Get Lost Mountaineering

Parlick, Fair Snape Fell & Saddle End from Fell Foot

Start/Finish

Bottom of the lane leading to Fell Foot house. The lane starts at SD 601 442. There are a few rough lay bys on this lane but parking is not allowed close to the house. Fell Foot has a post code but putting it in a satnav takes you somewhere else! If you don't know the area then it is best to make your way to Chipping village (toilets, shops and pubs) which is just over 2 km away.

Distance/Time

9 km.    About 3 hours.

Peaks

Parlick, 432 m, SD 596 451.

Fair Snape Fell (trig point), 510 m, SD 591 468.

Fair Snape Fell (summit), 520 m, SD 597 473.

OS 102: Preston & Blackpool. OL 41: Forest of Bowland.

Introduction

Firstly, there is a lovely little book on this area which also includes part of the South Pennines. This is a book well worth buying. It came out in 1990 so there may be a more up to date version now available. It is called Bowland & the South Pennines by John Gilliam, published by Grey Stone Books (Hoddlesden), ISBN 0-9515996-0-7. This is a pleasant walk which is possible in almost all conditions including wintry ones. The route is well worn and easy to follow. In clear weather, surrounding hills, including Pendle Hill can be seen as well as the Lancashire Coast including Blackpool.

Route

(1) Walk up the lane to Fell Foot cottage then continue straight ahead through the gate and up the moderately steep slopes of Parlick. The path is fairly obvious but somewhat worn especially if one goes straight up. A gentler zig-zag path goes left and joins the direct route higher up. When the angle eases, continue easily to the large cairn which marks the summit of Parlick, 432 m.

(2) Follow the fence N. You can walk either side on a path. It leads down to a dip then up to before trending right, NW, to reach the western summit where there is a large cairn and some shelter walls and the trig point which is Fair Snape Fell (trig point), 510 m.

(3) Follow a path, roughly NE, crossing a stile, to eventually converge with the fence running N along the crest, passing a gate in it (for the descent track), to reach a pile of stones close to a fence junction. This is Fair Snape Fell (summit), 520 m. The path becomes slabbed just before the true summit.

(4) Retrace back to the gate then follow the track down, soon passing a path going off to the right. The track picks a way through the peat hags, descending gently until it reaches a fence where it turns right, S, and goes down the crest of Saddle Fell with Greenhough Clough on the right. Follow the track down. It can be muddy in places but it eventually reaches the farm at Saddle End. Walk down the access road below the farm for about 50 m to the end of the stone wall then look for the start of a path by the telegraph pole. Follow the path across fields, generally well marked, crossing a narrow footbridge before Wolfen Hall which seems to be a collection of holiday lets. The path passes to the left of the buildings then, further on, joins the private tarmac road SW back to the lane below Fell Foot.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 20^th January, 2018.