Radical Steps — Attraction in Kirkby Lonsdale

Essentially steps down to the River Lune, a pleasant walk that will take in Devil's Bridge and return you back to the town.

Be advised. On damp days or days after heavy rainfall, these steps are dirty and slippy. As they're over 200 years old, they're also rather wonky, making them quite treacherous. At 46 steps and 11 landings they're hard going for the elderly and out of shape, so think before you commit.

Now for the history bit; The steps were built in 1820 for Dr Francis Pearson, who had a reputation as a political radical, to divert the existing public footpath that ran through his garden! There was a lot of opposition to the building of steps, which thereafter became locally known as the "Radical Steps".

Unfortunately, the sign doesn't really explain the steps origins or the etymology...

Walked down the 86 steps from St Mary's churchyard to the river bank. You have to take your time because the stairway is steep with uneven and sometimes very narrow steps. It's overhung by trees so in the autumn the fallen leaves must make it quite treacherous. But it does descend in stages making it that bit easier and there are stout handrails on both sides. The steps get their name from a local doctor with radical views who had them built in 1820 to divert a public footpath away from his garden. Turn right at the bottom and it's a pleasant 15 minute walk along the river bank to the medieval Devil's Bridge. Did not return via the steps but took an alternative route up a steep lane that leads back to the...

An interesting set of old stone steps down from the edge of the St Mary’s Church Yard to the footpath along the bank of the River Lune. Makes for part of a very pleasant circular walk through the village and across the Devil’s Bridge down stream, probably not for the unsteady among us as the name suggests - the steps are quite...