This short stroll along both banks of the River Ribble links the two old crossing points at Edisford and Brungerley.

Prior to 1974, the bridges led to the old West Riding of Yorkshire on the north side of the river.

The Edisford crossing was a mediaeval toll bridge on the road from Clitheroe to Lancaster and the fields hereabouts were the site of a 12th century battle between the English and the Scots.

The Brungerley crossing once consisted of nothing more than “hipping” stones set into the bed of the river and during the Wars of the Roses King Henry VI was captured here on the run after the Battle of Hexham in 1464.

This walk also takes in the majestic Waddow Hall, set on the slopes of a limestone hill and originally the Tudor house of the Tempest family. It is now a girl guides residential centre.

From the entrance to the Edisford car park cross at the pedestrian crossing and walk down the access road opposite leading to the swimming baths. Beyond the baths the path goes straight ahead across the edge of the playing fields — this is actually part of the signposted Ribble Way footpath. On the far side of the field the path emerges at houses at Low Moor. Continue straight ahead between houses, passing an old converted chapel on the left, and follow a farm access road past a new housing development.

Keep going straight ahead after the houses end. The track passes between allotments and stables and passes through a kissing gate on the right when the track forks into two. The path climbs a small hill above the river down to the left. The grassy path reaches a crossroads of routes marked by a wooden post with lots of waymarkers on it. At this point you can look across the weir on the River Ribble to Waddow Hall on the opposite bank. Looking downstream there is a good view of Longridge Fell.

To continue the walk bear left after the waymarker post following a track that descends through woodland to the river bank. This is still the Ribble Way. Just continue straight ahead with the river on the immediate left, the path passes through an open field and climbs up to the road to the right of Brungerley Bridge.

Turn left and cross the bridge over the river. Continue uphill along the road until a waymarked footpath is reached on the left by the driveway entrance to Waddow Hall. Follow the clearly waymarked footpath along the driveway and behind the hall buildings. On the far side of the hall it drops down to another access track and bears right along a field edge to meet a gate at a lane.

Turn left along the lane and follow it for about half a mile until an access to a footbridge over the river is reached on the left. Turn left here and cross the Ribble via the Low Moor footbridge.

Follow the access road uphill between the houses at Riverside then turn right to rejoin the Ribble Way.

Simply retrace your steps across the playing field to the swimming baths from here.

n Nick Burton’s ‘Wainwright’s Way’, an exploration on foot of Alfred Wainwright’s life from Blackburn to Buttermere (Frances Lincoln, £13.99).