START: Memorial Park, Great Harwood. There is roadside parking on Church Lane, behind the parish church, between the memorial and the playing fields.

DISTANCE: 5½ miles (allow three hours)

MAP: OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors

THE narrow winding lanes crossing over Whalley Nab make this a countryside better explored on foot and cycle rather than car.

This walk heads for the Nab, with its fabulous views over Whalley village towards Pendle Hill, crossing twice over Dean Brook, a tributary of the River Calder. The park at the start of the walk houses the Great Harwood war memorial which records 372 fallen from the town during the Great War.

We then walk over to Bowley Scout Camp and cross Dean Brook along a bridleway that once linked Clitheroe with Belthorn. Lime from Clitheroe went one way and coal from Belthorn went the other way.

The view looking north from the side of the Nab is a spectacular panorama of the Bowland Fells and ‘Three Rivers Country’ - where the Hodder, Ribble and Calder meet. This is undulating countryside so there are plenty of ups and downs on this walk.

1. On the pavement next to the park boundary wall, face the war memorial obelisk and turn left. Enter the park on the right following the Tarmac path uphill with the memorial over to the right. At the junction of paths turn left up a steeper section which leads you out of the park with houses to the left.

Cross a track and climb steps to a stile, following the left hand side of a field uphill to a mature tree-lined hedge. At the hedge turn right in the next field and keep the hedge on the right following the field edge to a stile in the right field corner. Cross this and go straight across a lane to cross the next stile directly opposite.

The path goes through a copse and crosses another stile to enter a field. Go straight ahead with the wall on the right. The view open up to Pendle Hill. Cross the stile in the hedge and join the lane.

2. Turn right down the lane (Dean Lane) and after nearly half a mile you reach the entrance to Bowley Scout Camp. Do not go through the camp but turn left downhill along a bridleway that runs quite steeply downhill to cross a bridge over Dean Brook (this is a great spot for bluebells in the spring).

The bridleway - the old packhorse road - swings right uphill after the bridge and is followed straight ahead to reach Heys Farm. Turn left and right here continuing straight ahead along the bridleway track. It drops downhill, then uphill under trees to reach a lane junction.

3. Keep going straight ahead here past the houses of Whalley Banks. The track goes through a gate, then keep to the tarmac driveway which swings left around the hillside rather than goes down the hill. The driveway crosses a cattle grid to reveal a panoramic view from the side of the Nab. Continue the walk by going straight ahead along the drive to meet a lane.

4. Turn left and follow the lane steeply uphill. Lanes are now followed for the next one-and-a-half miles. At the next lane junction do not fork right but go straight ahead uphill. Keep to the lane over the ridge top (Shawcliffe Lane) and it eventually drops gradually downhill. The little valley of Dean Brook will be seen over to the left.

As you approach houses on the right near the bottom of the hill look out for a stile and signed footpath on the left leading down to the stream. Join this path which follows a field edge. Keep the boundary on the right and the path drops to woodland and a footbridge crossing Dean Brook.

5. Cross the brook and follow the path steeply uphill. It keeps the field boundary on the left and climbs to the heights of Bowley Hill. The path goes around the left hand side of the hill top to meet a lane at a stile.

Turn right along the lane (Dean Lane) and follow it to a road junction opposite the cricket club. Turn left along the main road following the pavement downhill past the Dog and Otter pub. Continue downhill past the pub then turn left along adjoining Hindle Fold Lane. This residential lane eventually swings right downhill to reach the park on the left.