Horsehead and Open Access walk offers a diversity of landscape – from riverside and wooded pathways in the valley bottoms, to open moorland – and has rewarding views of The Three Peaks of and a bird’s eye view of Upper .

Start: Buckden National Park car park (GPS: SD 942 773) Distance: 17km (10.5 miles) Highest point: 610m Time: Allow 5 to 7 hours Grade: Difficult Notes: There is a car park and toilets at the start point, and a pub at . The route has sections on open moorland with no obvious path, so a map and navigational skills are essential. There are a few short sections on quiet roads where care should be taken, and the route is wet and boggy in places, especially in the peat land areas.

1. (GPS: SD 942 773) Walk out of the car park past the toilets and cross the road. Cross the village green and turn right along the road. Walk along here for 200m.

2. (GPS: SD 939 773) Take the footpath on your right for the and follow the riverside path until you reach the road. Keep your eyes open for Kingfishers and Dippers along here.

3. (GPS: SD 932 779) Turn right here and follow the road to Hubberholme.

4. (GPS: SD 926 782) Go over the river bridge opposite the pub and follow the road past the church. Pass through the small farm yard in front of you, continuing to follow signs for the Dales Way, which leads you along the riverside path to Yockenthwiate.

5. (GPS: SD 904 790) Follow the footpath through the farmyard and over bridge to meet the tarmac road. Turn left here and walk along the road for approximately 50m.

6. (GPS: SD 904 789) On your right is a visible path leaving the road, marked by a wooden post further up the slope. For a shortcut, follow this path to join the bridleway higher up. Alternatively, continue along the road for another 350m and pick up the marked Bridleway on your right, through Raisgill Farm.

7. (GPS: SD 901 783) Continue along the bridleway, keeping Hagg beck on your left until you reach the wall on the ridge at the summit.

8. (GPS: SD 889 776) At the wall you have two options: a) Go through the gate and turn right to walk to the trig point of Horse Head summit (GPS: SD 887 779). On a clear day you are rewarded with fine views of in the south, Plover Hill (foreground) and Pen-y-ghent (behind it) in the south west. is in the west, with to the north west, Shunner Fell to the north and in the East. On a very clear day you can see over to the Lakeland Fells in the north west. Retrace your steps and go back through the gate. Walk in a south-easterly direction along the ridge, keeping the wall on your right. b) Do not go through the gate to Horse Head summit, but turn left and walk in a south-easterly direction along the ridge, keeping the wall on your right.

9. (GPS: SD 894 768) Handrail the fence on your right here. It can be very boggy along this section.

10. (GPS: SD 904 764) At the wall, go through the double timber gate stile and continue, with the wall still on your right.

11. (GPS: SD 911 767) Go through the kissing gate and continue.

12. (GPS: SD 917 763) Go through the double timber gate stile and head exactly east towards the edge of the ridge, from where you can enjoy the view of Wharfedale and Buckden village below. From here follow the derelict wall in a south easterly direction until you pick up the visible track, keeping Birks Tarn on your right.

13. (GPS: SD 926 752) When you meet the wall do not go through it, but turn left and follow the bridleway, which is sign posted all the way back down to Dubbs Lane.

14. (GPS: SD 936 774) At the lane turn right and follow it back to the car park in the village.