I was up here a few days ago in the frosty weather when I talked about the Leagram Deer Park. Today was all blue sky and not an icy patch to tread warily on. I’d already walked the pleasant mile along the quiet road from the site of Leagram Mill, passing some of those iconic railings sited to give visibility on the bends. Are they just a Lancashire thing?
Now I was entering the ancient laund of Leagram. There was once an extensive deer park here in the 15 -16th centuries, l’ll come to Stanley shortly. The pale was a ditch sometimes ‘fortified’ with hawthorn hedging demarcating and protecting the deer hunting area. Parts of it can be seen on the present day estate where I am walking. From this we acquired the phrase “beyond the pale” – outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour. This how you find it with todays technology video.
Lovely parkland with Longridge Fell ‘beyond the pale’
I walk on past the blue faced sheep and decide not to take the way to Park Gate as a tractor is muck spreading across the field. I walk on with Parlick up ahead. But I’m not heading for the high Bowland Fells, I’m going to skirt around under them on the track to Lickhurst.
First I stop to buy half a dozen free range eggs from the lane that leads to Saddle End Farm. 
The Public Road ends short of the lane to the isolated Burnslack and the byway heading east is open to traffic but there are warnings to potential 4X4 users. Soon I’m at the ford over Leagram Brook, now provided with large stepping stones. Onwards becomes open moor named on the map as Stanley. 
Edward Stanley, it turns out was keeper of Leagram deer park in the Royal Forest of Bowland between 1487 and 1523, and a soldier for both Henry VII and Henry VIII. The deer park died out in the C17th and the land passed into the Townley family. That’s how you inherited or were bestowed land in those days. It remained under the Townley family until 1938 when The Duchy Of Lancaster purchased much of the land. 
Tipping my hat to to the duke or whoever I cross over Stanley and drop into Lickhurst. Remote farms, when I was working in the area, but now gentrified country properties made more accessible by bridges where there were previously fords. Having said that I got talking to a tradesman working on one of the properties who said they got caught out with the sudden snow and freezing conditions last week and spent two hours trying to get back up the hill to civilisation. 
We are in Limestone country now, lots of coral reefs and more than one lime kiln along the way. I’m always impressed by the length of the single span stone across the brook here, now balustraded for health and safety.
Then there is that isolated red phone box, worth a post of its own. It is still functional but I wonder how many times it has been used in the last year. 
One of the reasons I’m here is to visit friends at Greystonely. They are in so I enjoy an excellent coffee and them we join forces for the ongoing walk. 
The bridleway down to another ford is looking worse from wear and tear, sat navs have led the unwary down this way, or rather ‘no way’. The bridleway improves past houses and eventually bring me back to my car on the road where I part company with my friends as they find another way back home.
I can repeat this walk as many times as I like – there is something special about it and the old Royal Deer Park. Here’s to Stanley.
***
Sadly a mere three weeks after my visit the lady pictured above had died of cancer of the pancreas. I still can’t believe it.
Wonderful! Lots of gorgeous photos and interesting commentary too. Thank you!
Thanks Clare. On my ‘back doorstep’ as you know.
Regards.
I’ll have to visit your neck of the woods sometime. You make it look so appealing.
Long journey for you. I seem to remember you had contacts in Yorkshire.
Yes, my daughter lives in Sheffield and my husband’s brother and nephews live in Manchester.
It looks like a lovely walk BC, apart from the mud at the end. Some great views here and I love that isolated red phone box 🙂
Have you been to that phone box?
It wasn’t really muddy.
Is that the only one in the area? It’s years since I was up round that way but I remember driving round the country lanes with my ex and coming across a red phone box in the middle of nowhere, I think it may have been on a right hand bend somewhere.
That’s the one. You were probably going to Dunsop Bridge or Slaidburn.
Dunsop Bridge, then over to Lancaster
Lovely walk and super photos. Your round top fence can also be found in Cumberland and Westmorland or as it is called today, Cumbria.
Thanks Alan. Did they call them ‘Estate’ railings?
Not sure. I will ask a friend who had them on a sharp bend in their garden. I will let you know asap.
Thanks Alan.
I still haven’t seen that isolated red telephonebox, it’s so impressive that it is still in working order.
You must have a trip up there – no distance from Clitheroe.
Definitely going on my list. A working red telephone box is rare. I suppose the problem nowadays is if you were in a situation where you needed one, you wouldn’t expect it to be an actual telephone.
One needs a credit card to pay for a phone call from that box, so maybe not that useful, unless 999 calls are free.
You would enjoy the walk, can easily be done from Chipping, and add on extension to Dinkling Green.
I think the last one I used still had an A button and a B button.
That’s a lovely walk, great photos too, I’ve always felt that bit of Bowland has its own feel to it
Land of the Curlew.
It is, funnily enough Curlew are the subject of my next post!
You know the area well.
Nice walk with great views. I like the telephone box 😁.
It’s a legend around these parts.
Thanks for all the lovely photos! The phone box got a few extra snaps and why wouldn’t it? That I suppose was a treat you meant just for gits like me. Brilliant! Cheers then. ⛰️
That phone box is famous in Bowland
Sadly a mere three weeks after my visit the lady pictured above had died of cancer of the pancreas. I still can’t believe it.