Over the past few weeks I have been revisiting some of our old county borders and this walk straddles old Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire.

From The Three Millstones descend into West Bradford and turn right at the sign for Clitheroe, look for a litle stream which runs parallel to the street and for attractive bridges which allow access to a row of cottages.

Approach West Bradford Bridge and look for a footpath signed right to Brungerley.

The route is well signed and initially follows the course of the river.

Then bear right and cross obvious stiles over lush fields and through a small area of attractive woodland.

Cross a number of tiny tributary streams leading to the Ribble on the left and also a number of small and long-disused limestone quarries.

Pass a farm complex to the right and meet the Clitheroe to Waddington road after a slight incline lined with trees.

Pass through a gate and turn left along the road to Brungerley Bridge.

Take care crossing the narrow bridge but look out for an inscribed stone marking the county boundary as it was before 1974.

Continue on into old Lancashire and look for a Ribble Way sign. Turn sharp left into Brungerley Park. During the Wars of the Roses, Henry VI, the very weak Lancastrian king, was captured by the Yorkists in 1464 while crossing the stepping stones over the Ribble which were there before the bridge was built. He was then sent as a prisoner to London where he “died in unusual circumstances.” I think this is historical jargon for “murdered.”

Brungerley Park is parallel to the River Ribble. In the early 1900s Brungerley became a playground when Eli Tucker dammed the Ribble to produce a boating lake and offered “substantial refreshments”.

There are old postcards of this period which show large crowds of people dressed in their Sunday best.

Those days have gone and the river bank is dominated by the umbrella-like leaves of the butterbur. These leaves were used in the days before greaseproof paper to wrap butter offered for sale at local markets.

The park not only has lots of natural history to enjoy but also a large number of attractive tree sculptures you can marvel at.

Follow the substantial riverside path and see the old Cross Hills Quarry on the right.

This is now a nature reserve managed by the Lancashire Trust for Nature Conservation.

Take time to explore this old limestone quarry and then descend the track to reach a substantial stile.

Cross the stile and follow the riverside path.

It is at this point that the Ribble, or Castle, cement Works can be seen to the right but it is now not so obvious as the chimney has been knocked down The river is now on the left and there are fields to the right.

Ignore all the stiles to the right and continue to West Bradford Bridge.

At West Bradford Bridge turn left and return to the starting point.