn then led us into Trowbarrow Quarry, now disused and apparently a haven for rare plants such as Bee Orchids and Fly Orchids. Sadly we could find neither, despite a search.

There are climbing routes here, and Orpine flourishes.

The path back to the RSPB reserve is inhabited with curious robins.

That was a lovely walk of just over 18km, with 300 metres ascent, taking a little over 5 hours. Here's the route.

Apologies for the delay in this posting. It has been a busy week with no time for diary entries, which should now follow in quick succession.

Note that this posting just touches the surface of the interesting Silverdale area - other postings with more information are here.