14th September 2024 - Cracoe Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.9 miles
Total ascent: 2027 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Rylstone-Raikes Lane-Hetton-Moor Lane-Boss Moor Lane-Boss Moor-Threshfield Moor-Moor Lane-Tarns Lane-Linton-Thorpe Lane-Thorpe-Burnsall Fell-Cracoe Fell-Rylstone Cross-Rylstone
For my walk this weekend (also the first one since getting back from the Isle of Skye), I decided to drive the short distance to Rylstone in the Yorkshire Dales, which the Skipton to Grassington road passes through, and do a route that would take me up onto Cracoe Fell, which is part of Barden Moor. I've walked along this edge of Barden Moor several times, and have also done this route before in July 2021, and it offers great views from its gritstone crags on a fine day. The forecast was for a pretty cloudy autumnal day that should improve into the afternoon as the strengthening southwesterly breeze broke the cloud up. Setting off from Rylstone it was dull and cloudy, and it wasn't until I was having my lunch in Linton that the sun started to break through the cloud. I then had a mixture of fair weather cloud and sunny spells for the afternoon, as well as a strong wind on Cracoe Fell, which seems to be par for the course.
After parking in the layby on the B6265 through Rylstone I took Raikes Lane towards Hetton, leaving this for the bridleway on the left when I passed beneath the railway bridge. When I arrived in Hetton I turned right and walked along the road past The Angel at Hetton and took the track of Moor Lane on the left, signposted for Weets Top. I followed this north until I reached a junction of bridleways above Winterburn Reservoir, where I took the bridleway up to Boss Moor Lane. After crossing Boss Moor Lane I took the bridleway north across Boss Moor, then the bridleway east across Threshfield Moor to the western end of the track of Moor Lane. I then walked down Moor Lane to Tarns Lane, which I crossed for the footpath opposite, and followed this east to Well Lane and into Linton. After having my lunch sat on a bench by the village green, I resumed my walk by crossing a footbridge over Linton Beck, then turning right to walk along a lane to its end to reach a footpath to Thorpe Lane. I followed this path southeast across fields to Thorpe Lane, turned left and then walked along Thorpe Lane to its end, turned right and walked down Kail Lane into the village of Thorpe. I kept right when I reached the village green and walked south along the lane to its end, and then took the track up the hillside, and then path to reach Burnsall Fell and the shooting hut by the track along its edge. I then made my way west along the track to its end, and from there followed the path to the war memorial on Cracoe Fell. After taking in the view I made my way southwest along the edge of the moor, keeping on the western side of the wall to reach Rylstone Cross, then from there crossed the stile over the wall and followed the path down to the bridleway from Rylstone across Embsay Moor. I turned right and followed the bridleway down to St. Peter's Church and then back into Rylstone.
Total ascent: 2027 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Rylstone-Raikes Lane-Hetton-Moor Lane-Boss Moor Lane-Boss Moor-Threshfield Moor-Moor Lane-Tarns Lane-Linton-Thorpe Lane-Thorpe-Burnsall Fell-Cracoe Fell-Rylstone Cross-Rylstone
For my walk this weekend (also the first one since getting back from the Isle of Skye), I decided to drive the short distance to Rylstone in the Yorkshire Dales, which the Skipton to Grassington road passes through, and do a route that would take me up onto Cracoe Fell, which is part of Barden Moor. I've walked along this edge of Barden Moor several times, and have also done this route before in July 2021, and it offers great views from its gritstone crags on a fine day. The forecast was for a pretty cloudy autumnal day that should improve into the afternoon as the strengthening southwesterly breeze broke the cloud up. Setting off from Rylstone it was dull and cloudy, and it wasn't until I was having my lunch in Linton that the sun started to break through the cloud. I then had a mixture of fair weather cloud and sunny spells for the afternoon, as well as a strong wind on Cracoe Fell, which seems to be par for the course.
After parking in the layby on the B6265 through Rylstone I took Raikes Lane towards Hetton, leaving this for the bridleway on the left when I passed beneath the railway bridge. When I arrived in Hetton I turned right and walked along the road past The Angel at Hetton and took the track of Moor Lane on the left, signposted for Weets Top. I followed this north until I reached a junction of bridleways above Winterburn Reservoir, where I took the bridleway up to Boss Moor Lane. After crossing Boss Moor Lane I took the bridleway north across Boss Moor, then the bridleway east across Threshfield Moor to the western end of the track of Moor Lane. I then walked down Moor Lane to Tarns Lane, which I crossed for the footpath opposite, and followed this east to Well Lane and into Linton. After having my lunch sat on a bench by the village green, I resumed my walk by crossing a footbridge over Linton Beck, then turning right to walk along a lane to its end to reach a footpath to Thorpe Lane. I followed this path southeast across fields to Thorpe Lane, turned left and then walked along Thorpe Lane to its end, turned right and walked down Kail Lane into the village of Thorpe. I kept right when I reached the village green and walked south along the lane to its end, and then took the track up the hillside, and then path to reach Burnsall Fell and the shooting hut by the track along its edge. I then made my way west along the track to its end, and from there followed the path to the war memorial on Cracoe Fell. After taking in the view I made my way southwest along the edge of the moor, keeping on the western side of the wall to reach Rylstone Cross, then from there crossed the stile over the wall and followed the path down to the bridleway from Rylstone across Embsay Moor. I turned right and followed the bridleway down to St. Peter's Church and then back into Rylstone.
