For those of you that are thinking of going onto the hills I would strongly recommend that you read the advice given by the Mountain Rescue organisation of England and Wales. To read this advice, which will open in a new page please click HERE. If you would like to make a donation to the Mountain Rescue organisation which is purely voluntary please click HERE. Please make the time to read the advice page.

New Years Day and a look out of the window revealed some patches of blue in the sky and an outside temperature of around 6°centigrade. Edith however was still suffering with Bronchitis but assured me that she would be OK if I wanted to go for a short walk. Not knowing how I am at climbing I decided on this short trip to Arnside Knott to see how my lungs were after doing nothing for a few weeks. As I drove along the promenade the views across the bay were very poor and it would have been quite easy to turn about and go back but I needed to see how I am at bits of uphill walking. As I drove through Carnforth and Warton it then started to rain albeit lightly which encouraged me further. However on arrival at my starting point the rain stopped but unfortunately the views didn't improve.

Route Map....There are two areas where parking is available just past the lane down to Arnside Tower farm. Use either.

Arnside Tower and the farm from my parking space. You can just see the power stations at Heysham to the right of the post carrying the power cable. From the parking space I walked down the road a few yards to gain entry to the woods through a gate.

Once in the woods the path contours around the western end of the Knott to meet up with a rising wall which is followed upwards.

After a short climb the path splits. To the left is a direct route to the summit through the woods. The path to the right, which I will take leads out into the open with hopefully some views.

Follow the path with the wall on your right and pass through a gate ahead into open ground and take a rising path on the left towards the summit.

Gaining a little height the views begin to open. Well they would if it was a bit clearer. Here we have a glimpse of Whitbarrow across the estuary of the River Kent.

Almost at the top now but Lakeland views are non-existent today.

Looking back down my path with Farleton Knott in the centre of picture.

Across the estuary of the River Kent to Grange over Sands and Hampsfell.

Looking down Red Hills to Whitbarrow with the railway viaduct at Arnside in centre picture.

From here it was just a case of going through the gate in the wall to join the path up through the woods....

.....to visit the summit trig point

The seat on the summit. I had only met a dog walker up to this point, maybe they've something better to be doing or nursing sore heads perhaps.

All that remains of the " Twin Trees ". I think the piece on the ground may be the top of the remaining tree.

A look down the bay towards home or in this case, not.

I'm now at the viewpoint but there ain't much to be seen!

From the viewpoint I took the path heading down towards Heathwaite and a distant Humphrey Head.

A short way down the path I took one leading off to the left down towards a gate in the wall.

Looking over Silverdale as I dropped down....

....to pick up the bridleway from Arnside Tower to New Barns from where a left turn....

.....returned me through the woods to....

.....the road near Arnside Tower farm and a short walk took me....

...back to the car in the lay-by.

Summary....not the best of walks for views today but still enjoyable. I seemed to really struggle with my breathing on the ascent but a look back to the previous time I did this walk I found that I took 15 minutes less although on that occasion I did spend more time on the summit. One good thing about pictures like these for the first walk of the new year is that things can only get better!!

Next Walk:     2nd January 2011 - North Lancashire - A walk along the River Lune.

Last Walk:       13th December 2010 - Lake District - Cunswick Fell

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