Tracks and Trails

Start and Finish: Carlingill Bridge
Approximate time for the walk: 4 hours
Distance: 7 and an half miles.
Landscape: Glacial deposits, folded strata with golden-ringed dragonfly, dor beetle, parsley bettle, fresh water sponge.
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 19, Howgill Fells and Upper Eden Valley

Description of the walk:
A. This walk starts from Carlingill Bridge. Start by walking up the side of the beck, crossing over to find the best route. Follow this path to Black Force.
B. After Black Force, there is an scramble to the top of valley. At the top valley, take the right folk to where a worn track comes in from the left. Cross the beck to the right and climb up the steep grassy bank to find a good path high above Carlin Gill. Carry on this fine track as it widens it way rounds the Whins End to descend to Ellergill Beck. Continue straight-ahead to reach Beck Houses Gate and pass through the farmyard to reach Howgill Lane.
C. From Howgill Lane, carry on for next mile passing through a number of farms, before regaining the road again. Go directly over the road to go through the Gate House farmyard and go up the valley, heading towards of Mire head. Continue straight-ahead through the bracken to reach the road once again.
D. Here turn left on road, for 1 mile to complete the walk and return to Carlingill Bridge.

Start and Finish: Ewegales Bridge
Approximate time for the walk: 6 hours
Distance: 10 miles.
Landscape: High Moorland and glacial landscape
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 2, Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western areas

Description of the walk:
A. This walks from the camp-site in Ewegales Bridge. From the camp-site, walk along up-stream the river, which will soon lead Lea Yeat Bridge. Go up to the road and turn right down the road. Follow the road for just over 2 miles as leads as eventually leads to Bridge End Cottages. At Bridge End Cottages, turn right over pack-horse bridge to go through rush-filled fields to Dent head Farm.
B. Pass through the farm and follow the beck up to the railway. Continue steeply up through the conifer plantation and onto open moorland. Carry straight-ahead passing three ventilation shafts with. Half a mile after third ventilation shaft, turn off the track and cross over Little Dale Beck, and cross over the railway.
C. The route is joined by the Craven Way and the path continues straight up towards Force Gill, with Whernside to your left.
D. On reaching some limestone, continue straight ahead which leads down to Whernside Manor. At a path side, ‘Laithbank’, turn right, descending through some rush-covered pastures. Follow the marker posts curving right and at the last one head half right to meet a land stile. Continue straight ahead passing over a number of ladder stiles to reach a renovated farmhouse at Laithbank.
E. About halfway down the drive, turn off and go round the barn to continue up to clint and up to CoatFaw, then in front of old farmhouse at Hackergrill. Continue straight-across the fields meadow to reach Rivling. From this point, continue straight-ahead to re-join the road at Ewegales Bridge. This where this walk finishes and conclude

Start and Finish: Dent
Approximate time for the walk: 7 hours
Distance: 11 and a half miles.
Landscape: High Moorland and glacial landscape
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 2, Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western areas

Description of the walk:
A. Start from Car Park on the main street in Dent. Walk down the high street passing Sun Inn and George and Dragon, and bear left to Church bridge to over the River Dee. At the bridge, bear right up the right-hand side of the river. Cross the narrow concrete footbridge to the left hand side and then right to enter the Keld Habitat. Continue through the fields, to a road. Cross the road and into another field to join the Dales Way by the riverside. This leads to another road. Go up the road, up-dale direction and then right past a chapel and then immediately left onto Craven Way. Continue straight along this path for a good couple of miles as climbs up over open country to meet the Boot of the Wold.
B. When you reach the Boot of the Wold, turn right alongside the stone wall path and go straight up on this path, with Whernside in the distance. Follow the stone walled path directly (no diverges) to summit of Whernside. The summit is marked a survey pillar.
C. When you have reached the summit, turn right to head west to a stone tower. Turn right to the wall corner and follow the wall down the road. After steep down hill, take a path labeled Mire Garth, to reach Deepdale Head Farm.
D. When you reach Head farm, the path crossed Coombe Gill. Turn away from the beck and go through fields to the holiday cottage of Mire Garth. Keep below the wall and pass a cottage. Continue to walk roughly parallel to the river as you cross several stiles until a farm track is reached. Continue down the track and turn left along Deepdale Lane. Follow the way to a footbridge, cross and turn right, keeping with s tree-lined beck. Turn up above the fir trees to a gated stile and continue straight ahead. Continue on this path to met the road. Cross the road and continue along the Dales Way and the banks of the River Dee to Church then left on the road which leads back to Dent where the walk finishes.

