1st September 2019 - Simon's Seat
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.5 miles
Total ascent: 1968 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Grimwith Reservoir-High Shaws Lathe-Nursery Knot-B6265-Black Hill Road-Forest Road-Little Pock Stones-Great Pock Stones-Lord's Seat-Simon's Seat-Dalehead Farm-High Skyreholme-Middle Skyreholme-Skyreholme Beck-New Road-Appletreewick Pasture-B6265-Grimwith Reservoir
My walk this weekend took me to Wharfedale and an old favourite, Simon's Seat on Barden Fell. After quite a bit of poring over my OS map I managed to come up with a new route to the summit, one that would also take me along paths and tracks that I haven't walked before and up onto Pock Stones Moor. My starting point of Grimwith Reservoir was somewhere new as well. It was a really enjoyable walk and one that I would definitely do again. The weather forecast for the day was a bit mixed and I expected to see a shower or two at some point during the afternoon, with a strong wind up on the moors to go with them. It stayed dry with sunny spells and fair weather clouds into the early afternoon, then the showers arrived. I got caught by quite a few during the second half of the walk and I took advantage of what shelter was on offer on the moors while they passed through. As compensation sunshine and showers does make for some great looking skies.
From the car park above Grimwith Reservoir I took the track then footpath down to its shore and followed it round to the east to High Shaws Lathe, where I then made my way southeast along a footpath to Nursery Knott and the B6265. I had a short walk west down this road to reach the byway of Black Hill Road, which I followed south to its junction with the byways of Skyreholme Bank and Forest Road, where I turned left and took the byway of Forest Road east up onto Pock Stones Moor. I left the byway at its summit to visit Little Pock Stones, where I took a break, then went back to the track and crossed it, then followed the wall up onto the moor to Great Pock Stones. I then continued by the wall west up onto Barden Fell and the rocky outcrops of Lord's Seat, then from there it was a short walk west to the trig point on the summit of Simon's Seat. After another break I left Simon's Seat by taking the path north down to Dalehead Farm, then from there I followed the footpath north down to and across Blands Beck and up to High Skyreholme. I then walked west down the road to Middle Skyreholme, turned right and walked along the lane to Parcevall Hall, where I took the footpath north by Skyreholme Beck to Trollers Gill and up to New Road. A walk southwest along New Road to a left hand bend took me to a byway north to the B6265, which I crossed, and the track opposite was followed back to the car park above Grimwith Reservoir.
Total ascent: 1968 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Grimwith Reservoir-High Shaws Lathe-Nursery Knot-B6265-Black Hill Road-Forest Road-Little Pock Stones-Great Pock Stones-Lord's Seat-Simon's Seat-Dalehead Farm-High Skyreholme-Middle Skyreholme-Skyreholme Beck-New Road-Appletreewick Pasture-B6265-Grimwith Reservoir
My walk this weekend took me to Wharfedale and an old favourite, Simon's Seat on Barden Fell. After quite a bit of poring over my OS map I managed to come up with a new route to the summit, one that would also take me along paths and tracks that I haven't walked before and up onto Pock Stones Moor. My starting point of Grimwith Reservoir was somewhere new as well. It was a really enjoyable walk and one that I would definitely do again. The weather forecast for the day was a bit mixed and I expected to see a shower or two at some point during the afternoon, with a strong wind up on the moors to go with them. It stayed dry with sunny spells and fair weather clouds into the early afternoon, then the showers arrived. I got caught by quite a few during the second half of the walk and I took advantage of what shelter was on offer on the moors while they passed through. As compensation sunshine and showers does make for some great looking skies.
