21st July 2024 - Aysgarth Falls and Penhill
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.2 miles
Total ascent: 2129 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: West Burton-Eshington Bridge-A684-St. Andrew's Church-Yore Bridge-Aysgarth Falls-Hollins House-Thoresby-Stony Stoop Lane-A684-B6160-Sorrelsykes Park Farm-Morpeth Gate-Morpeth Scar-Morpeth Gate-High Lane-Flint Lane-Penhill Park-Penhill-Height of Hazely-Whiterow Road-Riddings-Cauldron Falls-West Burton
I decided to head to West Burton in the Yorkshire Dales for my walk this weekend to do a route that would take in Aysgarth Falls in Wensleydale and Penhill. To link up both I needed to use some footpaths and bridleways new to me, including the steeping stones across the River Ure on the track of Stony Stoop Lane. Given that it's the middle of summer I was pretty confident that I wouldn't have a problem getting across them, and I didn't. Their tops were well above the level of water in the river. The forecast was for a fine summer's day, although not overly warm and sunny. I set off from West Burton with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, but the skies soon tended to cloud over, and into the afternoon it was quite dull and overcast at times.
From where I parked my car in West Burton I left the village by walking along the road on its western side towards the B6160 before taking a public footpath on the left through a gate and down to the B6160. After crossing the road I took the footpath opposite and followed it across fields to Eshington Lane and Eshington Bridge, then from the right hand bend over the bridge, the footpath up to the A684 to the east of Church Bank. I crossed the road and took the track opposite past St. Andrew's Church and down to Yore Mill next to Yore Bridge over the River Ure. Once across the bridge I made my way up to and through the National Park Visitor Centre to avoid walking up the road, then took the footpath through Freeholders' Wood to visit Aysgarth Falls. From Aysgarth Falls I took the footpath east across fields to Hollins House, then one northeast towards High Thoresby until I reached a byway that took me east to Thoresby Lane and the track of Stony Stoop Lane. I followed Stony Stoop Lane south across the stepping stones over the River Ure and to the A684, which I crossed, then walked south along the B6160 until I reached a public footpath on the left, which I took across fields to the lane of Morpeth Gate just outside West Burton. I turned left when I reached Morpeth Gate and followed the track uphill (with a short detour to Morpeth Scar), and then east to and along the track of High Lane. As I approached the road on Witton Steeps I took a footpath on the right up to the track of Flint Lane, crossed this, then took a permissive footpath up Penhill Park to the bridleway beneath Penhill, which I took and followed west up onto Penhill. I then made my way west by the wall along the northern edge of Penhill to Penhill Scar, then to Black Scar, where I stopped for lunch. Up till now I'd been on the northern side of the wall, here I crossed to the southern side and carried on following the path west and then round to the south until I reached the wall that runs west to east across the top of Height of Hazely. I crossed the stile then followed the wall up onto the top of Height of Hazely, where I followed the fence south towards Harland Hill. Between Height of Hazely and Harland Hill I reached the bridleway between Coverdale and Waldendale. I turned right and followed it down into Waldendale to Whiterow Road. After a brief walk down Whiterow Road to Cote Bridge I took a footpath north across fields, passing Riddings, to reach a footpath above Walden Beck which I followed down to Cauldron Falls and back to West Burton.
Total ascent: 2129 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: West Burton-Eshington Bridge-A684-St. Andrew's Church-Yore Bridge-Aysgarth Falls-Hollins House-Thoresby-Stony Stoop Lane-A684-B6160-Sorrelsykes Park Farm-Morpeth Gate-Morpeth Scar-Morpeth Gate-High Lane-Flint Lane-Penhill Park-Penhill-Height of Hazely-Whiterow Road-Riddings-Cauldron Falls-West Burton
I decided to head to West Burton in the Yorkshire Dales for my walk this weekend to do a route that would take in Aysgarth Falls in Wensleydale and Penhill. To link up both I needed to use some footpaths and bridleways new to me, including the steeping stones across the River Ure on the track of Stony Stoop Lane. Given that it's the middle of summer I was pretty confident that I wouldn't have a problem getting across them, and I didn't. Their tops were well above the level of water in the river. The forecast was for a fine summer's day, although not overly warm and sunny. I set off from West Burton with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, but the skies soon tended to cloud over, and into the afternoon it was quite dull and overcast at times.
