Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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12th September 2020 - Grassington Moor and Capplestone Gate

Walk Details

Distance walked: 13.8 miles

Total ascent: 2225 ft

OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: Conistone-Conistone Dib-Old Pasture-Bare House-New Pasture Edge-Yarnbury-Old Moor Lane-Grassington Lead Mines-Grassington Moor-Black Edge-Bycliffe-Kelber Gate-Bycliffe Road-Conistone Turf Road-Capplestone Gate-Highgate Leys Lane-Dales Way-Conistone Pie-Scot Gate Lane-Conistone


A bright and very breezy day for a walk on the moors above Wharfedale. I'm very familiar with these moors to the east of Grassington and Conistone having done several walks across them in recent years. My route was a variation of one that I did in September last year, but this time taking in the moors to the east of Conistone, the ruins of the disused Grassington Lead Mines, Grassington Moor, the trig point at Capplestone Gate and the trail of the Dales Way. I had a mixture of cloud and sunshine, and a strong wind high up, for taking in the views across the moorland of Wharfedale.

From where I parked by Conistone Bridge I walked up through the hamlet of Conistone and took the footpath up Conistone Dib. Once past Bull Scar I took a footpath on the right and followed it up and across Old Pasture to reach Bare House on Back Pasture, from where I took the path southeast along New Pasture Edge to the hamlet of Yarnbury and the top of Moor Lane. I then turned left and walked up the track of Old Moor Lane to the ruins of the disused Grassington Lead Mines, then up the track north onto Grassington Moor and then northwest below Black Edge. When the track joined the bridleway in Mossdale I turned left and followed it southwest to Kelber Gate and onto the track of Bycliffe Road, where at a left turn I took the footpath of the Conistone Turf Road up to the trig point at Capplestone Gate. Once I'd taken in the view I passed through a gate in the wall behind and followed a path north along the hillside above, through disused mines and until I reached a footpath on the left, which I took and followed down a track to the track of Highgate Leys Lane and the trail of the Dales Way. I then followed the Dales Way south to Conistone Pie and to the top of Scot Gate Lane, where I turned right and walked down the track to Conistone and where I was parked.

Route map
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© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

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Kilnsey Crag and the River Wharfe from Conistone Bridge
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Passing through the hamlet of Conistone
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and the narrow entrance to Conistone Dib
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Passing beneath Bull Scar on the right. I'll leave this dry valley via a path just ahead on the right.
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Onto the limestone pastures above Wharfedale
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Looking back across Wharfedale
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Cracoe Fell in the distance on the left, with the limestone pavements of Lea Green lit by the sun
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A great view of Wharfedale as I look back while heading up onto Back Pasture
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Looking across Wharfedale to Cracoe Fell and Threshfield Moor
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Past Bare House
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On the path across Downs Pasture
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Looking back across Downs Pasture to Bare House and High Barn
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On the path across New Pasture Edge
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Cracoe Fell and Threshfield Moor from New Pasture Edge
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Approaching the hamlet of Yarnbury
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Looking back to Yarnbury as I take the track of Old Moor Lane up onto Grassington Moor
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The track takes me up to the ruins of the Grassington Lead Mines........
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Coalgrove Beck Reservoir
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The ruins of the High Winding House
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More disused mines as I follow the track up onto Grassington Moor....
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The lead in the soil that's been left behind from the mining means that nothing can grow. It creates a bleak and stark landscape.
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Following the track to Black Edge
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Looking back down Wharfedale with Cracoe Fell on the right, from the track beneath Black Edge
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Approaching Mossdale
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Heading for Kelber Gate
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Looking back to Mossdale Scar with Black Edge above
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The fells around Littondale and Wharfedale come into view as I reach Kelber Gate
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Heading down the track of Bycliffe Road
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The trig point at Capplestone Gate appears above
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Fountains Fell, Darnbrook Fell, Plover Hill and Old Cote Moor Top from the trig point at Capplestone Gate
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Looking across Wharfedale to Cracoe Fell and Threshfield Moor
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and to Threshfield Moor, Malham Moor and Kilnsey Moor
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Old Cote Moor Top, Yockenthwaite Moor and Buckden Pike
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The moorland of Black Edge with Barden Fell in the distance
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The lengthening shadows highlight the limestone scars on the sides of the fells around Littondale and Wharfedale..
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Cracoe Fell and Threshfield Moor..
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..and Old Cote Moor Top, Yockenthwaite Moor and Buckden Pike from the path across New Close Allotments
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Looking back up to the gritstone edge of Capplestone Gate above the limestone moorland of New Close Allotments
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Wharfedale as I reach the track of Highgate Leys Lane and the trail of the Dales Way
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Looking up Wharfedale to Yockenthwaite Moor from Swineber Scar
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Following the Dales Way south to Conistone Pie
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On the way there I have great views of the countryside around where Littondale and Wharfedale meet....
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Littondale, Old Cote Moor Top and Wharfedale from Conistone Pie..
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Malham Moor, Kilnsey and Kilnsey Crag
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Looking back to Conistone Pie as I follow the Dales Way south
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Heading down the track of Scot Gate Lane to Conistone
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Wharfedale, Littondale and Hawkswick Moor
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The church of St. Mary's in Conistone
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Back in Conistone

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2022                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Lake District Walks
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