A Dales Fells Horseshoe a long distance walk through the Yorkshire Dales National Park by John Tew INTRODUCTION A DALES FELLS HORSESHOE The Dales Fells Horseshoe is a long distance walk covering 345 miles throughout the Yorkshire Dales National Park, including areas formerly in Westmorland, now part of Cumbria. You will visit the summit of all the 38 Yorkshire Dales fells over 600 metres and see the finest valley and river scenery. Every step of the way is worthwhile and there is very little road walking. You will have enough time to appreciate the many features of interest en route. The average day is just over 14 miles with 700 metres of climbing. The full circular walk takes 24 days. Alternatively the walk may be divided into The Three Circular Routes using a couple of short links, each circular route taking 8 or 9 days. The Northern (100 miles), Eastern (123 miles) and Western (134 miles) Circular Routes are described in the final chapter, and require two short links. The links, each used in both directions, are shown on separate maps on the LDWA site. 1day The Dales Fells Horseshoe page miles miles metres in day from Settle in day INTRODUCTION 2 1 SETTLE to CLAPHAM 13 14 7/8 14 7/8 790 2 CLAPHAM to CHAPEL LE DALE 19 10 7/8 25 3/4 640 3 CHAPEL LE DALE to INGLETON 23 13 38 3/4 596 4 INGLETON to BARBON 27 17 1/2 56 1/4 841 5 BARBON to COWDUB 34 13 1/2 69 3/4 819 6 COW DUB to SEDBERGH 41 15 3/4 85 1/2 922 7 SEDBERGH to CAUTLEY 46 11 7/8 97 3/8 1171 8 CAUTLEY to GARSDALE HEAD 51 15 1/2 112 7/8 1291 9 GARSDALE HEAD to KIRKBY STEPHEN 56 14 3/4 127 5/8 610 10 KIRKBY STEPHEN to TAN HILL 61 13 1/4 140 7/8 818 11 TAN HILL to MUKER 65 13 1/8 154 392 12 MUKER to CARPERBY 71 15 169 475 13 CARPERBY to HORSEHOUSE 77 12 5/8 181 5/8 538 14 HORSEHOUSE to HEBDEN 83 16 1/2 198 1/8 612 15 HEBDEN to BOLTON ABBEY 89 13 3/4 211 7/8 560 16 BOLTON ABBEY to GRASSINGTON 94 14 5/8 226 1/2 755 17 GRASSINGTON to HUBBERHOLME 99 17 1/2 244 797 18 HUBBERHOLME to COUNTERSETT 105 14 1/4 258 1/4 607 19 COUNTERSETT to SEDBUSK 111 8 3/4 267 270 20 SEDBUSK to HAWES 115 13 1/2 280 1/2 598 21 HAWES to HORTON 118 16 3/4 297 1/4 588 22 HORTON to LITTON 126 16 1/4 313 1/2 819 23 LITTON to ARNCLIFFE 131 14 1/4 327 3/4 603 24 ARNCLIFFE to SETTLE 138 17 3/8 345 1/8 793 THE THREE CIRCULAR ROUTES 145 2 A DALES FELLS HORSESHOE The route was not easy to work out, but as with most ideas seemed obvious as the final plan emerged. The solution was to follow the boundary around in a clockwise arc, followed by an internal loop. The walk in effect follows the perimeter of a horseshoe, hence the title. The walk is 'circular', beginning and ending in Settle, where there are good communications by both road and rail. Few walkers will have 24 consecutive days of freedom in which to indulge themselves. How often do we experience 24 consecutive days of good visibility? There is no need to despair. Why not wait for fine weather? You could use public transport, two cars or a "transport manager" to complete the walk in smaller sections. The Settle-Carlisle railway may be useful. Tackle the walk in order and your sense of achievement will remain undiminished. The route crosses motor roads in several places, (marked R on the day tables) enabling shorter or longer day lengths to suit the individual. Stronger walkers could certainly complete days 18, 19 and 20 in two long days, staying overnight in Bainbridge or Askrigg. Given two cars or a taxi service, the less robust could walk the route in 40 days averaging 8 1/2 miles per day. With 345 map miles of ground to cover and over 10 miles (over 55000 feet) of vertical height to gain (and lose), the Horseshoe is certainly a physical challenge. However it is well within the competence of the regular walker. The terrain varies greatly. Many sections are pathless. There are some sections of rough wet ground. On occasions a compass is essential even in clear visibility. A companion is not a bad idea, although I walked most of it alone, albeit in good weather conditions. For the most part, however, the going is very reasonable. Unlike the Pennine Way, the Horseshoe is unlikely to suffer the humiliation of miles of paving slabs. Remarkably the Horseshoe only occasionally coincides with the Coast to Coast, Pennine Way or Dales Way, and only when it is absolutely necessary to meet the Horseshoe's aims. Given fine weather, each day provides magnificently varied walking and sustained interest. It is hard to choose the best of the 24 