18th August 2024 - Around Colsterdale
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.5 miles
Total ascent: 1847 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas, 298 - Nidderdale, and 302 - Northallerton & Thirsk
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Gollinglith Foot-Six Dales Trail-Hambleton Litch-Grimes Gill-Pott Moor High Road-Pott Moor-Dale Edge-South Haw-Steel House Gill-Colsterdale-Gollinglith Ridge-Twin Standing Stones-Coal Road-Gollinglith Foot
This time last year I paid my first proper visit to the little known and secretive valley of Colsterdale in the Yorkshire Dales, which is the valley of the River Burn and joins the River Ure just south of Masham. I had walked across from the neighbouring valley of Coverdale on a walk in August 2022, but the route that I tried turned out to be a bit too long, and not particularly practical given the condition of some of the public rights of way. Given the fine display of flowering heather that I'd seen on both occasions I knew what time of year any future visits would be done in. The route that I followed was more or less the same as that done last year, starting from Gollinglith Foot in Colsterdale, except that I took in the moorland of Hambleton Litch and Grimes Gill. I had planned on doing so last year but confusion over route finding meant that I didn't. The forecast was for a day of good summer weather with a mixture of fair weather clouds and sunny spells. This proved to be the case, and I enjoyed some great views of the heather covered moors around Colsterdale.
After parking by the side of the road at Gollinglith Foot I crossed the footbridge over the River Burn and took the trail of the Six Dales Trail. I followed this south across Spruce Gill Beck and up to Pickersgill House, up to the t-junction on the road above, then up the road to Towler Hill. I left the Six Dales Trail here and followed a track west, then northwest to a gate, access land, and the moorland of Hambleton Litch. Once through the gate I took the track west across the moor, then south down into and across Grimes Gill, then up towards Grimes Gill House, and out to Pott Moor High Road. I walked up Pott Moor High Road to reach the track up onto Pott Moor, which I followed west across Pott Moor to the bridleway on Dale Edge above Nidderdale, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I followed the bridleway north and west along Dale Edge, then took the bridleway north up the moor towards South Haw, and when the gate at the top of the bridleway was reached I made the short ascent to the top of South Haw. Once I'd taken in the view I made my way back down to the bridleway, which I followed north down into Steel House Gill. This bridleway soon joined a track and I walked down this into Colsterdale, crossing the River Burn at a ford to reach a shooting hut, and soon after passing this I took the upper one of two tracks along the side of Gollinglith Ridge. I followed this east and then south up onto Gollinglith Ridge, from where I could reach the Twin Standing Stones. After taking in the view I returned to the track and made my way down to the Coal Road opposite the bridge over the River Burn to High House Farm. I then followed the Coal Road all the way down to Gollinglith Foot, where I crossed the footbridge over the River Burn to return to where I'd parked my car.
Total ascent: 1847 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas, 298 - Nidderdale, and 302 - Northallerton & Thirsk
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Gollinglith Foot-Six Dales Trail-Hambleton Litch-Grimes Gill-Pott Moor High Road-Pott Moor-Dale Edge-South Haw-Steel House Gill-Colsterdale-Gollinglith Ridge-Twin Standing Stones-Coal Road-Gollinglith Foot
This time last year I paid my first proper visit to the little known and secretive valley of Colsterdale in the Yorkshire Dales, which is the valley of the River Burn and joins the River Ure just south of Masham. I had walked across from the neighbouring valley of Coverdale on a walk in August 2022, but the route that I tried turned out to be a bit too long, and not particularly practical given the condition of some of the public rights of way. Given the fine display of flowering heather that I'd seen on both occasions I knew what time of year any future visits would be done in. The route that I followed was more or less the same as that done last year, starting from Gollinglith Foot in Colsterdale, except that I took in the moorland of Hambleton Litch and Grimes Gill. I had planned on doing so last year but confusion over route finding meant that I didn't. The forecast was for a day of good summer weather with a mixture of fair weather clouds and sunny spells. This proved to be the case, and I enjoyed some great views of the heather covered moors around Colsterdale.