Start and Finish: Gunnerside
Approximate time for the walk: 4 hours
Distance: 7 miles
Landscape: Former lead mining area with minerals galena, spharlerite, fluorite, barite with St Johns wort, early purple and spotted orchid, wild strawberry, coltsfoot and large bittercress and meadowsweet.
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 30, Yorkshire Dales, Northern and Central areas

Description of the walk:
A. The walk starts from the Kings Head in Gunnerside. From the Kings Head, go along the side of the beck, past the old school. Turn right and exit into a glassy plain which are remains of Bunton Hush and reach fingerpost once again.
B. Go straight up now the gully called Bunton Hush. The path is steep at this point. Turn off and aim for a sheep fold and two iron gateposts. From here you will find a good track and follow this track on the slopes over Melbecks Moor. This path comes to another path which comes from Gunnerside Gill. Turn right and down the slope in an straight direction farmsteads of Winterings.
C. Continue past the old farms of winterings, passing a settlement to reach a gate and tarred road on the right. Take this road which is steep down to Gunnerside village itself.

Start and Finish: Reeth centre
Approximate time for the walk: 5 hours
Distance: 8 miles
Landscape: Lead mine spoil heaps, hushes and bell pits, yellow wagtail and redstart
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 30, Yorkshire Dales, Northern and Central areas

Description of the walk:
A. The walk starts from centre of Reeth. Walk past the Black Bull and Half moon and number of houses and buildings to reach Quaker Lane. Turn right down Quaker Lane to its end and then left immediately heading towards the riverside to meet a swing bridge.
B. Cross over the swing bridge and turn right, upstream with the River Swale which is first is open and then passes into area of wooded area. You reach some stepping stones and stile and continue up by a wall to a road. At the road, turn left for a third of a mile. When you reach the brow of the hill, turn right and head for Hawthorn tree and Maiden Castle hill-fort. Continue to Maiden Castle hill-fort.
C. From the top of the hill fort, head in a south west direction away from that for half mile to meet a reddish-brown tip heap of Harker lead mine and a broad track.
D. Continue along this broad bridleway track to meet a shooting box and onto to the summit of Harker’s Top.
E. Continue straight-along along the summit of the Harker’s Top. Continue straight-ahead when you meet another track, to reach a Grinton beck by a gate.
F. Go through the gate and turn left down a path which leads and descends to Grinto village. When you reach Grinton village, cross a stone bridge over the beck to reach the road. Follow the road through the village of village.
G. After 330 yards, turn right along a walled path which brings back to the River Swale. Follow this path to the swing bridge you encountered on outward route. Go over the swing-bridge and retrace your step back to Reeth.

Start and Finish: West Witton
Approximate time for the walk: 4 hours
Distance: 7 and a half miles
Landscape: Landslips, stepped profile of Penhill, moorland plants, raven, peregrine, curlew, brown hare.
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 30, Yorkshire Dales, Northern and Central areas

Description of the walk:
A. The walk starts at the top west end of the village of West Witton. Turn left and go up the lane in the direction of the caravan site. After turn right on the path, take a steep left turn onto a path, ‘Moor Bank.’ Follow this woodland path as it goes up hill passing through a caravan. Carry straight on, passing over a stream and play area. After this, go diagonally across the field to barn and along a green and path through gated stiles. Continue along the lane and turn left to reach the road. At the road, turn right along the road. After a few yards, you come hairpin bend where you leave the road at this point. Turn sharply through a stile and continue straight-ahead towards Penhill Farm. Continue straight-ahead to reach the road once again. Continue straight-ahead over the road and up the hill. Continue straight-ahead until you see a cattle grid, then turn right through the metal gate. Go straight up the grassy slope which passes through a number of gates and then half right to reach the top of Penhill Beacon.
B. Go along the edge from the Beacon passing through to a wall and gate. At the gate opening in the wall, take the track which descends and zigzags until met the remains of wall near some tip heaps. From here, turn left diagonally heading for a good path and wall, coming down from your right. When you meet this track, turn left and follow the path down to meet a gate and a lane, High Land. At this point, you need to turn right and follow the lane then right to zigzag down a concrete section of the road. Now leave it an hairpin for a grassy and go along a grassy heading towards a small enclosure in the corner of the field.
C. Continue along this path, passing through several fields and over a lane heading towards a road. From near the road, turn diagonally up to a narrow stile and over it to continue straight-ahead which brings you out on the main road once again in the village of West Witton. This where the walk concludes and finishes.