Route map
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On the bridleway from Rylstone to Hetton
Crossing the footbridge over Hetton Beck
Passing The Angel at Hetton
Leaving Hetton on the track of Moor Lane
To my left I can make out Weets Hill and Pendle Hill in the distance
The track of Cross Lane meets Moor Lane with Flasby Fell in the distance on the left
Looking back down Moor Lane to Rylstone Fell
Heading north up Moor Lane to Boss Moor
At top of the track of Moor Lane. I'll turn right here and take the bridleway up to Boss Moor Lane.
Following the bridleway up to Boss Moor Lane..
From Boss Moor Lane I take the bridleway north across Boss Moor to Threshfield Moor..
Now on Threshfield Moor, I follow the bridleway east towards Moor Lane
Wharfedale and the moors above Grassington come into view
Heading east along Moor Lane to Tarns Lane, with to my left, a view to the north of Buckden Pike and Great Whernside beyond Grass Wood...
The village of Threshfield to my left as I take the path from Tarns Lane towards Linton..
The footpath crosses a bridge over the line of the former railway to Grassington
I arrive in Linton at the bridge over Linton Beck
The old packhorse bridge over Linton Beck
The Fountaine Inn. One of the many benches by the village green will be a convenient place to stop for lunch.
Lunch had, I leave the village green by crossing this footbridge, then go right along the lane to its end
Before I cross it, looking along Linton Beck to the old packhorse bridge
Leaving Linton behind with Threshfield Moor and Malham Moor in the distance. The weather is finally brightening up as it was supposed to do. I hope it lasts for the time that I'm up on Cracoe Fell.
Following the path from Linton up to Thorpe Lane..
I have a great view across Wharfedale to Grassington when I look back
Heading east along Thorpe Lane to Thorpe
Looking back along Thorpe Lane with Malham Moor and Holgates Kilnsey Moor in the distance
In the hamlet of Thorpe
Leaving Thorpe I take the track up to Burnsall Fell
Looking back down to Thorpe and across Wharfedale to the moors above Grassington and Hebden as I head uphill..
..and across Wharfedale to Langerton Hill, Burnsall, Appletreewick Pasture, and Simon's Seat
There's a clear path to follow uphill from the gate at the top of the track
A view of Wharfedale as I near the top of the path up onto Burnsall Fell. Grass Wood, Grassington, Buckden Pike, Great Whernside, and Grassington Moor.
Reaching the shooting huts at the top of the path
Looking east across a sunlit Numberstones End and Wharfedale to Simon's Seat..
..and down Wharfedale to Beamsley Beacon and Ilkley Moor
From the shooting huts I follow the track west towards Cracoe Fell
I've got great views across Wharfedale to my right..
Approaching the war memorial on Cracoe Fell
I've stayed on the south side of the wall to take in the view from the crags there. Looking west to the distant hills of the Forest of Bowland on the left; with Rye Loaf Hill, and Kirkby Fell to the left of the memorial.
Buckden Pike and Great Whernside to the right of the memorial
Upper Barden Reservoir below
Burnsall Fell, the high point on the moorland expanse of Barden Moor, after crossing the wall to visit the memorial
Embsay Moor, which is still part of Barden Moor, to the south
Pendle Hill in the distance to the southwest
Looking west to the distant hills of the Forest of Bowland, with Rye Loaf Hill, and Kirkby Fell on the right..
..and up Wharfedale to Buckden Pike, Great Whernside, and Grassington from the war memorial on Cracoe Fell
Looking back to dramatic views up Wharfedale to Buckden Pike and Great Whernside as I follow the wall down to Rylstone Fell..
The crags on this part of the fell provide plenty of photo opportunities...
Looking back along the crags to Cracoe Fell
Approaching the cross on Rylstone Fell, which is on top of the crags just ahead
At Rylstone Cross
Elslack Moor in the distance on the left, with Pendle Hill in the distance beyond Flasby Fell on the right
The Forest of Bowland, Rye Loaf Hill, Kirkby Fell, and Fountains Fell in the distance
Buckden Pike, Great Whernside and Cracoe Fell
Looking back to Rylstone Cross as I follow the path..
..along the edge of the moor towards Waterfall Gill and the bridleway back to Rylstone
On the bridleway back to Rylstone
Late afternoon sunshine on the hillside below Rylstone Cross
and as I look across fields to Rough Haw
On the bridleway to St. Peter's Church in Rylstone
Passing Manor House on the lane back to Rylstone