"A steep wooded climb brings you to a fine view and a historic manor house, Witherslack Hall"
Walk directions
From the roadside take a short flight of steps up into the woods, opposite the primary school. Follow the path past a seating area, then left, rising to soon join another path from the left. Doubling back, eventually rise to a T-junction with a bridleway, marked by a sign and a cairn. Turn left and continue to ascend through the woods.
As the path begins to level, look for a faint path on the left, through undergrowth. The path becomes more distinct and leads to the village’s Millennium seat, with outstanding views. Retrace your steps to the bridleway and turn left. Pass through a cleared area and at a five-way junction walk ahead with the blue arrow.
Soon, go though a gate and step out into the access land. A rough track snakes away to the left, rising gently through a valley. Leave it briefly to take in the view to the west, then cross over to the high ground on your right to get an elevated view of the rest of the area.
Retrace your steps to the gate and the five-way marker. Now turn first left, hard back on yourself, for a path through the woods shown by yellow arrows. The descent is waymarked down to a stile. In the field beyond, descend steeply, staying with the fence right in a slight zig-zag, before lining up with a hedge to round a small scar and turn right at the bottom.
Follow this track, through gates to the farm at Nether Hall. Walk through the yard and out on the access track a short way before taking a waymarked fence gap on the left. Walk up the little bank, staying close to the wall on the left to a stile onto a road. Turn right, along the road for 0.25 miles (400m) past a turning on the left, then a footpath sign on the right directing you through Birks Farm.
Walk through the yard, descending to a gate at the bottom with another yellow arrow pointing into a field. Follow a muddy track up to a path along the foot of the wooded fell. A gate and stile brings you to another track which follows the foot of the fell. Approaching some buildings on the right, locate a gate on the right and follow the track beside the cottage to emerge on the road once more.
Turn right up the road, following it around a corner, but soon identify a bridleway turn up to the right. Follow this gently ascending route back up through the woods. The terraced path finally reaches the cairn passed earlier, Turn left here, descending the zig-zags to return to the road and your car.
Terrain
- Woodland paths, farmland tracks and lanes, 4 stiles
Landscape
- Woods, field, fell
Dog friendliness
- Dogs may not enjoy the occasional close encounters with dairy cattle
Parking
- Considerate roadside parking around the primary school on Church Road
Toilets en route
- None on route, nearest at Grange-over-Sands
About the walk
Witherslack, like several other manors in this part of the country, was once owned by the powerful Broughton family of Broughton Tower, near Broughton-in-Furness. Sir Thomas Broughton backed the wrong faction at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and found himself with Richard III, on the losing... side. The new Tudor King Henry VII seized his estates, only to return them again soon after. Lost Cause But Broughton was clearly of a rebellious mind and in 1487 rallied to the cause of Lambert Simnel, who was claiming to be the Earl of Warwick and a legitimate heir to the English crown. Simnel’s claim was supported by a number of Yorkist conspirators and he had landed at Piel Island, near modern Barrow-in-Furness, accompanied by an Irish and Flemish army to pursue his birthright. Despite the absurdity (in reality Simnel was probably of peasant stock and Henry held the real Earl of Warwick in the Tower of London), the ragbag army, accompanied by Broughton and the Earl of Lincoln, made it as far as the River Trent, near Nottingham. Here they were routed by Henry’s troops and Broughton was killed. This time the estates weren’t returned. They passed instead to Thomas Stanley, the new King’s stepfather, whom he had made Earl of Derby after the battle at Bosworth. The Stanleys were a very shrewd and powerful family and as Earls of Derby continued to exert power and influence for many centuries to come (the 14th Earl was Prime Minister three times during Victoria’s reign, the Epsom Derby was named after a Stanley, as was the Stanley Cup, to pick but a few connections). Witherslack Hall All this though, left Witherslack largely untouched, until 1864, when Frederick, the younger son of the 14th Earl decided he would join the mania for building houses in Lakeland (he did own the land after all!). J B Wanklyn, a wealthy Mancunian merchant, had already built a mansion, at Halecat on the far side of Yewbarrow. Frederick and his family stayed there, while the new Witherslack Hall was built. To his surprise, Frederick became the 16th Earl on the death of his brother in 1893 and the family decamped to the ancestral seat of Knowsley Hall near Liverpool. The Hall became a private school, but Halecat became a family outpost. Michael Stanley, Frederick’s great grandson, lived there until his death in 1990 and the house is still a family home.
