Merlewood

Arnside Knott walking and hiking route

Start Point - Car park on the foreshore, a short distance after passing the railway station (grid reference 460789). or walk from Merlewood to Grange over Sands railway station (as in walks 2 and 3) and take the train to Arnside. To drive to Arnside, use A590 and A6 to Milnthorpe; turn right at the traffic lights.

The estuary of the R. Kent is a significant part of the vast Morecambe Bay. On the south side of the estuary, Arnside is a former minor port, now an attractive waterside village, with views across to Grange over Sands and the southern hills of Lakeland. (522ft) is the highest land around the Bay.

This circuit has just about everything; a hill top with great views, a good village with all facilities, some farming land and considerable lengths of path either along or just above the foreshore. It can start and finish at Merlewood, with the help of a mini train ride across the waters of the estuary. Whilst the tracks are generally first rate, warning must be given that the return along the coast is partially on a path which is narrow and is along the top of low cliffs, not quite Beachy Head, but high enough to be off-putting to vertigo suffers. (see 'Ascent' details above).

Walk Instructions

On foot from Merlewood, use the route to and from Grange railway station set out in walks nos 2 and 3.

In Arnside, turn left from either the car park or the railway station; pass a road junction.

1) In a further 40m, turn right through a gate to follow 'public bridleway, Silverdale Road'. A good track commences the rise towards the Knott, soon becoming an old lane between walls. Pass a sports field before reaching the church of our Lady of Lourdes and Silverdale Road. Turn right to walk by the roadside as far as a road junction with an 'Arnside Knott' sign.

2) Turn left; the road rises stadily before turning sharp left in front of houses. Stay with the road around a long right curve before turning right through a kissing gate with a 'public footpath, the Knott' sign, entering Redhills Wood (National Trust). A good path rises through the woodland. Ignore a path on the left, soon reaching a kissing gate at the top of the wood.

3) Bear left initially, with a wall close on the left, then head directly across the grass towards the tree-crowned summit. There is a track just about visible on the ground. At the top enter the woodland through a gate; the track forks immediately. Go left to reach the trig. point at the summit in a few metres. The views now include the countryside to the east.

4) Leave the trig. point, bearing right (south-westerly) along a broad track; to the right is a seat which has probably the finest views across the estuary to Grange over Sands and the southern Lakeland mountains. Continue along the obvious broad track, soon reaching another seat, with views along the coast to the south, towards Silverdale.

5) Fork left here to descend, quite steeply in places. Go through a gate to join a more major track. Turn right, rising a little. Reach a gate at junction of tracks.

6) Turn left through another gate 'public footpath to Far Arnside'. Keep left at two forks within the first few metres. Leave the woodland, descending gently to a signposted gate. At Hollins Farm follow the signs, still heading for Far Arnside. Reach a surfaced lane; turn right, pass Far Arnside farming hamlet, to reach Holgate Holiday Park, a large complex of static caravans. At a fork within the holiday park there is a choice of signposted routes.

7) Either will suffice; the right fork to 'White Creek' avoids a section of path exposed along the top of low cliffs. At the far end of the holiday park leave the roadway at a turning circle, along a broad waymarked track. At a fork the recommended route goes left, towards the shore. (To avoid the rather exposed path mentioned in the introduction, a right fork here goes higher up the hillside, rejoining the recommended route in approximately one mile, close to point 8). For some distance the path stays close to the shore, often in woodland, easy to follow but with occasional minor diversions.

8) At a junction there is yet another choice; a waymarked path to the left stays close to the shore around Blackstone Point whilst the main path goes ahead, joining a forest type roadway, bearing left to pass through another static caravan site. The approved route through the site bears left then right, passing a signpost. Arnside is our destination. Leave the site along its surfaced road, join another road, bearing left here to pass a vehicular barrier/waymarked gate and the site offices, shop and cafe at New Barns.

9) In approximately 200m turn left to leave the concrete roadway at a 'public footpath, Arnside via shore' sign. The route now stays on the foreshore, a mixture of stone and sand underfoot, before reaching a concrete path and the end of Arnside promenade. From here it is a pleasant short stroll, passing shops, cafés and public conveniences before returning to the car park and railway station.

Disclaimer: This route was correct at time of writing. However, alterations can happen if development or boundary changes occur, and there is no guarantee of permanent access. These walks have been published for use by site visitors on the understanding that neither HPB Management Limited nor any other person connected with Holiday Property Bond is responsible for the safety or wellbeing of those following the routes as described. It is walkers' own responsibility to be adequately prepared and equipped for the ‎level of walk and the weather conditions and to assess the safety and accessibility of the walk.