15th January 2022 - Great Haw to Thrope Edge
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.1 miles
Total ascent: 2188 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Lofthouse-Middlesmoor-In Moor Lane-Scar House Reservoir-Carle Fell Road-Carle Fell Side Quarry-North Moor-Great Haw-Little Haw-Dale Edge-Thrope Edge-Trapping Hill-Lofthouse
I'd had this route in mind for a few weeks but I was waiting for a fine day to give it a try. Since my first visit to Nidderdale in 2019 I've been gradually getting to know it better and better, and with this walk I'd be taking in another new bit of territory, North Moor to the west of Woo Gill, and Great Haw. This was a thoroughly enjoyable walk with some great views, especially from Dale Edge and Thrope Edge which I was already familiar with, but it was that of the head of Nidderdale from Carle Fell Side above Scar House Reservoir that I particularly liked. The forecast of a fine winter's day proved to be correct, and I had a mixture of cloud and sunny spells, light winds, and every now and then a bit of mist down in the valley. This and the patchy cloud that was around in the middle of the afternoon gave a great light for photography while I was on Dale Edge and Thrope Edge.
After parking in Lofthouse I got onto and followed the footpath up to Middlesmoor, walked through the village, then took the track of In Moor Lane across In Moor and down to Scar House Reservoir. I then made my way across the dam of the reservoir and up to the track of Carle Fell Road, which I briefly followed east before taking the track up to the disused Carle Fell Side Quarry on the hillside above. I kept on the track as it looped up through the quarry, then east and north across North Moor and Woo Gill before it finally petered out approaching Haugh Crags. This left me with a short pathless walk up to the top of Great Haw. After a brief pause to take in the view I followed the fence southeast to Little Haw, where I stopped for a later than planned lunch. After this much needed break I made a short descent to the west from Little Haw to pick up the bridleway south back towards Nidderdale. This bridleway met another one, which I took and followed east to Dale Edge, then south to Lofthouse Moor and along Thrope Edge to a shooting house. Just past this as the bridleway heads east I went through a gate on the right and took the bridleway south down to the road down Trapping Hill. I then walked down the road, taking the short-cut of a footpath down a couple of fields, back to Lofthouse.
Total ascent: 2188 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Lofthouse-Middlesmoor-In Moor Lane-Scar House Reservoir-Carle Fell Road-Carle Fell Side Quarry-North Moor-Great Haw-Little Haw-Dale Edge-Thrope Edge-Trapping Hill-Lofthouse
I'd had this route in mind for a few weeks but I was waiting for a fine day to give it a try. Since my first visit to Nidderdale in 2019 I've been gradually getting to know it better and better, and with this walk I'd be taking in another new bit of territory, North Moor to the west of Woo Gill, and Great Haw. This was a thoroughly enjoyable walk with some great views, especially from Dale Edge and Thrope Edge which I was already familiar with, but it was that of the head of Nidderdale from Carle Fell Side above Scar House Reservoir that I particularly liked. The forecast of a fine winter's day proved to be correct, and I had a mixture of cloud and sunny spells, light winds, and every now and then a bit of mist down in the valley. This and the patchy cloud that was around in the middle of the afternoon gave a great light for photography while I was on Dale Edge and Thrope Edge.
After parking in Lofthouse I got onto and followed the footpath up to Middlesmoor, walked through the village, then took the track of In Moor Lane across In Moor and down to Scar House Reservoir. I then made my way across the dam of the reservoir and up to the track of Carle Fell Road, which I briefly followed east before taking the track up to the disused Carle Fell Side Quarry on the hillside above. I kept on the track as it looped up through the quarry, then east and north across North Moor and Woo Gill before it finally petered out approaching Haugh Crags. This left me with a short pathless walk up to the top of Great Haw. After a brief pause to take in the view I followed the fence southeast to Little Haw, where I stopped for a later than planned lunch. After this much needed break I made a short descent to the west from Little Haw to pick up the bridleway south back towards Nidderdale. This bridleway met another one, which I took and followed east to Dale Edge, then south to Lofthouse Moor and along Thrope Edge to a shooting house. Just past this as the bridleway heads east I went through a gate on the right and took the bridleway south down to the road down Trapping Hill. I then walked down the road, taking the short-cut of a footpath down a couple of fields, back to Lofthouse.
