Walking in Lancashire
Lancashire rises from the canal towpaths and mosslands of the west to the gritstone moors of the Forest of Bowland and Pendle Hill, with the River Ribble winding between them past Clitheroe and Ribchester. In the east are the South Pennine valleys around Burnley and Wycoller, and in the south the West Pennine Moors above Rivington and Darwen.
Walks with a mapped start point are plotted above; the rest appear when you search their town. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a town to list its walks.
Choose a starting town
Forest of Bowland & Ribble Valley
Pendle, Burnley & Blackburn
West Lancashire, Chorley & Leyland
Lancaster, Wyre & the Fylde
Top walks by area
A starting point for each part of Lancashire: well-documented routes that finish back where they start, between 1 and 12 miles.
Forest of Bowland & Ribble Valley
- Brockhall Village LoopOld Langho · 3.6 mi
- Dunsop Bridge Circular WalkDunsop Bridge · 4.1 mi
- Great Mitton via Little MittonClitheroe · 3.2 mi
- Chatburn via GrindletonChatburn · 4.0 mi
- Whitewell via Lower Middle and Higher LeesWhitewell · 5.0 mi
Pendle, Burnley & Blackburn
- Church via CanalChurch · 2.1 mi
West Lancashire, Chorley & Leyland
- Wood Lane Parbold Loop WalkParbold · 3.4 mi
- Burscough via Canal CircularBurscough · 3.7 mi
- Hilldale LoopAppley Bridge · 4.7 mi
- Rivington via Gardens and Rivington PikeRivington · 3.0 mi
Lancaster, Wyre & the Fylde
- Scorton Short Round WalkScorton · 2.0 mi
- Cockerham Circular WalkCockerham · 10.3 mi
Popular in Lancashire
Know before you go
Practical points for walking in Lancashire. Rules and timetables change, so check the linked sources before you set off.
Forest of Bowland
Bowland is a National Landscape of open moorland and wooded valleys. Dunsop Bridge, surrounded by its fells, is often cited as the geographic centre of Great Britain; the exact point is at Whitendale Hanging Stones, about 4½ miles to the north.
Dogs on Bowland access land
Dogs are usually excluded all year from grouse moors on Bowland access land, and seasonally from lambing enclosures. Elsewhere they must be on a lead no longer than 2 metres from 1 March to 31 July.
Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill rises to 557 metres in a detached part of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape. It is linked with the Pendle witch trials of 1612, and George Fox had the vision on its summit in 1652 that helped found the Quakers.
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The 127-mile canal crosses Lancashire through Burscough, Church and Burnley, and passes through the 1,640-yard Foulridge Tunnel near the Yorkshire border. Its towpath makes for flat, easy walking.
Rivington and Wycoller
On the West Pennine Moors, Thomas Mawson laid out the Terraced Gardens and Pigeon Tower below Rivington Pike for Lord Leverhulme between 1905 and 1922. In the east, the ruins of Wycoller Hall are thought to have inspired Ferndean Manor in Jane Eyre.
Maps
The Forest of Bowland, Pendle and the Ribble Valley are on OS Explorer OL41 (Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale), and Rivington and Darwen are on OS Explorer 287 (West Pennine Moors).
Walking in Lancashire: questions
How many walks are there in Lancashire?
We list 39 walking routes in Lancashire, starting from 28 towns and villages. The typical route is about 4 miles; 21 are under 4 miles and 1 is 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.
Which towns have the most walks?
Clitheroe (4), Appley Bridge (4), Burscough (2), Leyland (2), Lancaster (2) and Parbold (2). Use the town search or the town list on this page to see every walk from a particular place.
Are there short circular walks in Lancashire?
Yes. 10 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Higher Barn Farm – Quick Loop Walk (1.7 mi), Scorton Short Round Walk (2.0 mi), Church via Canal (2.1 mi) and Rivington via Gardens and Rivington Pike (3.0 mi). Choose Under 4 mi and Back to start in the filters above to see them all.
Can I take my dog on Lancashire walks?
Yes, on most routes. In the Forest of Bowland dogs are usually not allowed on grouse-moor access land at any time, and elsewhere on access land they must be on a short lead from 1 March to 31 July. See Know before you go for more.
How high is Pendle Hill?
Pendle Hill is 557 metres (1,827 feet) high. It stands in a detached part of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, east of Clitheroe.
Are there canal walks in Lancashire?
Yes. Several of our walks follow the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, including routes from Burscough, Appley Bridge, Scarisbrick and Church, and the Lancaster Canal at Garstang.