Start and Finish: Askrigg
Approximate time for the walk: 2.5 hours
Distance: 3 and a half miles
Landscape: Yoredale strata in the waterfalls, a coal seam, fossils, wood warbler, nuthatch, common spotted and fragrant orchids.
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 30, Yorkshire Dales, Northern and Central areas

Description of the walk:
A. The walk starts at the church at the west of Askrigg. Follow the down road as you pass over the bridge. Immediately turn left down the left-side the beck to enter a woodland. Continue straight-ahead on path sign-post, ‘Mill Gill only’ to reach the falls.
B. Return to the path that leads up the side of the wood. At the top left corner, leave the wood. Go straight-ahead following the footpath sign for Helm, passing through fields to emerge on a road. Turn right up the road to emerge in Helm.
C. Reach the guesthouse in Helm. Turn right on the path to climb through fields to reach the gill.
D. When you reach the gill. Keep to left-hand of the gill and go up a path as you continue up it towards a footbridge and Whitefield Gill Force.
E. Go over the footbridge and go steeply up the other the other side of the gill to reach Low Straights Lane. Continue along this lane for about 1 mile until just before a ford. Turn right here passing a gate and head straight down through fields. Pass through two gate stiles as path eventually bears left to reach the next corner of the field to a smaller stile. From this stile, bear left at a barn with arched doorway. Continue on this path that leads back to village to village of Askrigg, emerging next to the Crown Inn in Askrigg where the walk concludes and finishes.

Start and Finish: Aysgarth Falls National Park Visitor Centre
Approximate time for the walk: 4 hours
Distance: 7 miles
Landscape: Great scar limestone, good bird watching with lapwing, curlew, redshank
Map: Outdoor Leisure Map 30, Yorkshire Dales, Northern and Central areas

Description of the walk:
A. Start at Aysgarth Falls National Park Visitor Centre. From the visitor centre, turn right along the path to the Middle and Lower Falls. Cross over the road and go straight-ahead to enter Freeholders Wood. Continue straight-forward and follow the signs for Bolton Castle. This sign points away from the river and along a wooden fence. Continue along this path as you pass through Hollins House. After you have passed the house, take the path to the right and go across the meadow. When you reach a wall, don’t go through them. Instead go through two gates whilst keeping the wall on your right. Continue straight-ahead to reach Thoresby Lane. Continue along this narrow lane, will Bolton castle in view. Keep on this narrow lane until you reach Low Thoresby farm. After 50 yards passed Thoresby farm, turn left via a footbridge. Continue straight-ahead passing through two hay meadows to meet a road. Pass over the road with care and go straight-up the opposite road which leads to Bolton Castle. Continue straight-ahead on this road to emerge at Bolton Castle.
B. At Bolton Castle, go round the castle and past the parish church of St Oswald. Walk through a gate and follow the double farm track for next 2 and an half miles. When the farm road ends, continue straight-forward through a gate. Keeping the wall on your left, follow this track after crossing a stream first. Continue along this track for awhile before the path eventually descends to join a walled lane. Continue along this path which leads to a road and in Carperby.
C. Turn right onto the road and go as far as Wheatseaf. Turn right along the path. Continue straight-ahead to pass through a couple fields to emerge Freeholders’s wood. Just inside the wood turn right and then left to emerge once again on another road. Turn left on the road and pass over the railway bridge to emerge once again in Aysgarth Falls National Park Visitor Centre. This where the walk concludes.

