Yorkshire Dales: Buckden & Langstrothdale Chase

Date: Friday 20th September
Route: Buckden & Langstrothdale Chase
Distance: 7 miles

Another fantastic Dales walk, starting with a steep climb and great views across hillsides and concluding with an easy stroll alongside a river.

This is our only walk of the week in Wharfedale, starting from the village of Buckden, and is taken from the Pathfinder Yorkshire Dales guide. A slightly punishing gravel track leads from the car park onto the hillside, however it soon levels out and turns into a grassy path across fields, looking across Upper Wharfedale and Langstrothdale.

A steep and slightly slippery descent on a stony path leads to stepping stones next to the White Lion pub in Cray, then a broad track leads back onto open countryside, with yet more stunning views along the valley.

The easy path makes its way through meadows, passing Scar House, a former centre of the Quaker religion, before heading downhill to the farms of Yockenthwaite beside the river below.

The route then starts to head back to Buckden, with a low-level path beside the river and across fields, crossing the Wharfe in the pretty hamlet of Hubberholme, then again on the road back to Buckden.

Highly recommended (and not just for the pleasure of saying "Yockenthwaite"!) 

Yorkshire Dales: Reeth Circular

 

Date: Thursday 19th September
Route: Reeth Circular
Distance: 5.5 miles

With grey skies glowering overhead, we opted for a walk from the AA's 1001 Walks from the market town of Reeth, with its pretty central square, surrounded by houses, pubs and shops amidst the hills of Swaledale.

The first part of the route is flat and easy to follow, walking alongside the river Swale to Marrick, where an outdoor activity centre sits alongside the old priory.

From the priory it's a steep climb up into the slightly spooky, Lord of the Rings-esque woodland, then a paved path through the woods alongside moss-covered stone walls and on into fields, with views across Swaledale and Arkengarthdale.

After an equally steep, knee-punishing descent down the road back to High Fremington, the path levels out again across fields and rejoins the river just outside Reeth.

This is not the most spetacular of walks, but it is very straightforward (and definitely offers more rewarding views when the sun breaks through the clouds and lights up the hillsides).

The first

Yorkshire Dales: Classic Swaledale

 

Date: Wednesday 18th September
Route: Keld to Muker and back
Distance: 6 miles

This is simply one of the best walks in the Dales.

It makes you want to stride along, grinning and shouting "In't walking BRILLIANT?!" in the style of Fast Show-era Paul Whitehouse. Or to exclaim about the beauty of the views so much that you start to sound like one of those drippy female characters from P.G. Wodehouse that Bertie Wooster occasionally finds himself engaged to.

Either way, this walk makes you feel ridiculously happy to be out in the midst of an awe-inspiring landscape, walking over green hillsides with the constant presence of the fast-flowing River Swale down to your side.

The walk comes from the AA's 1001 Walks in Britain, which in an uncharacteristic fit of hyperbole rightfully describes it as a classic. For a more challenging version, the Pathfinder Yorkshire Dales Guide offers a longer alternative - 10.5 miles, starting and  ending in the village of Gunnerside.

Leaving the car park in the village of Keld, the path soon meets up with the Pennine Way. It is a steady, but not exhausting, climb on a well-maintained, well-trodden path, taking little time to reach a reasonable height, with views across the sprawling hills of Swaledale.

The path passes through greenery and rock-strewn fields, punctuated by sheep, dry stone walls and the occasional gate. On some of these walks, the instructions are pretty complicated, occasionally confusing and sometimes completely wrong - on this walk, there is very little opportunity to take the wrong route or stray off the path.

As the Pennine Way heads back to the right, the village of Muker is visible below - a cluster of houses built out of local stone, on either side of the road from Richmond to Kirkby Stephen. The tea-room at Muker provides a timely opportunity to refuel with a toasted teacake before heading back to Keld on the other side of the river.

The return journey begins at low level, with a brief section alongside the river, before crossing it on a narrow footbridge. The river is a constant on your left as you follow the easy, broad track back to Keld and whilst you do not ever reach the heights of the first half of the walk, there is enough uphill walking to make you feel that you are getting some benefit - and excellent views.

The final stretch of walk passes waterfalls feeding into the river, then it is a short stroll back to the car.

In short: amazing scenery and views, particularly when the sunlight hits the river or illuminates the distant hills, an easy-to-follow route, a fantastic teacake stop and 6 miles of the best walking in the Dales. Perfect.  

Yorkshire Dales: Around Arkengarthdale

Date: Monday 16th September
Route: Arkengarthdale Circular
Distance: 3.5 miles

Staying in the village of Langthwaite in the Yorkshire Dales, we are lucky enough to have a great walk around the most northerly of the Dales on our doorstep.

Taken from the AA's 1001 Walks in Britain, the full route is an 8 mile circuit - unfortunately the lure of dry clothing and hot tea is too strong to resist once we are only half way round, so we just complete the first few sections!

Like many Dales walks, this one starts with a steep climb, which quickly makes its impact felt on both our calves and lungs - luckily, it is not long before the punishing ascent is rewarded with views across broad green hillsides, dotted with stone cottages, patches of heather and dry stone walls.

The bright green of the hillsides contrasts with a sky that alternates between piercing blue and threatening grey, as vertical waves of rain blow across and away and rainbows light up the houses below.

Once past the humorously-named hamlet of Booze, the path passes through the remnants of the lead mining industry littered across the hills, with the fast-flowing stream of Slei Gill down to the right. After a few minutes of brushing aside waist-high prehistoric-looking ferns, the path crosses the stream and heads up onto the heathery (and very windy) moorland hillsides.

Along the route we encounter cautious rabbits, which run off into their warrens or disappear into the heather, unhurried grouse, which reluctantly fly up into the air with much flapping and shrieking and flocks of finches, which dart in and out of the trees and hedgerows. We do not see any other walkers in the remote and quiet landscape.

The final section of the walk that we complete is very exposed and open to the cold, stinging wind - as the driving rain continues to assault us, we feel like proper southern softies heading for warmth and comfort rather than raging against the elements (but we are on holiday, after all).

Great views, lots of wildlife, a relatively straightforward route (with a few slightly ambiguous walk directions) through a remote and beautiful location - just not the best of weather, unfortunately.