The Tolkien Trail - in the Footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien
6 people attending
19 places left
Join Outdoorlads and Johnny for a 16.5km walk in the Ribble Valley following in the footsteps of J.R.R Tolkien on The Tolkien Trail.
Many areas in the UK claim to have inspired J.R.R Tolkien creation of middle earth but the author certainly spent a lot of his time at Stonyhurst College working on The Lord of the Rings during the Second World War.
Many have found connections with this landscape around the college and the Tolkien Trail explores the Ribble Valley that may have inspired him.
J.R.R. Tolkien was renowned for his love of nature and wooded landscapes and the countryside around Stonyhurst is richly beautiful. A number of names which occur in 'The Lord of The Rings' are similar to those found locally including Shire Lane (in Hurst Green) and River Shirebourn (similar to the family name which built Stonyhurst).
Whatever the direct links which J.R.R Tolkien used in his book, her certainly spent much of his time at Stonyhurst working on 'Lord of the Rings in a classroom on the upper gallery of the College.
From the village of Hurst Green, we’ll head south following the Ribble Way to the River Hodder, where we’ll then follow it meandering path upstream until we reach Cromwell’s Bridge (built in 1562). We then follow the river’s path for a further 2km through farmland and woods, until we reach Upper Hodder Bridge, where we’ll then follow the road for a short distance up to Birdy Brow.
From Birdy Brow we head north up onto the lower slopes of Longridge Fell, before descending again and crossing farmland to Stoneyhurst College, before walking back along their grand drive to our start point for a well earned pint or coffee.
Please note as this walk crosses the college’s grounds, no dogs are permitted.
Photos Copyright - Johnny Williams
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
What to bring
Hand sanitiser and a face covering: whilst we are living with Covid-19, please bring your own to events to help keep everyone safe
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring enough food and drink with you to last the duration of the walk.