7 great walks in and around Stonyhurst College

Many people attribute the grounds surrounding Stonyhurst College as a inspiration for JRR Tolkien, but the surrounding area is full of fantastic walks for Lord of the Rings fans, history buffs and avid ramblers.

Tolkien Trail
Many people head to Stonyhurst to explore the Tolkien Trail, a 5.5 mile walk that explores the Ribble landscape that may have inspired the Lord of the Rings author.
Click here to view the details of the Tolkien Trail

Arthur Conan Doyle’s school desk by Glynn Ward (Image: glynn ward)

Stonyhurst Tours
During the summer holidays, Stonyhurst conduct tours of the college for groups of 15 or more to see the various chapels and historic rooms within the building with references to some famous pupils from the past.
Click here to view details of tours around Stonyhurst College

Walking the Ribble Way by John Lenehan (Image: Archant)

Hurst Green and the River Ribble
Head out from Hurst Green, passing by the meeting point of the Hodder and Ribble rivers before walking by the grounds of Stonyhurst.
Click here to view the details of the Hurst Green walk

View of Pendle Hill near Hurst Green by Keith Carter (Image: Keith Carter)

Hurst Green and Ribchester
Another walk from Hurst Green, this time heading in the opposite direction of Stonyhurst and south towards the village of Ribchester with its famous Roman connections, you could well be in The Shire in these surroundings.
Click here to view the details of the Ribchester walk

Clitheroe and River Hodder
There are dozens of rivers depicted in the Lord of the Rings books, the most famous being Anduin, the Great River which flowed from the Misty Mountains to the sea. This walk explores the Hodder and Ribble rivers that merge close to Stonyhurst, this time setting off from nearby Clitheroe, could this in some way be the inspiration for The Seven Rivers of Gondor?
Click here to view the details of the two rivers walk

Mitton Church by John Lenehan (Image: Archant)

Mitton
This walk takes you on a journey back through time. It crosses two old bridges, goes past one of the county's fine old private houses, Great Mitton Hall, and then takes in All Hallows, said to be the first Christian church in the Ribble Valley.
Click here to view the details of the Mitton walk

Whalley
Set off from the north west gatehouse of Whalley Abbey heading towards Sabden and the Nick of Pendle before heading home under the iconic Whalley Viaduct, not quite the 'vast bridge of iron' as the Barad-dûr west gate is described in the books, but impressive nonetheless.
Click here to view the details of the Whalley walk

All the routes were correct at the time of publication, over time access to certain parts of the walk may be subject to change. We advise you acquire a recent OS map of the area you plan to visit and assure there are no major changes.