Autumn walks weekend 2023: Saturday 9th September — The Fairy Steps

Leader: Dave Miller

Reporter: Helen Richardson

It was warm but rather dull, damp weather with low cloud when thirteen of us plus five dogs, Jim, Peddar, Barney, Freddie and Fossie met at Eve’s Wood National Trust car park about a mile from Silverdale. Most of us arrived by car, but Liz and Paul, whose motorhome was parked some distance away, impressively cycled to our start point! The car park was described as having ‘no facilities’, but there were plenty of trees for anyone who needed some cover before the walk.

At the appointed time, we set off in a generally north-northeasterly direction.

There were plenty of points of interest on the walk. The first was Challan Hall. This rather imposing building, formerly a farm, is now a bed and breakfast establishment. I wanted to find out more about its history, but Google and Wikipedia searches later proved of little help (other than confirming its current use). So I phoned the Hall, whereupon the owner told me “The main structure dates from 1820, but when it was converted, a 16th century window was found inside the building, so parts of it are much older.” Disappointingly, he couldn’t recall who had originally owned it, or other details (— the sort of problem some others of us may relate to!)

Our path passed beside Hawes Water (but not the one most of us are familiar with) and around the outskirts of Gait Barrows nature reserve with its extensive limestone pavement. Then, suddenly, panic set in, when, at a stile close to Leighton Beck, Peddar was nowhere to be seen. A frantic search and calling her name ensued. To everyone’s relief, Peddar soon reappeared from dense undergrowth some metres further along the bank, - she had taken ‘a short cut’ along the beck: “Peddar, didn’t you know, — if you go in front of the leader, you’ll be deemed to have left the walk!”

This seemed a good spot to stop for ‘elevenses’, whereupon Andrew took advantage of the seated captive audience to give a lecture, — though, afterwards no-one could quite remember its subject matter. As if that wasn’t enough excitement for the day, soon we found ourselves confronted by ‘The Fairy Steps’ close to Beetham Wood. We had walked gradually uphill from Hazelslack Farm, crossing several paths as we climbed through Underlaid Wood, when we came into a clearing with a steep limestone outcrop. What at first sight appeared to be a sheer rock face was in fact two rock faces separated by a narrow cleft with a flight of natural stone steps between them. Dave told us the legend associated with the steps, ‘that if anyone can climb the flight without their shoulders touching the rock sides, the fairies will grant them a wish’. We all joked about this as we dutifully climbed the steps trying not to touch the sides; I’m not sure whether anyone quite managed it. Fortunately, at the top there was an attractive grassy spot, just right for our picnic lunch stop, — made all the more enjoyable by the sunshine and by Steve generously handing around Eccles cakes. “Many thanks, Steve!”

After lunch, our route took us north and northwest towards Storth, and then almost due south close to Hazelslack Farm, which we had passed, earlier in the day, - though on a different path through a field where an old trailer with a bin bag of sprouting vegetation had struck me as having potential to be a modern artwork! Nearby were the remains of Hazelslack Tower, one of two Pele Towers in the area. An easy flat walking track alongside a rail line that we followed for about a kilometre took us past Silverdale Moss nature reserve, with a distant view of Arnside Tower (the area’s other Pele tower), as we made our way back to Eaves Wood car park. A short drive took us to the Silverdale Hotel, where the afternoon sun had brought the crowds out, so the hotel’s courtyard beer garden was extremely full. Seats were difficult to come by, and whilst searching for chairs and waiting for our tea order to arrive, some of our group were also trying to check in. Eventually we did all manage to sit together, but when the drinks finally arrived, after what seemed an interminable wait, there was a lot of confusion about whose drink was whose, although in the end everyone was served. This in no way detracted from our day’s walk, which everyone agreed had been very enjoyable and interesting.

Our thanks go to Dave for leading the walk, — and to Vanessa for making sure Dave didn’t lose any of us along the way.

As a footnote to the walk itself: those of us staying near Kendal had arranged that rather than waiting to eat at the Silverdale Hotel later in the evening, we would have a meal on our drive back, at the Strickland Arms close to Sizergh Castle. The four of us who ate there agreed it was tasty and substantial. I would recommend this as a good eatery. The ‘lime and soda’ was very good too!