On a freezingly cold morning I was “persuaded” by my dog to get out of bed and get strolling.

Slaidburn looks at its best whatever the season and this route never disappoints.

I always start this stroll at the Hark to Bounty and ignore the minor road alongside the pub and follow the main road through the village. On the ascent just after the Health Centre look out for an obvious path to the right. This leads into an area of woodland and then the Croasdale Beck. Even though it was late February there was a pair of dippers already starting to build a nest close to the stream and tucked away in the bank. Dippers begin to breed early and in a good year they can raise three broods each between 4 and 6. At the end of a belt of trees cross a substantial stile.

Follow the watercourse for a short distance and then ascend to reach another stile into a field. Then negotiate a wall stile and pass over a slab bridge over a little tributary stream. Bear right to what was Myttons Farm Crsafts and then cross the drive way of Wood House.

Bear right and cross over a track to reach a corner Stile. Cross another little footbridge to reach the now derelict but once substantial Bridge End Farm. At the end of a field bear right close to Simfield House. Pass over a hurdle stile and from a small footbridge to reach another wooded area to resach a kissing gate. Here I saw a brown hare which my labrador ignored preferring to chase a stile which did not move so fast!

On reaching a wooden footbridge over the main Croasdale Brook pass over this and turn right. For the rest of this walk follow the watercourse on the right taking the time to explore a weir and a small but attractive waterfall. Here I saw another pair of dippers obviously on the look out for a nest site. Continue downstream to reach the area of Shay House Farm.

On reaching the drive to this property do not enter but look out for a stile opposite and continue to follow the line of the brook. At this point, the route bears away to the left and at a wall cross a ladder stile. Then negotiate a line of stiles. The route leads to the confluence of Croasdale Brook with the River Hodder. Cross the bridge and turn right into Slaidburn and the starting point.