Dinckley Bridge Circular

Description

(D/A) Start in Barker Brow car park on B6245 just south of the bridge over River Ribble Ribchester. Head south from the car park along the main road. Leave Ribchester Road by heading east via farm gate across the field towards the wood. Use stile to enter the wood and carefully make way over the stream and up the bank on the east side.

(1) When reach fence junction head east on the path up the ridge to track Lower Cadshaw. Take gate onto the track and head north on the west side of Lower Cadshaw before turning east along the north side of the property.

(2) Follow footpath north along hedge boundary to gate in the hedge. Continue on the path to a stile over the wire fence. Continue on the footpath which passes over Roman Road to the stile in a fence. Take the path around the north side of buildings to the main road.

(3) Cross Ribchester bridge. At the north side of the bridge take track east along the north bank of the river. Follow footpath briefly south to river bank then east along the river bank.

(4) Cross footbridge into Haugh Wood and follow the path as it tracks bend in the river. Exit Haugh Wood and head northeast upslope towards field gateway. Pass north through gate and make way towards hedge line on the west side of the field. Take stile by a gate and follow hedge northeast to a farm track.

(5) Take track briefly south past farm to a footpath heading east across field. Cross footbridge to continue east along the north side of the hedge. Take stile and continue east along the north side of the hedge. Briefly head east along the track to the footpath on the south side of the track.

(6) Take footpath south down the incline to Dinckley suspension bridge. Cross the suspension bridge and take footpath west along the south bank of the river. Pass through the gate and continue on the footpath along the river bank.

(7) Take stile into Marles Wood and follow the path on the northern boundary to the car park. Exit car park onto Ribchester Road. Briefly head West along the road to the footpath on the south of the road. Take stile south and follow a footpath south along the west side of Park Wood. Cross stile and head south-west to the corner of the field. Use stile to continue south to lily ponds at the south-west corner of the field. Cross stile beside the gate and follow footpath south-west along the north side of the field boundary.

(8) Head north-west on a path parallel to Bradley Coppice to west. Head north down centre of the field to the northern boundary. Cross footbridge and retrace route back to bridge over River Ribble. Head south along the main road. Take gate off the main road and follow the footpath back to the car park.(D/A)