21st April 2015 - Simon's Seat
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.5 miles
Total ascent: 1976 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Burnsall-Dales Way-Howgill-Simon's Seat-Dalehead Farm-High Skyreholme-Trollers Gill-New Road-Appletreewick Pasture-Kail Lane-Dales Way-Burnsall
A beautiful spring day for what has to be one of my favourite walks in Wharfedale. There's a great combination of riverside scenery from the Dales Way and then there are the views to be had from Simon's Seat. Plus, I do like to take the opportunity of having a bite to eat at Katie's Kiosk before setting off. Wall to wall sunshine all day and it was only while I was up on Simon's Seat and Lord's Seat that the breeze was strong enough for me to need my fleece.
From the car park in Burnsall I crossed Burnsall Bridge to then follow the Dales Way downstream by the Wharfe to the hamlet of Howgill. Once through Howgill I climbed up to the summit of Simon's Seat. A there and back to the neighbouring outcrop of Lord's Seat was done before making my way down the northern slopes of the fell to Dalehead Farm. I then crossed fields and Blands Beck to reach High Skyreholme and after a short walk down the road I used a field path to reach the lane at Parcevall Hall. The path by Skyreholme Beck took me to Trollers Gill. After Trollers Gill I made my way up to New Road. A bridleway across Appletreewick Pasture and the track of Kail Lane took me back to the Dales Way and Burnsall.
Total ascent: 1976 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Burnsall-Dales Way-Howgill-Simon's Seat-Dalehead Farm-High Skyreholme-Trollers Gill-New Road-Appletreewick Pasture-Kail Lane-Dales Way-Burnsall
A beautiful spring day for what has to be one of my favourite walks in Wharfedale. There's a great combination of riverside scenery from the Dales Way and then there are the views to be had from Simon's Seat. Plus, I do like to take the opportunity of having a bite to eat at Katie's Kiosk before setting off. Wall to wall sunshine all day and it was only while I was up on Simon's Seat and Lord's Seat that the breeze was strong enough for me to need my fleece.
From the car park in Burnsall I crossed Burnsall Bridge to then follow the Dales Way downstream by the Wharfe to the hamlet of Howgill. Once through Howgill I climbed up to the summit of Simon's Seat. A there and back to the neighbouring outcrop of Lord's Seat was done before making my way down the northern slopes of the fell to Dalehead Farm. I then crossed fields and Blands Beck to reach High Skyreholme and after a short walk down the road I used a field path to reach the lane at Parcevall Hall. The path by Skyreholme Beck took me to Trollers Gill. After Trollers Gill I made my way up to New Road. A bridleway across Appletreewick Pasture and the track of Kail Lane took me back to the Dales Way and Burnsall.
Route map
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It's a glorious morning by the River Wharfe in Burnsall...
Burnsall as I cross Burnsall Bridge to reach the Dales Way
Numberstones End. The part of Barden Moor that stands above Burnsall.
Past Woodhouse Farm
More great riverside scenery...
The village of Appletreewick
That's Simon's Seat ahead
My walk by the river ends with a stretch through woodland
On the track through the hamlet of Howgill
Expanding views of Wharfedale as I climb Simon's Seat..
The rocky outcrops of Simon's Seat are the high point of Barden Fell
A bit of clambering over rocks is needed to reach the trig point
Looking across Wharfedale to Barden Moor with Pendle Hill in the distance
Barden Moor, Wharfedale and the moors that separate Malhamdale and Wharfedale
Looking across the valley of Blands Beck to Skyreholme, Grimwith Reservoir and the slopes that rise to a distant Great Whernside
The neighbouring outcrop of Lord's Seat to the east
To the south, Ilkley Moor beyond Beamsley Beacon
Heading for Lord's Seat. It's the first time that I've taken the trouble to visit it.
To the east, Great Pock Stones and Pock Stones Moor, which drops down to the Washburn valley. The radomes at Menwith Hill can be made out.
A different view of Wharfedale from here with Simon's Seat on the left
After making my way back to Simon's Seat I'm heading down the path to Dalehead Farm
and then across to High Skyreholme
Following Skyreholme Beck to Trollers Gill..
At the entrance to Trollers Gill
It soon becomes more open and at the moment the beck is underground
The limestone knoll of Nursery Knot
and Simon's Seat as I make my way up to New Road..
I soon left the road for a bridleway that I'll follow all the way down to the Wharfe
It's a lovely end to the afternoon..
The track of Kail Lane
The valley of Barben Beck
Woodhouse Farm ahead
I couldn't resist taking some more riverside shots as I head back to Burnsall....
