21st March 2020 - The Nidderdale Edges
Walk Details
Distance walked: 8.6 miles
Total ascent: 1485 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 5 hrs
Route description: Lofthouse-Nidderdale Way-North Moor-Dale Edge-Lofthouse Moor-Thrope Edge-Trapping Hill-Lofthouse
This was the last weekend before the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions came into place. Social distancing had already been advised, and that doesn't tend to be a problem given the places that I like to go walking, for example the fells around the head of Nidderdale, which is where I went today. This route was a slightly shorter version of my first ever walk in Nidderdale, which was almost a year ago, and gives great views of the fells around the head of the dale. I had fine spring weather today, although with a lot of high cloud, which made any sunshine very hazy. Every now and then smoke from the burning of heather on the nearby moors spoilt the views.
From the car park by the memorial hall in Lofthouse I walked north along the road out of the village until I reached the right hand bend where the road starts to climb steeply up Trapping Hill. This is where the Nidderdale Way leaves the road and continues north. So, for several miles I followed the trail up the valley, along Thrope Lane to Thrope Farm, to Limley Farm, then up to Thwaite House to continue along the side of the valley to Bracken Ridge, then westward past Summerstone Lodge and New Houses Edge Farm, and up past Thornet Barn. This was where I finally left the trail and took a shooters track north to a shooting house on the hillside above, where I stopped for lunch. After lunch I returned to the shooters track and followed it up the hillside to the bridleway above, which took me east across the hillside 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: 1485 ft
OS map used: 298 - Nidderdale
Time taken: 5 hrs
Route description: Lofthouse-Nidderdale Way-North Moor-Dale Edge-Lofthouse Moor-Thrope Edge-Trapping Hill-Lofthouse
This was the last weekend before the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions came into place. Social distancing had already been advised, and that doesn't tend to be a problem given the places that I like to go walking, for example the fells around the head of Nidderdale, which is where I went today. This route was a slightly shorter version of my first ever walk in Nidderdale, which was almost a year ago, and gives great views of the fells around the head of the dale. I had fine spring weather today, although with a lot of high cloud, which made any sunshine very hazy. Every now and then smoke from the burning of heather on the nearby moors spoilt the views.
From the car park by the memorial hall in Lofthouse I walked north along the road out of the village until I reached the right hand bend where the road starts to climb steeply up Trapping Hill. This is where the Nidderdale Way leaves the road and continues north. So, for several miles I followed the trail up the valley, along Thrope Lane to Thrope Farm, to Limley Farm, then up to Thwaite House to continue along the side of the valley to Bracken Ridge, then westward past Summerstone Lodge and New Houses Edge Farm, and up past Thornet Barn. This was where I finally left the trail and took a shooters track north to a shooting house on the hillside above, where I stopped for lunch. After lunch I returned to the shooters track and followed it up the hillside to the bridleway above, which took me east across the hillside 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
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Leaving Lofthouse behind..
..and onto the Nidderdale Way
Looking across the dale to Stean Moor
Following the Nidderdale Way up the valley past Thrope Farm.....
|
|
The ford of Dry Wath across the River Nidd isn't as dry as on my previous visits, not that surprising given the recent rain...
The Nidderdale Way takes to the hillside above Limley Farm
As I continue to follow the Nidderdale Way north I have improving views of the head of Nidderdale.....
Looking back down Nidderdale
I then follow the Nidderdale Way west past Summerstone Lodge and Nidd Cottage....
Looking back to Lofthouse Moor and Thrope Edge from past Nidd Cottage
A beck crosses the bridleway and tumbles down the fellside
The head of Nidderdale as I follow the Nidderdale Way down and then leave it behind for a track up to a shooting house on the hillside above..
After a break for lunch in the shelter of the shooting house I've made my way up to a bridleway on the hillside above. Looking towards Great Whernside, Scar House Reservoir and Dead Man's Hill around the head of Nidderdale.
Great views of Nidderdale as follow the bridleway east to Dale Edge........
The fantastic view of the head of Nidderdale from Dale Edge. Great Whernside, Scar House Reservoir, Little Whernside, and Dead Man's Hill.
OS benchmark on a gatepost at a junction of bridleways
I've briefly walked along the bridleway down into Colsterdale to get a view to the east, and towards the outline of the distant North York Moors
That great view of Nidderdale as I head back to the bridleway on Dale Edge..
Looking back north along Dale Edge
Following the bridleway south across Lofthouse Moor towards Thrope Edge
The shooting house on Thrope Edge
Dead Man's Hill, Great Haw, South Haw and Nidderdale from Thrope Edge
Following the bridleway south to the southern end of Thrope Edge..
..and looking back north
Gouthwaite Reservoir in the distance as the bridleway leaves Thrope Edge for the road down Trapping Hill
Views across Nidderdale as I walk down the Trapping Hill road to Lofthouse...
The final descent back to Lofthouse..
