I found this breathtaking scenery in Lancashire - here's how you can too

I’ve lived in Lancashire all of my life - apart from three years at university - but I’ve never been to one of the most beautiful areas on my own doorstep.

With the sun shining and a picnic packed, I was on a mission to correct that, and so as a family, we headed in the direction of Longridge Fell.

Parking up (for free) on the side of Old Clitheroe Road in Dutton, we were just feet away to an entrance to the fell, which falls into the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The path - barriered off so that only permitted vehicles can access it - starts off wide and with only a gentle upwards trajectory. There’s woodland on either side - some severely cut back - as the path winds its way upwards and becomes rockier.

As you approach the summit, you go through a small area of woodland until you reach a long dry stone wall, and all of Lancashire opens up to you. Quite magnificent. The trig point stands at 350m above sea level, with views across to Chipping, Beacon Fell, Parlick, Clitheroe, and on a nice day, the Lake District.

We stopped and had a picnic here, in the bracken, before our descent. We took a route through quite thick woodland, where many, many trees had been uprooted and were lying across the path. This forced us nervously away from where we wanted to be, and you had to be nimble, crawling under and around fallen trees and prickly undergrowth.

When we got out- with only minor bumps and nettle stings - we were back on a wide, flatter road once more, surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of tree stumps that must be part of a forestry management scheme. Fell runners and mountain bikers passed us on our 3.5km walk, as well as a fe dog walkers, but it was largely quiet and peaceful.

We took a downward path back to the road and car, which was narrow and rocky, so strurdy footwear is a must. Overall it took us a leisurely three hours, and that was with a long picnic break. It wasn’t too steep or strenous - our six-year-old managed - but I wouldn’t suggest taking very young children or anyone with mobility problems.

If you do want to see the spectacular views without much walking, then you can park up on the side of the road at Jeffery Hill and walk a short distance to the trig point across a mainly flat path.

We used an OS map and Garmin device to navigate the walk, but here’s some more information on the route: https://www.visitpreston.com/article/6905/Longridge-Fell-walk