Fairy Steps
Fairy Steps is an interesting little place hidden away in a middle of the woods, just south of Milnthorpe in Cumbria.
The legend is that fairies used the steps to escape from a witches' cauldron.
A climb up through the delightful limestone woodland will eventually, after a steady ascent, bring you to a wall of limestone. Just before this, bear left and then go round to the right to climb the narrow crevice that is Fairy Steps. It is a narrow squeeze. About a foot wide at one point! It is definitely worth the squeeze up the steps, as the view at the top is superb!
Folk-lore has it that if you can climb the steps without touching the sides you will see a fairy!
The path over Fairy Steps used to be known locally as the 'Coffin Route', as Arnside Parish had to carry their deceased to consecrated ground in Beetham. Several of the iron rings which ropes were threaded through, to pull the coffins up the rock face, are still visible today.
Fairy Steps Postcode:
England > Cumbria > Westmorland and Furness > Milnthorpe > Fairy Steps