From where I parked my car in West Burton I left the village by walking along the road on its western side towards the B6160 before taking a public footpath on the left through a gate and down to the B6160. After crossing the road I took the footpath opposite and followed it across fields to Eshington Lane and Eshington Bridge, then from the right hand bend over the bridge, the footpath up to the A684 to the east of Church Bank. I crossed the road and took the track opposite past St. Andrew's Church and down to Yore Mill next to Yore Bridge over the River Ure. Once across the bridge I made my way up to and through the National Park Visitor Centre to avoid walking up the road, then took the footpath through Freeholders' Wood to visit Aysgarth Falls. From Aysgarth Falls I took the footpath east across fields to Hollins House, then one northeast towards High Thoresby until I reached a byway that took me east to Thoresby Lane and the track of Stony Stoop Lane. I followed Stony Stoop Lane south across the stepping stones over the River Ure and to the A684, which I crossed, then walked south along the B6160 until I reached a public footpath on the left, which I took across fields to the lane of Morpeth Gate just outside West Burton. I turned left when I reached Morpeth Gate and followed the track uphill (with a short detour to Morpeth Scar), and then east to and along the track of High Lane. As I approached the road on Witton Steeps I took a footpath on the right up to the track of Flint Lane, crossed this, then took a permissive footpath up Penhill Park to the bridleway beneath Penhill, which I took and followed west up onto Penhill. I then made my way west by the wall along the northern edge of Penhill to Penhill Scar, then to Black Scar, where I stopped for lunch. Up till now I'd been on the northern side of the wall, here I crossed to the southern side and carried on following the path west and then round to the south until I reached the wall that runs west to east across the top of Height of Hazely. I crossed the stile then followed the wall up onto the top of Height of Hazely, where I followed the fence south towards Harland Hill. Between Height of Hazely and Harland Hill I reached the bridleway between Coverdale and Waldendale. I turned right and followed it down into Waldendale to Whiterow Road. After a brief walk down Whiterow Road to Cote Bridge I took a footpath north across fields, passing Riddings, to reach a footpath above Walden Beck which I followed down to Cauldron Falls and back to West Burton.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
It's a beautiful summer's morning in the village of West Burton
I leave West Burton along the lane on its western side
and after crossing the B6160, I take the footpath across fields to Eshington Bridge
Looking up Bishopdale
and back towards West Burton, with Burton Moor and Harland Hill beyond
and as I approach Eshington Bridge, to Wasset Fell in the distance
From Eshington Bridge I follow a footpath up a hillside to the A684
Looking back across Bishopdale
Aysgarth Falls High Force from Yore Bridge
Aysgarth Falls Middle Force from the viewing platform
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Views of Aysgarth Falls Lower Force...
Leaving Aysgarth Falls Lower Force I take a footpath northeast across fields towards Castle Bolton..
..then a byway east towards Thoresby
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Taking the bridleway down the track of Stony Stoop Lane to the stepping stones across the River Ure..
Crossing the River Ure..
Looking across Wensleydale to Castle Bolton..
..as I follow Stony Stoop Lane up to the A684
After crossing the A684, and walking along the B6160, I take a footpath through fields past Sorrelsykes Park Farm to Morpeth Gate just outside West Burton..
Walking up the track of Morpeth Gate..
West Burton and Bishopdale from Morpeth Scar
and looking across the foot of Bishopdale and up Wensleydale
After that short detour to Morpeth Scar, I return to Morpeth Gate and follow it east..
Looking back along Morpeth Gate
Morpeth Gate becomes High Lane as the track passes beneath the slopes of Penhill
Looking across West Witton and Wensleydale to Preston-under-Scar
From High Lane I take the footpath up to the track of Flint Lane
From Flint Lane I take a concessionary footpath up to the bridleway beneath Penhill. Looking east to Middleham High Moor.
At Penhill Beacon and there's a great view to the east and southeast, with Coverdale joining Wensleydale beyond Middleham Low Moor, the North York Moors can be made out in the distance on the other side of the Vale of Mowbray, and there's Braithwaite Moor on the other side of Coverdale.
Great Roova Crags and West Scrafton Moor on the other side of Coverdale
Looking southwest up Coverdale to Arkleside Moor and Little Whernside
Wensleydale from Penhill Scar, with the village of West Witton below...
Making my way along Black Scar
Looking back along the edge of the fell to Penhill Scar
As the path contours to the southwest along the edge of the moor the fells around Waldendale and Bishopdale come into view
Looking west across the foot of Bishopdale and up Wensleydale to Aysgarth Moor, Addlebrough, Abbotside Common, Askrigg Common and Carperby Moor
A short time later and I'm at the rather uninspiring summit of Height of Hazely
Heading south towards Harland Hill with Great Whernside in the distance..
At the top of the bridleway between Waldendale and Coverdale
On the bridleway down into Waldendale with views across the moors around Bishopdale and Wensleydale
The bridleway heads down into Thupton Gill..
..and then down to Whiterow Road in Waldendale
All that remains of the smelt mill at Cote
I leave Whiterow Road, and take a footpath through fields towards West Burton
Passing beneath Riddings
Looking back up Waldendale
Heading down into West Burton
Before I head back to my car, I couldn't resist paying Cauldron Falls a visit.