A walk that rises only to 705 ft, but gives spectacular views across the Fylde, Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells

• Distance - 10.7 kilometres 363 m ascent
• Terrain generally firm underfoot up to the top, but can get rather 'boggy' after hard rain. The path to the top of Nicky Nook is well marked and has had stones laid underfoot for most of the way. The route around the reservoirs can get very wet indeed underfoot after a spell of rain!
• Refreshments excellent opportunities exist in Scorton for anything from a quick cup of tea to a good 3 or 4 course meal of high quality
• Parking - There is a limited availability of roadside parking in the village; beware! It is very popular with tourists especially in summer time

 Requires OS Map Forest of Bowland- buy it HERE

Walk out of Scorton with the Priory Hotel on your left and the war memorial on your right and carry on along the gradual rise up Snowhill lane across the bridge over the M6 to enter the limits of the 'Trough of Bowland'. Snowhill Lane continues a gentle ascent with views of Wyredale Park and its lake to the left. After a while come to a 'T' junction with Higher Lane where you should cross directly in front to reach a stile and gate which open to the bottom of the path to Nicky Nook.

Go along this well-defined path which gradually ascends to open up views of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells on the left. A little gem of a tiny reservoir is soon met on the right of the path with a kissing gate immediately in front. Pass through the kissing gate into a slope which is wilder and more typical of hill country; note the small tarn on the right of the path, surrounded by a small clump of pine trees which have been bent over by the prevailing Westerly winds.

Following a well-signed path, come to the concrete trig point at the top of Nicky Nook at 215m. (705 ft) above sea level. Stop here and take in the wonderful 360-degree panorama that has opened up during the ascent.
Leave the trig point heading eastwards (towards Bowland Fells) and go down the slope towards a dry stone wall cutting across your line of descent, over a new wooden stile and past a stone obelisk. Continue downwards towards a wooded valley with Fell End farm at the left-hand end of it. When almost at the foot of the descent, go along a stoney track to come to a stile near a wooden gate to come to a broad, hard track that you follow to the left and soon come to the junction with a lane. Turn right here and go down a gentle slope to the farm buildings

Turn right and walk towards the farm; you soon have a choice of either walking through the farmyard and up a rough track at the other side, or turning right through a new (2004) stile and path which detours the farm and comes out at the rough track past the farmyard.  Go through a gate on the track after about 200 yds, turn right through the next field and ascend to a gate at the top. Go across a meadow and then down and along the left side of the next meadow to go along a stone wall to reach the road at the side of Grizedale Bridge.

Turn right here and go along the road that gradually rises to pass along the side of Grizedale Lea reservoir. Pass by the United Utilities (North West Water) access road to quickly come to a stile on the right and walk up the footpath across a steep slope at the left hand side of the reservoir, bearing diagonally left to come to the brow of Barnacre Moor with the wireless station on the left. Keeping the two masts to the left descend the moor, over a small stile to a metalled lane. Turn right along this and go gently down a slope passing Moor House Farm on the right. After a further 200 yds come to a pair of houses at the side of which there is a rough track directly ahead which soon swings right into a field. Walk along the path on the right of the field to a stile go over this and continue to come to a sharp left hand turn, just in front of a field gate and stile, to go down a stoney lane leading to Burns Farm.

Turn right in front of the farm and go along the drive; this soon swings sharply left and in front will be seen a signed track which goes past the covered Woodacre reservoir.  A stile directly in front of the path leads to a footpath that drops sharply to a little wooden bridge over Oxen Beck. Scramble up the other side of the beck and go across Woodacre Pasture to reach Pedders Wood on the far side.
Enter the wood and turn right to go down quite steeply and reach a footbridge over Grizedale Beck. Walk across the meadow and up a gentle incline to reach Higher Lane and turn right. After 150 yds go over a posted stile on the left into a field and bear diagonally right into the far right hand corner of the field to come to the side of an electricity sub-station. Go onto Tithe Barn lane passing under the Motorway and shortly turn right along the main road into Scorton. Time for a cup of tea or stronger; you have earned it!

Get more detailed printable routes from the download page