After parking by the side of the road at Gollinglith Foot I crossed the footbridge over the River Burn and took the trail of the Six Dales Trail. I followed this south across Spruce Gill Beck and up to Pickersgill House, up to the t-junction on the road above, then up the road to Towler Hill. I left the Six Dales Trail here and followed a track west, then northwest to a gate, access land, and the moorland of Hambleton Litch. Once through the gate I took the track west across the moor, then south down into and across Grimes Gill, then up towards Grimes Gill House, and out to Pott Moor High Road. I walked up Pott Moor High Road to reach the track up onto Pott Moor, which I followed west across Pott Moor to the bridleway on Dale Edge above Nidderdale, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I followed the bridleway north and west along Dale Edge, then took the bridleway north up the moor towards South Haw, and when the gate at the top of the bridleway was reached I made the short ascent to the top of South Haw. Once I'd taken in the view I made my way back down to the bridleway, which I followed north down into Steel House Gill. This bridleway soon joined a track and I walked down this into Colsterdale, crossing the River Burn at a ford to reach a shooting hut, and soon after passing this I took the upper one of two tracks along the side of Gollinglith Ridge. I followed this east and then south up onto Gollinglith Ridge, from where I could reach the Twin Standing Stones. After taking in the view I returned to the track and made my way down to the Coal Road opposite the bridge over the River Burn to High House Farm. I then followed the Coal Road all the way down to Gollinglith Foot, where I crossed the footbridge over the River Burn to return to where I'd parked my car.
Route map
From Gollinglith Foot I take the trail of the Six Dales Trail up to Pickersgill House
Looking back across Colsterdale as I reach the road junction above Spout House
Walking up the road to Towler Hill
Passing Towler Hill I follow a track up to the edge of access land
Looking back as I reach the edge of access land
The track takes me west across the moorland of Hambleton Litch
The heather is putting on a good display on this moorland..
The moorland that separates Colsterdale and Nidderdale on the skyline as I follow the track west
Looking back across the moorland of Hambleton Litch
At a junction of tracks I turn left and take the one south to Grimes Gill
To my right, the heather covered Masham Moor
Following the track down into Grimes Gill..
Looking back as I follow the track uphill from Grimes Gill..
Following the track to Pott Moor High Road
Walking up Pott Moor High Road
Purple heather with blue skies above from the moorland by the side of the road
Arnagill Moor and High Ash Head Moor to my left..
A milestone next to the road
Leaving Pott Moor High Road I take the track up Pott Moor
A great display of heather on the moorland next to it
Heather covered moors around Grimes Gill
Great views as I look back down the track to the valley of Pott Beck
Crossing Pott Moor
Looking across the valley of Pott Beck to High Ash Head Moor
I reach the gate at the top of the track, and before I pass through a look north along the moorland wall to Throstle Hill on Masham Moor
On the other side of the gate and a fence heads south towards Ouster Bank
Looking back across Pott Moor
Passing a boundary stone
As I cross the top of the moor the view towards the head of Nidderdale appears..
After a break for lunch, I take in the view of In Moor, Great Whernside, Little Whernside and Carle Fell around the head of Nidderdale
Heading north along the bridleway on Dale Edge
Looking back south to Thrope Edge
Great views of Nidderdale as I follow the bridleway west..
As the track heads downhill with the plantation below on the left it's my cue to leave it for the bridleway up to South Haw and across to Colsterdale
Looking across Nidderdale to In Moor..
..and down Nidderdale to Thrope Edge as I follow the bridleway uphill
Approaching South Haw
I reach the gate at the top of the bridleway. A short climb up the hillside on the right will take me to the top of South Haw.
On the top of South Haw. Great Haw to the northwest.
Looking towards Great Whernside and the other fells around the head of Nidderdale
Steel House Moor, East Scrafton Moor, and Caldbergh Moor to the north
Looking east across Masham Moor to Colsterdale, with Lower Wensleydale in the distance
I've made my way down from South Haw and back onto the bridleway that crosses the moor to its west. A clear track descends into Colsterdale to where Steel House Gill and Long Gill meet and the River Burn begins...
Following the track east above the River Burn..
Passing the shooting house that's on the map
Looking up Thorny Grane Gill from by the shooting house
Looking back to the shooting house below Thorny Grane Moor. I'm glad that the sun is out, it needs to be to really bring out the purple of the heather.
Colsterdale Moor on the other side of the River Burn
Taking the higher of two tracks I head up along the side of Gollinglith Ridge
Colsterdale Moor and High House Farm
The reason for taking the track up onto Gollinglith Ridge, the Twin Standing Stones that are marked on the map. There's a great view of the moorland around the top of Colsterdale from them.
Looking across Colsterdale to Colsterdale Moor, with Agra Moor and Slipstone Crags in the distance on the right
High House Farm and Colsterdale Moor to the north
Leaving Gollinglith Ridge I head down to join the track of the Coal Road
I follow the track of Coal Road east above the River Burn
Looking back along the Coal Road and up onto Colsterdale Moor
The scattered hamlet of Colsterdale on the side of Colsterdale Moor, along with Slipstone Crags on the skyline beyond
Walking east along the Coal Road..
The wooded Birk Gill, with Slipstone Crags up on the right
The final descent along Coal Road to Gollinglith Foot