River Hodder Walk

26.7 miles (43 km)

Follow the River Hodder on this stunning waterside walk through the beautiful Forest of Bowland.
The walk begins at Great Mitton and heads north through Whitewell, Newton and Slaidburn before a wonderful section around Stocks Reservoir finishes the route.
There's great views of the surrounding Bowland Hills and lots of wildlife to look out for on the river.
The Inn at Whitewell sits next to the river at Whitewell and is a great place to stop for refreshments or use as a base. The route also passes the expansive Gisburn Forest which has miles of woodland trails, streams and waterfalls to explore. You could use the route, the forest trails and Stocks Reservoir to create a nice circular walk here.

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River Hodder Walk Ordnance Survey Map - view and print off detailed OS map

River Hodder Walk Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

River Hodder Walk OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

River Hodder Walk Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

The Inn At Whitewell is a great place for refreshments after your walk. The beautiful inn sits in a wonderful location high on the banks of the River Hodder. It's a place of some note with a history stretching back hundreds of years. In the 1300’s the inn was just a small manor house, lived in by the keepers of the Royal forest. It was not until the 1700’s, that the building was transformed into a resting place where travellers en route to or from Lancaster could safely stay before continuing their perilous journey.
The inn has got a delightful interior and a nice outdoor seating area with views over the river. It's the ideal spot to rest your legs on a summer day. After your meal you can enjoy a stroll along the river where there are stepping stones and a waterfall nearby. You can find the inn a couple of miles south of Dunsop Bridge at postcode BB7 3AT.

Picture above: the Inn at Whitewell and the River Hodder stepping stones just below the inn.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

If you have some time pay a visit to the nearby Bowland Wild Boar Park. The park is a highglight of the area with�animal feeding, tractor rides, plays areas and a cafe. There's also some nice riverside walks along the River Hodder here too.
There's lots of different animals in the park including Red Deer, Peacock, Ostriches, Emu and of course Wild Boar. You can explore the site on 7 different waymarked nature trails. It's a lovely place for a stroll with bluebell woods, sculptures and plenty of wildlife to look out for on the way.
The park is located in the heart of the Trough of Bowland situated about 2 miles from the picturesque village of Chipping, on the Chipping to Dunsop Bridge road. They are signposted clearly from Chipping and have a postcode of PR3 2QT for your sat navs.

Above: Views of the park with the River Hodder and a wooden sculpture on the right.