The Tolkien Trail.

The Tolkien trail is a beautiful mainly flat walk starting from the little village of Hurst Green in Lancashire.

The area is where J R R Tolkien spent much of his time and is said to be the inspiration for Hobbiton, the home of the Hobbits in the The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit trilogies.

We started the walk from the carpark just past the Bayley Arms pub, Avenue Rd, Hurst Green, Clitheroe BB7 9QB.

Having walked the trail several times before, we decided to do the walk in reverse to the usual way, however you tackle this walk it is simple to navigate on clear paths and is well signed as you make your way around the circular route.

We headed up Avenue Rd, past the war memorial and joined the trail at the side of the Shireburn Arms Pub and Hotel.

Walk across the field and through the gate and head down to the bridge over the stream, after a short while you will join the riverside path besides the River Ribble, continue a mile or so you will find a fork in the river where the Hodder feeds into the Ribble, its just after this you leave the riverside walk and head through Winkley Hall farm and on to Whalley Road.

A short 200 mtr walk down the road takes you to the impressive Cromwell’s bridge built in 1561 and later named after Oliver Cromwell who marched his entire 8000 strong army across it in 1648 to fight the Royalists at the battle of Preston.

Follow the sign opposite the bridge and continue along the river before heading into Over Hacking Woods, after rolling hills, the riverside walk, the strange shaped trees the 16th century bridge and now what feels like an enchanted wood you can really start to feel the mood of middle earth with you, I almost expected to bump into some Orcs as we crossed the quaint stone bridge at the bottom of the valley as you look up to the wooden steps heading between the trees in the distance.

As you leave the woods behind it is a gentle walk back past the Private Stoney Hurst College and observatory and back on to your start at Hurst Green.