New Years Day is slightly different for everyone. For some, it’s straight to the shops for the sales, for others a day in bed recovering from the previous night’s celebrations.
But if you’re spending your New Year here in Arnside and Silverdale and want to blow off the cobwebs and spend some time clearing your head in some of the country’s most beautiful surroundings before heading back to work, the area is home to some amazing walks, and here are some of our favourites.
5 Popular Arnside and Silverdale walks
1. Arnside Knott
Arnside Knott is one of the most popular walks in the area and offers beautiful views, as well as a good chance to spot some of the local wildlife.
The walk up England’s lowest Marilyn (a hill of less than 150m) takes in a mixture of woodland and grassland and is home to wildlife such as butterflies and wood ants, as well as rare wildflowers.
When you reach the summit, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views in every direction, toward the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the sands of Morecambe Bay.
Arnside Knott is just a few minutes down the road from The Royal, just head up Emesgate Lane and take a left on Cove Road and you’ll be there in ten minutes in the car, or about 45 minutes if you’d rather walk.
2. Arnside Tower
A little further along from Arnside Knott, you’ll find Arnside Tower, a medieval Pele tower which dates back to the 15th century and has fallen into a state of disrepair over the years.
Unfortunately, this means that it’s unsafe to actually go in and explore for yourself, but it’s one of the only examples of such a tower in the local area and one of the oldest buildings too.
You can get some good views of the tower from the footpath that runs alongside it and can combine this with a walk to Arnside Knott or Eaves Wood too.
3. Eaves Wood
Just down the road from the Royal, you’ll find the ancient Eaves Wood, where you can explore old yew trees, coppiced areas of primrose and violets, as well as glades of bluebells and anemones in the springtime.
At the top of the woods, you’ll find the local landmark the Pepperpot, from where you’ll get great views over the village and out towards the bay over the treetops.
4. Jack Scout
About a twenty-minute walk down the road from the Royal you’ll find Jack Scout, which is a nice short walk with some great views.
The short journey takes you from the road across the pastures to the rocky headland which looks out over the bay.
Some of the birds that you can spot from your vantage point include oystercatchers, curlews, warblers, blackbirds and more.
If you want, you can head down to the beach itself and explore the rock pools, or take a few minutes to catch your breath on the Giant’s Seat, a large chair made from limestone that looks out over the sands.
5. Dallam Park
A little further afield is Dallam Park, near Beetham and just on the edge of the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
From Beetham, you can head up through the grounds of the Dallam Tower country house, where you might be lucky enough to spot a deer or two.
Be sure to explore the villages of Beetham and Milnthorpe while you’re in the area too. Beetham is home to the St Michael’s Church with its Gothic facade, as well as the Heron Corn Mill, which dates back to 1740 and Beetham Hall, an old fortified mansion.
Also, be sure to stop by the ‘Fairy Steps’, a set of stone steps which are carved into a tiny gap in the limestone at the nearby hamlet of Slack Head.
If you are visiting the Arnside and Silverdale area for the New Year, we hope you have a fabulous start to 2020. Be sure to come and see us here at the Royal, to sample our menu of fresh, locally sourced food.