days. That is certainly not the case with the Pennine Way and even the Coast to Coast has its less attractive sections. Clear visibility will certainly add to your enjoyment of the walk. Although there is much of interest close to hand, those distant wide landscapes provide the best memories. Try walking at different times of the year. The landscape varies enormously from season to season. Probably the best time to go is May, when the moorland birds and wayside wild flowers are at their best. Lambs fill the pastures and the grouse shooting has not begun. Yet the heather moorland is wonderful in early September and the hay making a delight in summer. Some sections will be memorable on a fine winter day with full waterfalls and snow on the fell tops. However, the days are short and the moorland arduous. Full winter equipment, fitness and experience are then essential. 3 A DALES FELLS HORSESHOE An adequate description of the local and natural history of the Dales is beyond the scope of this guide. However, the underlying geology has produced a diverse landscape of heather moorland and rugged escarpments of limestone and gritstone, such as those forming Ingleborough. These look down onto fascinating areas of limestone pavement, potholes, caves and gorges. The route passes at least 20 caves and potholes, many with streams flowing in or out. The river scenery is the finest in Britain. See forty magnificent waterfalls tumbling over limestone blocks, such as those near Aysgarth and Keld. The route passes through over forty settlements, many of them architectural gems in their unspoilt pastoral dales, characterised by small enclosures, countless gap stiles and scattered barns. There is no doubt that knowledge of local and natural history will add immense interest to the walk. However, if you are just a humble walker, then simply enjoy the exercise, the peace and the ever-changing views. This guide is for you. It tells you where and how far there is to go. It describes the views. You will find accurate sketch maps, all pointing North up the page, drawn to a scale of just over one inch to the mile. Roads are shown in grey, rivers in black. There is a detailed but clear and concise description of the route, including compass bearings at each change of direction. Routine use of the compass gives confidence that you are on route. Going astray on a long distance walk is irritating to say the least! However details of the route will inevitably change over time. MAPS The sketch maps are not a substitute for the real thing! Three 1:25000 Ordnance Survey maps are essential. Outdoor Leisure no. 2 Yorkshire Dales Southern & Western Outdoor Leisure no. 30 Yorkshire Dales Northern & Central Outdoor Leisure no. 19 Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley 4 A DALES FELLS HORSESHOE GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE From Settle, the walk meanders through the limestone country of Ribblesdale and Crummackdale towards Clapham. There is a constant stream of fascinating features, including Langcliffe village, Catrigg Force, the stepping- stones at Stainforth, Stainforth Force, the Celtic Wall, and the view of Ribblesdale from Smearsett Scar. Moughton, with a dry waterfall, a forest of juniper growing from the pavement near the summit and a fine view towards Pen y Ghent, is quite unique. The limestone escarpments around the head of Crummackdale are magnificent. The dale has much of geological interest. The pride of place must go to the erratic boulder field of Norber. Here the older slate boulders, transported from a lower level by moving ice, stand on plinths of younger limestone. The second day allows time for a visit to Ingleborough Cave. The route passes Gaping Ghyll on the way to Simon Fell and Ingleborough. This is deservedly the most popular fell in the Dales and a place of pilgrimage for Yorkshire men. The descent via White Scar reveals Ingleborough's best features and several interesting potholes on the way to Chapel le Dale. The third day will please railway enthusiasts passing Ribblehead Viaduct on the way to the summit of Whernside, the highest point on the journey. Meet more magnificent limestone scenery before the waterfalls walk leads into Ingleton. Day four explores Kingsdale and Yorda’s Cave before traversing Gragareth, Great Coum and Crag Hill. Thereafter the route strays briefly into Lancashire to explore the interesting limestone scenery of Ease Gill and Bull Pot of the Witches.