[1] Leave the parking area in a westerly direction away from Dangerous corner - against the direction of traffic for this side of the road. After a short distance at a 'Welcome to Parbold' sign, cross the road into a road signed Fairy Glen.
Take care on busy road but there is good visibility.
Immediately turn left into the footpath, through a squeeze stile, that is not the marked right of way but passes down into trees adjacent to a stream that it crosses several times. Carry straight on downhill, in the direction of the stream, ignoring all paths off to left and right until you come to an exit squeeze stile. Immediately before this turn right and go down steps to cross the stream by a wooden bridge. Continue on cobbled path for short distance but fork left which soon brings you to wooden steps up to a stile.
(A) Fairy Glen is designated as a Biological Heritage Site for its ancient woodland of oak, birch, ash and alder, the woodland floor may be covered with bluebells, wild garlic, ferns, and red campion. The waters of Sprodley Brook have, over time, cut down through the underlying sandstone to create the steep Fairy Glen valley, which has spectacular waterfalls and cliff faces. (From Lancashire County Council website)
Cross the field at right angles to the fence towards a tree and stile beyond. Continue in same direction keeping a fenced wood to your left. At end of wood cross stile and pass down path with fence on both sides. Cross stile and continue in same direction gently downhill along a track, through kissing gate to path between two fences through two further kissing gates by a house and shortly to a crossing of tracks and paths. Here turn left and pass gently downhill towards bridge over railway. Cross this and the bridge over canal. Turn left along towpath with canal on your left and the River Douglas meandering to the right. Continue along the towpath, past the lock and houses until you reach a road at bridge 42.
Keep control of children by the open water of the canal.
(B)The Leeds and Liverpool canal is 127 miles long intended initially to help the Yorkshire wool trade access to the port of Liverpool and thence the colonies. Sections at each end opened in 1777 but shortage of money meant it was not completed until 1816. The most important cargo throughout its life was coal from the Lancashire coalfields to Liverpool. It was constructed with wide locks which helped it compete with other narrow canals. The locks at Appley were initially one deep lock with a 12 foot drop. At peak times it could get congested so a parallel channel with two 6 foot drop locks was constructed but this is disused at present.
[2] At bridge 42 turn right along the road (Appley Lane N)and over a bridge over the River Douglas.
Take extra care as there is no footpath over the bridge.
Immediately turn right into signed footpath between two hedges. Continue on well used path that skirts right side of a field with River Douglas to your right, Note a narrow then a bigger pipe crossing the river. Soon after this where river bends sharply to right continue straight on a path between two fields towards a line of trees across your path. At the trees turn left on an obvious path between the trees keeping stream to your left side. Do not cross the stream at any point but continue to the right of buildings to reach a minor road.
Turn left on road and turn right into first driveway with waymark in it opposite sign for a Trout farm. Keep to left of drive and take path on right side of field. Cross wooden stile and continue on obvious path between bank and field. The path enters a wooded area which if muddy has dry tracks initially to left then to right between the trees. The path crosses a stream and passes slightly uphill to a minor road. Turn left on this road.
Where this road bends left at a right angle and becomes rough turn right along signed footpath. Continue gently uphill (for 1/2 mile) along this path which becomes a track with a stream on its right hand side. Where the track bends left at 90°, with a house coming into view, turn right on the middle of this bend along a path between two trees going slightly downhill. Cross the narrow stream on stones and continue on path with fencing on each side. Follow path until you meet a driveway with houses to your right. Turn left along the driveway continuing in same direction when it meets another driveway. At the end turn left on the minor road and very soon turn right on a footpath opposite a stone wall. Continue along path which crosses a drive at stiles and passes a pond on your left. After a further stile turn right on track to Ashurst's Beacon, which is visible over the low trees.
(C) Ashurst's Beacon is a grade II listed building built of sandstone rubble in 1798. It has a square base and pyramidal spire and was said to be built as a watch tower to warn of a French invasion.
[3] Pass Ashurst's Beacon to its right side and towards the stone topograph. With this to your left, continue on this track gently downhill until you come to a gate and stile. Cross this and continue on track obliquely down field to a further stile. Carry straight on and towards the right over a wooden footbridge.
Continue on path which can get muddy at times with stream below you on your left. At minor road turn left. Pass several houses and after a short distance turn left on a wide footpath between a fence and trees. Where track turns right at 90° carry straight on along a narrow path and down over a wooden footbridge and stile. This field is very boggy with patches of reeds. Cross this field at an angle to your right to a stile and wooden bridge in the fence and into the next field. Turn left and continue keeping row of trees and any fences to your left. When you meet a row of trees at right angles to your path cross the waymarked stile and turn right to follow a rough track. Follow this downhill until you meet a minor road. Turn left and immediately right down a tarmac signed drive with houses on your left. Continue when the drive bends left ignoring a gate and stile on your right. Immediately after a driveway turns right through a hedge go straight on through another gap in the hedge and over a stile into a field. Walk downhill with the driveway angling away from you on your right to a stile in the middle of the field boundary. Turn left on the minor road.
Keep on the main road at Dungeon Lane and soon after where the road bends left, turn right down a driveway to Blackbird Farm. Carry straight on through stone gate pillars, with a waymark, pass between two houses and then to the left of a garage. Where the drive turns right carry straight on along a path with a fence on your left side. Note there are many vehicles parked here and the waymarked path is not immediately visible. Continue in same direction over a stile and keeping fence to your left.
Cross another stile then make for a bridge in general direction of church spire on horizon.Cross bridge and carry straight on to a stile and gate. Continue on a grassy path between hedge and fence. Pass between stone houses on a cobbled road and over the canal. Continue on narrow road, crossing railway at level crossing until you reach a T junction with small road. Turn right and immediately left uphill on a public footpath over a stile and keeping fence to your left. Cross stile at main road A5209.
[4] It is safest to cross here to the footpath on the opposite side and turn left, going slightly downhill. At bus stop on a lamp post before the road bends left, turn right at right angles onto the footpath. Follow the path through wooded area going uphill with a stream on your left. Leave wood over stile and continue keeping stream, and subsequently a wood, on your left. At end of wood turn right on stone track. Continue on obvious track in same direction over stile by a gate and subsequently between hedges on each side. Soon after the road has turned right by a house, take the footpath to the left, which is just before a stone wall with fence on top starts on your right. Continue on this path which goes behind gardens and continue in same direction along a driveway. At the road, turn right. Note Rigby Arms Public House just to your left here.
Immediately after the High Moor Restaurant take the footpath to the left adjacent to a driveway. Continue on drive and where drive bends left carry straight on through gate onto footpath between fences. At end of the woods turn right and keep fence on your right side. Continue past small reservoir, with trig point on top, to your right and mast to the left.
(D) Viewpoint looking north to Preston, the Ribble valley and the Fylde peninsula with Blackpool Tower.
[5] Continue on main track and a dry stone wall eventually comes on your right side. When some houses come into view in front of you, turn right over a waymarked dry stone stile, by some wooden fencing, onto a footpath that angles to your right. Continue over stiles then divert to right of bungalow and meet a driveway. Turn left down driveway. At road, turn right and just beyond farm on the left. at the top of the rise, turn left on a footpath keeping to the right of the hedge and fence, which becomes a dry stone wall. Cross stile and the track becomes much wider. Where the track turns right carry straight on along grassy track. Follow this round with fencing on your left, but where the fencing goes left carry straight on through a gate and walk along field with hedging on the right. At corner of field, cross stile and turn left along a track which soon takes you to the starting point.