Route map
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Great looking sky as I follow the footpath from Lofthouse up to the church of St. Chad's in Middlesmoor..
and the view down Nidderdale to Gouthwaite Reservoir from the top of the path isn't too bad either
From Middlesmoor I take the track of In Moor Lane (which is part of the Nidderdale Way), which gives me a great view down Nidderdale when I turn around...
Stean Moor, Meugher, Riggs Moor and the valley of How Stean Beck to my left
A last look back down Nidderdale to Gouthwaite Reservoir before the bridleway reaches its summit
As In Moor Lane approaches its summit the fells around the head of Nidderdale begin to come into view..
Meugher, Riggs Moor and Great Whernside beyond the expanse of Kay Head Allotment
Little Whernside ahead as In Moor Lane crosses the top of In Moor and heads down to Scar House Reservoir..
Great reflections in Scar House Reservoir as I follow the Nidderdale Way down to and across its dam....
Looking down on Scar House Reservoir from the track up to the disused Carle Fell Side Quarry
There isn't much left of any of the buildings that there might have been. The track I'm on loops round on itself and passes beneath the rock face above.
There's a great view of the head of Nidderdale from up here
Following the track east through the quarry
Looking across Scar House Reservoir to the moorland of Woodale Moss
Scar House Reservoir, Angram Reservoir, Great Whernside and Little Whernside
Following the track out of the quarry and onto North Moor..
..and there's a great view across Nidderdale to Dale Edge and Thrope Edge..
Looking down Nidderdale from North Moor
and again as I cross the top of Woo Gill
After crossing Woo Gill the track peters out as it heads up to Haugh Crags, which is just a scattering of boulders, and then there's a boggy trudge up to the top of Great Haw
The view from the featureless and boggy top of Great Haw. To the southwest and west, Great Whernside, Little Whernside and Buckden Pike.
Then from west round to northwest is Carle Fell and Coverdale Tarn, with sunshine on Fleensop Moor on the other side of Coverdale
Finally, looking across Coverdale to Harland Hill and Height of Hazely
I was looking for this boundary stone on the top of Great Haw, but after a closer look at the map I found it next to the fence at the top of York Dike
Leaving Great Haw to follow the fence to Little Haw..
..and I have a view down Nidderdale to my right
Looking back to Great Haw as I approach the top of Little Haw
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The boundary stone on the top of Little Haw
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Looking east across Masham Moor to Colsterdale, with a fog filled Lower Wensleydale and the outline of the North York Moors in the distance
A misty Nidderdale to the south
Great looking sky above Great Haw as I follow the bridleway from Little Haw down to Dale Edge
This frozen pool on the moor and the mistiness makes for an atmospheric shot
More of Nidderdale comes into view as I reach Dale Edge
Great Whernside, Scar House Reservoir and North Moor from the bridleway on Dale Edge
Heading east along Dale Edge
Views of Nidderdale and its surrounding moorland as I follow the bridleway east and then south towards Thrope Edge....
Looking back north along Dale Edge
At the crossroads of the bridleways at the southern end of Dale Edge. The return of some sunshine has created a fantastic light for taking in the view of the head of Nidderdale.
Looking east across Pott Moor
Great Whernside and Little Whernside in the distance, with In Moor and North Moor to the south and north of Nidderdale..
Heading south along Thrope Edge
Looking across Nidderdale to Stean Moor and In Moor
The shooting house on Thrope Edge
A bit further south along Thrope Edge from the shooting house and I find a spot to take in the view up Nidderdale to Dale Edge. The setting sun is giving the moorland an almost orange glow..
Great views down Nidderdale to Gouthwaite Reservoir and to Fountains Earth Moor as I follow the bridleway down to Trapping Hill..
Walking down the road of Trapping Hill with Stean Moor on the other side of Nidderdale
The sun sets over Nidderdale
Heading back down to Lofthouse in the fading light..
