Explore with Amie

Cumbria’s Fairy Steps are the perfect family weekend walk; it’s a short route with cheap parking opportunities and relatively flat ground. The path is also well way marked for the most part with only a few occasions where there isn’t a sign to guide you. Overall, this is a spot that won’t win any awards for breathtaking views or being the most thrilling walk but, it’s nice and sometimes that is exactly what is required.

I did manage to learn a little bit more about the history of the site. A corn mill has been present there since 1096 and only became known as Heron Mill in the early 1600s. Initially the mill was used for flour however, following WW1, Heron Mill was used to produce animal feed until the mill closed in 1958. Eventually, Beetham Trust took over ownership and were enthusiastic about the prospect of restoring the mill which they acomplished. Heron Mill reopened to the public in 1975.

As I said, the mill was closed for maintenance so we paid for our parking in the cafe and then headed straight out onto the footpath to the deer park. As we walked along, I thought that there wasn’t actually any deer in the park as we didn’t see anything at all. However, a quick glance to my left proved me wrong as the full heard of deer were lying in the grass several hundred metres away. They were simply all laid watching our progress through the field! It was nice to see them, even if they’re not wild in this setting.

From there, it was a case of walking down a lane until we reached a woodland area. We actually went slightly wrong here – my fault, I was navigating, and walked to something that was signposted as a well. However, you couldn’t actually see anything because it was behind a fence and looked just look a block of concrete. A bit of a fail and we had to walk back down the same path as there was no way to circle to our original path thanks to locked gates and fences. Oh well!

Once back on the right track, we headed to Sandside Quarry to have a look at the remains of the quarrying that occurred here. Limestone was quarried here by Northern Quarries Limited and used for both agriculture and building materials. Sandside Quarry closed as recently as 2023 when it was owned by Tarmac. Signs remain in the area warning of blasts and sudden drops. There is very little left in terms of equipment but, the hole created is nevertheless worth a look at.

We walked on to the Fairy Steps passing across another lane and into a second woodland. The Fairy Steps are narrow steps in rock. It is said that if you can walk up them without touching the sides of the narrow gully a fairy will grant you a wish. I can’t imagine many adults will be able to walk up there without touching the sides as it is quite narrow but it’s a nice story for children.

From there, it was a case of circling back to the car park. All in all, this was a nice short walk to stretch the legs and get some fresh air. Beetham looks like a nice little village and there is a pub if you fancy stopping for a drink and a meal afterwards.

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Start Point: Beetham Heron Corn Mill

1. At the back of the car park, follow the footpath signposted for the Deer Park.
2. Continue along this grassy footpath, over the hill. There are markers throughout to keep you on the path.
3. On the other side of a line of trees, follow the gravel-ish track on your left to exit the Deer Park.
4. Cross the lane to the footpath on the opposite side.
5. Head uphill following the markers to the stile to exit the field.
6. Take the lane directly ahead and follow this. Keep right at the fork.
7. At the sharp left near a barn conversion, take the footpath straight ahead.
8. In the woodland, take the second path on your right to the quarry viewpoint.
9. Follow this path along the edge of the quarry before taking the next left.
10. Head downhill. At the next t-junction, turn left towards Cockshot Lane.
11. Go right up the road and then left to rejoin the next footpath, signposted Slackhead and Hazelslack.
12. Continue straight along the rocky pathway and follow signs for the Fairy Steps.
13. Head up the Fairy Steps and continue along the left path.
14. Keep straight and follow this path out of the woodland passed a derelict house.
15. Cross the field to enter Beetham.
16. Head right at the lane, downhill. At the end of the lane, turn left and left again, back to the car park.

End Point: Beetham Heron Corn Mill

Amie x