THE FULL 400

The purpose of this part of the website is to illustrate a real life walk of the Lancashire Way.

In July 2022, I walked the whole, well almost all, of the Lancashire Way in one continuous day after day walk. This would have been just short of four hundred miles and hence the title of “the Full 400”. Having put together the Lancashire Way from scratch I had to prove that it was possible. Whilst most people will walk a Loop at a time it is possible to link them all together to produce a grand tour of Lancashire. My original aim had been to complete this within two weeks but I fell slightly short of this very ambitious plan. Firstly, it took me 15 days and then I missed some sections out as the daily mileage was just that little too much at times. But it was a continuous walk, beginning at the point I ended on the previous day and mostly walking the route of the Lancashire Way. The final distance was around 360 miles – so not bad for an “old” man. Hopefully I proved that it is feasible and will encourage anyone who loves Lancashire or wants a real adventure to get out there and walk it. And if you do, please try and make sure you are able to adapt to anything that happens en-route. That is what I learnt from this walk. It is the bigger picture that matters, that is having an enjoyable walk and not completing the absolute detail of the route as I learnt to accept.

Darwen Tower on Day 13

The original planned route was as follows

The River Ribble on the final Day 15 – not far to go now!

The deviations were as follows

Day 4 – a very long day, with considerable ascent, over 4,000ft in total . I arrived in Hurstwood at about 4.15pm having completed 22.5 miles and tried to organize a taxi to pick me up in Thursden, which was the planned end of the day a further 3 miles on. The taxi firm needed an address, and I could not provide one so I stopped for the day in Hurstwood and was picked up outside the Hurstwood B&B.

Day 5. This should have been 27 miles long and was now 30 miles with the section from Day 4 from Hurtswood to Thursden. I had struggled the previous day – it was hot! So I missed the climb up to Lad Law out saving around 1 mile. Then when I got to outskirts of Kelbrook on Stage 48, I did not turn north to Earby but crossed the valley to the Leeds Liverpool canal at Bridge 149 and then finished Stage 46. The missing parts of Stages 47 and 45 plus the whole of Stage 46 amounts to 12 miles and was replaced by around 1.5 miles crossing the valley so a net 10.5 miles missed.

Day 6. Having stayed in Barley at the end of Day 5 and having to take a taxi to the beginning of that days walk back in Barrowford and retrace my steps back to Barley, I missed the section from Roughlee to Newchurch and went straight to Barley using the path along the river via Thorney Holme. This saved about 1 mile.

The Lower Ogden Reservoir on the way up to Pendle Hill.

Day 7. At the end of the day just after Tunstall rather than complete Stage 34 on to the A65 opposite Hipping Hall, I came off the Lancashire Way on the outskirts of Nether Burrow and followed Woodman Lane to Overtown, where I picked up Stage 35 and followed this into Kirkby Lonsdale. This saved one mile.

Day 8. This should have begun with Stage 35 but this was missed almost entirely. I just went south from Kirby Lonsdale on Stage 36. I had completed the last 1.5 miles of Stage 35 the previous day so the total mileage saved was 15.5 miles. I stopped for the day at Tewitfield rather than stopping at Over Kellet ie 3.5 miles further on than originally planned. The day was a short one of just 16 miles but it was the weekend and my wife was staying with me back in Kirkby Lonsdale again.

Day 9. As planned but shorter at 22.5 miles due to the gain made yesterday. No gain or loss of mileage.

Day 10. With my accommodation being at Lower Green Bank on the outskirts of Dolpinholme I came off the Lancashire Way at Dolphinholme and made my way on foot to the B&B. Saving was 2 miles compared with my original plan.

Day 11. I did not retrace my step back to Dolphinholme but carried on along the road towards Abbeystead and then cut down to the River Wyre at Long Bridge on Stage 32 via Lentworth Hall. This added 3 miles to the day’s original plan. I took the Alternative Stage 25 from Dunsop Bridge which saved 4.5 miles. The day therefore rather than being 27 miles was 25.5 and had a lesser ascent with the easier end to the day.

Day 12. I missed the section along the River Hodder by coming off Birdy Brow at Bleak House and  cutting directly through to Stoneyhurst College. 3 miles saved.

Day 13. Missed the section just beyond Whittle-le-Woods, which takes the route of the remains of the Lancaster Canal and under the M61 to Johnson’s Hillock and then returns to Brindle via Birchin Lane. From Whittle Hills I went straight along the road and over the M61. Saving 2 miles.

Total miles saved 35 miles so total distance walked was 361 miles.

Looking back to Pendle Hill on Day 6

I had planned to try and walk the whole 396 miles in under two weeks but failed on this as well. But only just, as I completed the slightly shorter route above in 15 days. The original plan was far too ambitious and included walking the final southern Loop in two days or less. Some of my original plans had walking the whole 84 miles in one “go” but after almost 300 miles of walking I was in no fit state. So I trimmed it down to just three days so still not easy especially the day from Rivington to Parbold, which at 30 miles was especially long.

The Southern Loop was completed as follows thus finishing on Saturday 16th July

Great Hill on a typical Lancashire Day on Day 13!

To see photos and details of the 15 days please click below and follow the journey day by day. All photos are on the actual day so a real account of what it was like to walk the Lancashire Way.

Click here to go to DAY 1