Parlick

Parlick, also called Parlick Pike, is a steep-sided hill shaped like a cone. It stands at the southern edge of the Bowland fells in Lancashire. The hill rises 432 metres above sea level. Its name may come from an old word for a sheep fold near a pear tree. Professor Eilert Ekwall studied the name in his book on Lancashire place-names. The hill is popular with walkers and gliders. Paths zigzag up from the south or take a direct route for a harder climb. The summit is a flat patch of stones with wide views. To the south, Preston and Winter Hill are visible. Eastward, Pendle Hill stands out, while the west looks toward Blackpool and the Irish Sea. Parlick is also known for gliding because of its ridge lift. The west-facing slope lets pilots fly far without losing lift. The boundary between Wyre and Ribble Valley runs close to the top. Nearby, a legend tells of the Dun Cow that once drank at a well on the summit. A local cheese, Parlick Fell, is made from sheep’s milk in Longridge.