Walk 3: Melling to Roeburndale (via Wennington)

Walk Waypoints

1. 1 Turn right if visiting Melling, otherwise, cross the road, and turn left towards Kirkby Lonsdale. After the railway bridge, turn right to pass by old station cottages. At the top of the road, look for a gate on the left. Proceed across two fields and through two barred gates. In the next field, continue along the fence to your left. Cross a stile, and bear slightly right through a narrower pasture to cross another stile. Climb up to a barred gate, and, once through, bear slightly left towards a barn. Go over a stone step stile, and walk ahead to a barred gate and bridleway where you turn right for Wrayton.
2. 2 The bridleway soon joins a road in the hamlet of Wrayton. Proceed ahead through the hamlet until you see the entrance on the left to Wrayton Hall, and then a cottage. Opposite (right) is a stile; cross this to walk through a corner plot where geese and ducks reside. Squeeze through a gap stile to climb the hillside in earnest. At the summit, you will see a small piece of wall with a stone step stile, which is a curious remnant, as the remainder of the boundary is fence or hedge.
3. 3 There is a knoll to your left crowned with conifers, but your way is ahead in the direction of the barn, or, more precisely, towards a summit just to the right of two barns. The latter point becomes apparent as you reach the crest of the hill, where you dip down sharply to a plank bridge across a stream, and then some dexterity is required to climb a stone stile. Rise up the hillside, with the boundary to your left to pass the isolated barns.
4. 4 Just beyond Catgill Barn, cross a stone stile, and keep ahead to another stile, go across a track, and cross a third stile. Proceed ahead again, keeping company with the fence on your right. Climb a stile, and rise to the summit, and there beneath you are the castellations of Wennington Hall. Head down the hill to the right of the Hall to meet a fence and woodland. Your way is over the second 'V' stile and through a pocket of wood to an old gate. At the road, go left to walk into the village of Wennington.
5. 5 At the junction in the village centre, go right to pass the entrance to Wennington Railway Station. Turn next left up Old Moor Road. The road climbs out of the village, bending to the right and then left. Beforehand, there is a stile on the right; cross this to enter a field. Head slightly left to a barred gate. On passing through this, you join a drive which leads ahead to Overends Farm.
6. 6 Pass by the farmhouse, then go next right through the farmyard (not ahead). Pass through the gate ahead into a field, and turn left to descend the field. There is a stile by a gate. Cross this, and aim for a stone step stile, just to the left of an old barn, which leads into Coat Bank Coppice. A clear path leads through the wood to exit at a barred gate into a high level pasture. Keep ahead to a stile, which exits on Park Lane. The landmark to look for is an old school house in the next field.
7. 7 Cross the lane, and walk in the direction of the dwelling, but then ease left to follow the boundary up the hillside to a stile flanked by holly bushes near the summit. Proceed ahead again to descend through three fields and over three stiles. In the fourth field, keep ahead as the hedge line dips right to Tatham Park Wood. In the next boundary, cross a stile, which is difficult to see at first, and step across a small stone bridge.
8. 8 Climb ahead up the bank, aiming for a top corner, where you go through a barred gate. Proceed ahead to the next gate, and now aim for the left-hand farm of the two you can see. There is a stile and signpost just to the right of the farmhouse. Go left on Trinket Lane, but then turn right through the farmyard as sign-posted.
9. 9 Exit to the rear of the buildings into a field, and proceed ahead down the hillside to a small gate above Gamblesholme Farm. The path zigzags down to a wall and gateway. Go left through it, and walk ahead along the track by the farm buildings. The track bends right and then left. It then runs ahead to the road at Hindburn Bridge.
10. 10 Go right to pass over the bridge, and then climb a stile ahead, where a track rises to the left. Walk up to the steps, and enter the woods by the stile. This wood is riddled with paths, so take care to go right, across a gully, and rise up the hillside to the right. The path is not always clear during the winter, when there is heavy leaf fall, but the important landmark to look for is a kissing gate in the top boundary. Go through it, and walk ahead through a long field to a lane. (Those wishing to take refreshment in Wray, to catch a bus or to follow a shorter walk to Hornby, go right along the road to descend to a junction in Wray. Go left to the bridge, and join the main route at point 32.)