From the car park above Grimwith Reservoir I took the track then footpath down to its shore and followed it round to the east to High Shaws Lathe, where I then made my way southeast along a footpath to Nursery Knott and the B6265. I had a short walk west down this road to reach the byway of Black Hill Road, which I followed south to its junction with the byways of Skyreholme Bank and Forest Road, where I turned left and took the byway of Forest Road east up onto Pock Stones Moor. I left the byway at its summit to visit Little Pock Stones, where I took a break, then went back to the track and crossed it, then followed the wall up onto the moor to Great Pock Stones. I then continued by the wall west up onto Barden Fell and the rocky outcrops of Lord's Seat, then from there it was a short walk west to the trig point on the summit of Simon's Seat. After another break I left Simon's Seat by taking the path north down to Dalehead Farm, then from there I followed the footpath north down to and across Blands Beck and up to High Skyreholme. I then walked west down the road to Middle Skyreholme, turned right and walked along the lane to Parcevall Hall, where I took the footpath north by Skyreholme Beck to Trollers Gill and up to New Road. A walk southwest along New Road to a left hand bend took me to a byway north to the B6265, which I crossed, and the track opposite was followed back to the car park above Grimwith Reservoir.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Views across Grimwith Reservoir as I follow the path east above its southern shore from the car park...
The restored cruck barn of High Shaws Lathe
Grimwith Reservoir as I take the path towards Nursery Knot
There are dramatic skies with fast moving clouds over the moors this morning
The limestone knoll of Nursery Knott appears ahead
The moors around Grimwith Reservoir with those around Wharfedale beyond
Grimwith Reservoir from Nursery Knot
A gloomy Barden Moor in the distance
The road across Greenhow Hill to Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale
The footpath from Nursery Knot has brought me to the B6265 near Stump Cross Caverns. I have a brief walk west along it to pick up the byway of Black Hill Road.
Heading south along Black Hill Road
Looking back to Nursery Knot
As I head south on Black Hill Road Simon's Seat comes into view on the other side of the valley of Blands Beck..
When Black Hill Road reaches the junction with the byway of Skyreholme Bank I turn left and head east on Forest Road
As I head east up onto Pock Stones Moor there are increasingly expansive views across Wharfedale when I turn round..
Heading for Pock Stones Moor
Simon's Seat and Barden Moor
A big view across Wharfedale when I turn round, with Great Whernside the highest hill on the right
Greenhow Hill and the moors around the road to Pateley Bridge
Fountains Fell, Darnbrook Fell, Firth Fell and Great Whernside from Pock Stones Moor
Approaching Little Pock Stones, and this would be a good time to take a break
The moors on the western side of Nidderdale from Little Pock Stones
Looking down the Washburn Valley
Looking northeast to the moors around Nidderdale from Great Pock Stones. I followed the wall up from Little Pock Stones.
Dramatic skies as I leave Great Pock Stones and head towards Lord's Seat. I don't think I'm going to stay dry.
Looking back to Great Pock Stones
Approaching Lord's Seat
Great Pock Stones and Pock Stones Moor from Lord's Seat
Greenhow Hill and Pock Stones Moor
and looking in the other direction towards Simon's Seat and Wharfedale, and an approaching shower. Since I have a bit of shelter here I'm going to wait for it to pass through.
Ten minutes later and I'm in the clear
The trig point on Simon's Seat is just a short climb away
As I near the summit I have a great view across to Skyreholme, Parcevall Hall and the area around Trollers Gill
Wharfedale from the trig point
Ilkley Moor under a dark cloud to the south with the nearby Carncliff Top on the right
The rocky outcrops of Lord's Seat just to the east
I can't resist taking another shot of the view up Wharfedale. The dramatic skies just add to the scene.
A sunlit Lower Barden Reservoir on Barden Moor
The weather's closing in again. Time I was making a move..
The next shower passes through as I make my way down to Dalehead Farm
It soon clears through and I'm back in bright sunshine contrasting with dark clouds..
The lights have been turned off again as I head for High Skyreholme
It's raining again as I walk down the road to Middle Skyreholme and the turn off for Parcevall Hall
Following the path by Skyreholme Beck to Trollers Gill...
The entrance to Trollers Gill. With all that wet and greasy limestone I'm going to give it a miss..
..and take the footpath up the dry valley next to it to New Road
A sunlit Nursery Knot in the distance from New Road
On the byway from New Road to the B6265
Bright sunshine with Simon's Seat under a dark cloud
A few minutes and the situation is reversed
Looking across Wharfedale to Barden Moor, Threshfield Moor and Kilnsey Moor
Grimwith Reservoir as I follow the track back to the car park