Tolkien Trail & Longridge Fell

Last Saturday my friends and I had a great time hiking through the Yorkshire Dales. We were doing the Tolkien Trail so named because it was the walk he used to do whilst teaching at Stoneyhurst and provided some of the inspiration for Hobbiton.  

The trail begins at Hurst Green, Clitheroe and takes around 2-3 hours to complete. The trail is marked along the way and was an easy walk, ending at Stoneyhurst school. 

 I remember feeling at times as if I had stepped into "The Lord of The Rings". The scenery was amazing and the river was a popular spot for fishing and birdwatching. I managed to spot a few cranes and woodpeckers along the trail. 

Once we reached Stoneyhurst College we decided to carry on and make it into a round the walk by heading along the Longridge Fell walk, which took an additional couple of hours making the hike 5 hours in total finishing at the Shireburn Arms where we stopped off for refreshments. 

Everyone had driven there, a couple of us from Harrogate which was an easy drive. Took just over an hour to get there through the dales, with stunning scenery. 

All in all everyone had a great time and I would defiantly recommend this walk to all Tolkein enthusiasts or anyone looking for a pleasant walk through the Yorkshire dales at any time of the year. 

If you are in need for somewhere to stay whilst you explore all that Yorkshire has to offer, why not come and stay at one of our five cottages? All of them are situated in Harrogate and are an hours drive away from Clitheroe.  Check out our booking page and book your stay today!