Clitheroe's River and Castle

1 Walk towards the railway then bear right on a road blocked to through traffic. Follow it round to Kirkmoor Road and go right. At Back Commons go over a stile. Cross the field to another stile, bear right to a kissing gate and immediately right through another. From a third gate go right on a short track past the cemetery to the road and go left for 250yds (229m). Go right, up the lane then, just past the gates of Park Hill, go left on a footpath. Cross the field to the edge of the wood. Go down left then swing right on a surfaced track. Follow this for about 150yds (137m) then descend to river level near to the boundary of the Cross Hill Nature Reserve.

2 From below the quarry follow the riverbank for about ¾ mile (1.2km) to Bradford Bridge, near the huge cement works, the one large-scale industrial plant in the pastoral Ribble Valley. Cross the bridge and, from the bend in the road, follow the river bank through the first field, then go diagonally right to a stile. Keep left where other paths branch off, then cross a larger field to a concrete footbridge. Bear left across the next field, quite near the river again, then join a farm track up a rise and bear right past Brungerley Farm to the road.

3 Go left across Brungerley Bridge. Go over the wall by the bus shelter and down the steps. Follow the river bank to a gate into Boy Bank Wood. Ignore an obvious line of steps on the left and follow a level, though rougher, path to the large weir opposite Waddow Hall. On the far side is a fish ladder, and on our side an old sluice gate. The canal, now partly silted up, ran for about ½ mile (800m) to the large mill at Low Moor, formerly owned by the Garnett family of Waddow Hall. Beyond the sluice the steep bank on the left begins to diminish. Go up and back left along the top of the bank, to meet a clear path (coming up from the steps you passed a few minutes ago). Turn sharp right across the field to the end of a line of trees and a kissing gate. Follow the left edge of the next field. At the next gate you briefly rejoin the outward route, going slightly right to a stile and across the last field to Back Commons.

4 Keep straight on down Kirkmoor Road, swing right and out to a busier road. Cross the railway bridge. From the end of its parapet double back to the right, under the little footbridge that serves the Methodist chapel. Enter the castle grounds and turn left immediately up a rising road. Near its crest go left up a stepped path. At its top go up steps on the left then turn right immediately below the buildings. At their end go up more steps, emerging in front of the Castle Museum.

5 From the museum entrance go up again, then bear right through the yard, towards the keep. Go up steps, then left into the keep. Leave by the other 'door'. Immediately to its right are more steps giving access to the ramparts. From the base of these steps go right down a stepped path. Keep right at the bottom, out into Castle Street. The
An arch beside the White Lion leads into Church Walk. Go left at the bottom, then right, to the railway station. The main building is now a gallery, but the railway is still busy, with trains to Manchester. Go right 50yds (46m) and under the tracks to return to the car park.