Graham’s Walks Vitals
- Distance: 4.5 miles/7 km
- Elevation: 525 ft/160 m
- Difficulty: Easy
- Start: Wolf House
- Graham’s Cafe: Wolf (awaiting a guide)
- Classification: None
The Maps
The Area
Silverdale sits on limestone a porous rock which allows water to seep through crevices and to ascend through springs.
We are used to turning on a tap and the water being there, but that wasn’t always the case. It’s not that long ago that people needed to retrieve water for their daily use. Silverdale doesn’t have a river to go to which made the local community dependent upon a series of wells.
The wells were in use as recently as 1938 when the Lune Valley Water Board connected the community into the Haweswater Aqueduct.
(The Haweswater Aqueduct is mentioned in a few other routes: Clougha Pike Circular from Riggs Lane, River Lune and Lancaster Canal Circular from the Lune Aqueduct, Sleddale Fell Circular from Sadgill Bridge, Longsleddale)
There are supposed to be at least 11 wells in the area, but that doesn’t mean that they are all accessible. This walk takes you past the ones that you can access and close to a few others that are marked on the map but aren’t accessible. There are also a few that are outside the area of this walk to include them would have turned the walk into a bit of a slog.
The wells are in various states of disrepair and I’m not recommending that you take water from any of them. Just because something was once highly prized doesn’t mean that it’s shown respect today, it’s a warning to us all.
This walk includes a visit to the local memorial for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee on the top of Castlebarrow Hill. It’s known as The Pepper Pot due to its shape. The Pepper Pot is a relatively short diversion from the primary task of visiting wells.
The Walk
The Start to Woodwell
As the name might suggest, Woodwell is in, or at least next to, a wood.
The most convenient place to park is on the road, here, where you should see a finger signpost to Woodwell through a gap in the wall. There are a couple of spaces here, but if these aren’t available head down the road towards Wolf House where there is more parking. The last part of this walk is along this road so you will just be swapping distance at the start for reduced distance at the end.
Once you are through the gap in the wall you will take a couple of steps down and see a fork in the path. Take the lefthand path down the hill.
Follow this path to the edge of the wood and then along a little where you will find a water pool and in the cliff face a smaller pool with water dripping into it. This is Woodwell.
Woodwell to Burton Well
Heading back into the wood from Woodwell the path will look like it’s about to head straight up the cliff, and that is what it does. It may look a bit daunting but the steps aren’t too big and you are soon out at the top.
Continue the path through the woods until it takes a righthand turn down the side of a field.
On the other side of the field the route drops onto a lane which you should follow until it comes out onto a road.
Turn right onto the road and follow along until you come to a fork. Take the lefthand road for a short way until you see a lane on the right. Follow the lane which narrows and become more of path.
Part way along the path you will find Burton Well in the bushes on the right. It’s quite a large pool.
Burton Well to Dogslack Well (and Bank Well)
Return to the path and continue in the direction you had been going. The path will leave the woods and into a more open field through a gate. This is Lambert Meadow. Follow the path along the left side of the meadow until you reach a path crossing it to the right over duckboard.
The path across the meadow will bring you to a gate through which there is a set of steps. Follow the steps up and through a wood until you come out onto a road.
Turn left onto the road the right onto a lane which has a fingerboard at the end telling you that this is the way to Dogslack Well and The Row. On the lefthand side of the road just before you head down the lane is the location of Bank Well now a small pond. The inclusion of The Row on the fingerboard is a bit confusing because the road you’ve just left is The Row although it is correct to say that the end of the lane places you back on The Row a little further along.
Head down the lane until you come to a hand pump marking the location of Dogslack Well.
Dogslack Well to Eaves Wood Car Park
From the hand-pump of Dogslack Well continue on the path until you return to The Row.
It’s worth noting that if you decide to do this walk in the opposite, clockwise, direction the gate at the end of the lane is marked with the number 37 making it look like the entrance to someone’s house. It is also marked with a sign showing it’s a footpath.
Turn right onto the road and follow it as it curved to the left.
The road will eventually come out onto a T-junction. Opposite the junction you should be able to see the entrance to the Eaves Wood car park.
Eaves Wood Car Park to The Pepper Pot
Walk through the Eaves Wood car park and follow the lane up the hill and into the woods.
The path will come to a T-junction with another path, turn left along the edge of the wood.
As you travel along you will see several path heading up to the right. If you want to explore a bit pick one and meander your way up the hillside and along to the Pepper Pot. There are several signs around that will lead you to where you want to be.
If you want a more defined route follow the path until you notice another path joining from the left, turn right at this point, up the hill and around to the Pepper Pot.
As you reach the top of the hill you will notice a sign pointing off to the left with a picture of a Pepper Pot on it, this is the route you need to take.
The Pepper Pot to the Cove Well
Our route to the Cove is via the path at the edge of Eaves Wood. You can either retrace your steps all the way down, or follow the signs down.
As you join the Eaves Wood path turn right and travel along a little way with a wall on your left. As you reach the end of the wall there is a path off to your left. Elmslack Well is supposed to be around here somewhere, but I’ve never been able to find it. There is a rumour that it’s under a bin.
This should take you onto Elmslack Lane at the junction with Castle Bank. Head straight across on Elmslack Lane to its end.
There is then a footpath through to Walling’s Lane.
As Walling’s Lane swings left there is a footpath that will take you down onto Cove Road.
Follow Cove Road for a short way until you get to Cove Lane. Cove Lane will take you down to the Cove.
The actual well in the cove is no longer visible, but it’s a glorious stop all the same.
The Cove Well to Wolf House
The path out of the Cove follows the cliff edge to the left as you enter it.
Our route takes us up alongside the cliff, through some woods, through a gate and out onto an open field. Follow the well worn path across the field through another gate in a drystone wall. Cross another field and a gate out onto the road.
Turn right on the road. The road you are on will head to the right, this is the route down to the shore. In front of you is a junction with another road heading up the hill. This road is Lindeth Road which you will follow all the way up the gentle incline to Wolf House where it will turn left and you will find your vehicle.
This is where you take the reward of refreshments at Wolf Cafe.
Alternatives and Extensions
You can make this walk shorter by missing out some of the wells, but that’s a different walk – Silverdale Circular via Scout Wood and The Cove.
There are lots of paths within Eaves Wood to explore most of which end up at the Pepper Pot eventually.
You could significantly extend the walk by adding in a loop of Arnside Tower. You’d do this by branching off from Eaves Wood car park, heading around the western side of Eaves Wood towards Waterslack and around through Middlebarrow Woods. If you do this you will pass Middlebarrow Quarry which is impressive for its size, but is fenced off. From Arnside Tower you would then make your way back to the Cove.
There is an option to travel from the Cove to Silverdale Beach via the shoreline. This is a muddy venture and should only be undertaken after consulting the tide times. The tides around Morecambe Bay are treacherous.
Eaves Wood car park would be a good alternative place to start this walk.
































































































































































