"A steep wooded climb brings you to a fine view and a historic manor house, Witherslack Hall"
Walk details
1hr 30min
Difficulty:
Easy
Gradient:
Moderate
Distance:
2 miles (3.2kms)
Ascent:
328ft (100m)
Walk directions
From the roadside take a short flight of steps up into the woods, opposite the primary school. Follow the path past a seating area, then left, rising to soon join another path from the left. Doubling back, eventually rise to a T-junction with a bridleway, marked by a sign and a cairn. Turn left and continue to ascend through the woods.
1 of 7
As the path begins to level, look for a faint path on the left, through undergrowth. The path becomes more distinct and leads to the village’s Millennium seat, with outstanding views. Retrace your steps to the bridleway and turn left. Pass through a cleared area and at a five-way junction walk ahead with the blue arrow.
2 of 7
Soon, go though a gate and step out into the access land. A rough track snakes away to the left, rising gently through a valley. Leave it briefly to take in the view to the west, then cross over to the high ground on your right to get an elevated view of the rest of the area.
3 of 7
Retrace your steps to the gate and the five-way marker. Now turn first left, hard back on yourself, for a path through the woods shown by yellow arrows. The descent is waymarked down to a stile. In the field beyond, descend steeply, staying with the fence right in a slight zig-zag, before lining up with a hedge to round a small scar and turn right at the bottom.
4 of 7
Follow this track, through gates to the farm at Nether Hall. Walk through the yard and out on the access track a short way before taking a waymarked fence gap on the left. Walk up the little bank, staying close to the wall on the left to a stile onto a road. Turn right, along the road for 0.25 miles (400m) past a turning on the left, then a footpath sign on the right directing you through Birks Farm.
5 of 7
Walk through the yard, descending to a gate at the bottom with another yellow arrow pointing into a field. Follow a muddy track up to a path along the foot of the wooded fell. A gate and stile brings you to another track which follows the foot of the fell. Approaching some buildings on the right, locate a gate on the right and follow the track beside the cottage to emerge on the road once more.
6 of 7
Turn right up the road, following it around a corner, but soon identify a bridleway turn up to the right. Follow this gently ascending route back up through the woods. The terraced path finally reaches the cairn passed earlier, Turn left here, descending the zig-zags to return to the road and your car.
Terrain
- Woodland paths, farmland tracks and lanes, 4 stiles
Landscape
- Woods, field, fell
Dog friendliness
- Dogs may not enjoy the occasional close encounters with dairy cattle
Parking
- Considerate roadside parking around the primary school on Church Road
Toilets en route
- None on route, nearest at Grange-over-Sands
About the walk
Witherslack, like several other manors in this part of the country, was once owned by the powerful Broughton family of Broughton Tower, near Broughton-in-Furness. Sir Thomas Broughton backed the wrong faction at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and found himself with Richard III, on the losing... side. The new Tudor King Henry VII seized his estates, only to return them again soon after. Lost Cause But Broughton was clearly of a rebellious mind and in 1487 rallied to the cause of Lambert Simnel, who was claiming to be the Earl of Warwick and a legitimate heir to the English crown. Simnel’s claim was supported by a number of Yorkist conspirators and he had landed at Piel Island, near modern Barrow-in-Furness, accompanied by an Irish and Flemish army to pursue his birthright. Despite the absurdity (in reality Simnel was probably of peasant stock and Henry held the real Earl of Warwick in the Tower of London), the ragbag army, accompanied by Broughton and the Earl of Lincoln, made it as far as the River Trent, near Nottingham. Here they were routed by Henry’s troops and Broughton was killed. This time the estates weren’t returned. They passed instead to Thomas Stanley, the new King’s stepfather, whom he had made Earl of Derby after the battle at Bosworth. The Stanleys were a very shrewd and powerful family and as Earls of Derby continued to exert power and influence for many centuries to come (the 14th Earl was Prime Minister three times during Victoria’s reign, the Epsom Derby was named after a Stanley, as was the Stanley Cup, to pick but a few connections). Witherslack Hall All this though, left Witherslack largely untouched, until 1864, when Frederick, the younger son of the 14th Earl decided he would join the mania for building houses in Lakeland (he did own the land after all!). J B Wanklyn, a wealthy Mancunian merchant, had already built a mansion, at Halecat on the far side of Yewbarrow. Frederick and his family stayed there, while the new Witherslack Hall was built. To his surprise, Frederick became the 16th Earl on the death of his brother in 1893 and the family decamped to the ancestral seat of Knowsley Hall near Liverpool. The Hall became a private school, but Halecat became a family outpost. Michael Stanley, Frederick’s great grandson, lived there until his death in 1990 and the house is still a family home.