For more information and photographs please follow this link about walking in wensleydale

Start and Finish: Lofthouse
Approximate time for the walk: 6 hours
Distance: 11 and a half miles
Landscape: Caves, potholes, underground, river fossils, coal pits. Wildlife includes green woodpecker, little owl, blackcap and yellow cuckoo
Map: O/S Explorer 26 Niderdale

Description of the walk:
A. Starts from the free car park in the centre of Lofthouse. Walk up the through the village on the road. When you reach the first bend, leave the road and go straight-ahead to past a footpath signpost, ‘Thorpe Lane.’ Continue straight-ahead. Follow the river path, with a view over Middlesmoor. This path is the Niddedale Way and follows this path as it goes passed Thorpe Farm and descends to the riverbed. Cross over the river on the large rocks and pass over a stile and continue straight-ahead to reach Limley Farm. At Limley Farm walk into the farm yard and go left cottages, to continue up the left-hand side of the bank of the river. Continue straight-ahead passing Goyden Pot and Manchester Hole, passing over a stile to emerge in a road. Take this access road, to eventually meet the reservoir of Scare House.
B. Follow the Nidderdale Way and right to cross the dam. At other end of the dam, turn half left and go straight up the hillside. Once you reach a large shelter, turn right and follow the path. This path peaty and broad and descends to a wooden bridge. Continue forward after the bridge for another 85 yards before turning left up through some bracken. After 200 yards going upwards, another track comes in view. Turn right along this track and go straight-head along this track for 3 miles. Take no diversions at all and follow this track.
C. Immediately before a shooting house with the tower, take a path and descend steeply. This path leads to Thorpe Farm. When reaching Thorpe Farm, cross the lane and farmyard to go right of the buildings. Head down the path to reach the river bridge. Once you reach the bridge, turn down the river bank passing through four fields, to meet the reservoir road. Walk down the reservoir road for half a mile or so, before turning left over bridge, to emerge in the middle of Lofthouse once again. This is where walk finishes and concludes.

Start and Finish: Glasshouses
Approximate time for the walk: 4 hours
Distance: 8 miles
Landscape: This walk has riverside, woodland and moorland parts to this walk
Map: O/S Explorer 26 Niderdale

Description of the walk:
A. Start from the centre of Glasshouses. Walk from high street pass through the mill yard, clock and walk down towards the river side. When you reach the river, walk up stream next to the river. After three-quarters of a mile, pass under a railway arch, continue past a river footbridge. Eventually, the path turns away from the river side, to cross a small footbridge which leads up to B6165. Continue over the road and head up the path opposite, located between a former mill and twin rounded towers to meet another minor road.
B. Turn left and walk along this minor road and pass over a bridge. Immediately after the bridge, turn right on the path, sign-posted the Nidderdale Way. Continue forward along this path to cross a wooden footbridge to gain the other bank. Continue walking with beck now on your right. Follow the paths as bents and curves round, eventually emerging at a metal stile. Follow the path now to Brimham House and the refreshment kiosk.
C. From Brmham House, go to the right of the refreshment kiosk until you a reach north-south path. When you reach the path, turn left heading in a northerly direction for 500 yards before dropping down on a narrow path to a farm track, turning left. After turning leave the farm, go backwards aiming for a field gate with a wall on your left. . Go to the right of the buildings and left through a metal gate, to follow a line of telephones poles. Continue straight-head until you take the walled path down the hill to cross by a row of cottages.
D. When you passed the last cottage, turn left and cross a field. Then straight on to enter the wood by a small stream. Then turn right to skirt the upper edge of the wood. Proceed through the wood, joining the route of the Nidderdale Way within a few paces. Then turn left along a farm track and leave it follow the yellow topped posts, to climb out of the fell beck. Continue to you meet some cottages.
E. At the cottage, turn left into white houses, by crossing into a gate. Continue along this path until you reach a road, At the road, turn down the road for 200 yards, then turn right through gate. Continue straight head following the path through a few fields to reach a minor road. When you reach the road, walk down the road and you will emerge back at Glasshouses where the walk finishes and concludes.