22nd February 2025 - Addlebrough and Stake Allotments
Walk Details
Distance walked: 14.9 miles
Total ascent: 2351 ft
OS map used: Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Thoralby-Eastfield Lane-Eshington Bridge-Aysgarth-Thornton Road-Flout Moor Lane-Flout Moor-Aysgarth Rigg-Thornton Rust-Thornton Rust Moor-Addlebrough-Carpley Green Road-Carpley Green Farm-Busk Lane-Stake Allotments-Stake Road-Haw Lane-Westfield Lane-Thoralby
For my walk this weekend I decided to head to Thoralby in Bishopdale in the Yorkshire Dales, one of the many side valleys of Wensleydale, and do a route across the moors between it and Wensleydale taking in Addlebrough and Stake Allotments. A lot of the route was already familiar to me from previous walks done in the area during the past few years, especially one that I did in February last year. However, I wanted to change it a bit and use some different footpaths and bridleways, which I managed to do by going from Thoralby to Thornton Rust via Aysgarth. The forecast was for a mostly fine winter's day, with the chance of an odd passing shower in the morning. One passed through while I was in Aysgarth. Once that cleared the rest of the day was dry with sunny spells but windy. It was especially windy on Addlebrough with the wind rushing up its western slopes, so it was a struggle keeping still for taking photos.
From where I parked my car in Thoralby I walked east along the road out of the village towards Aysgarth. I soon reached the byway of Eastfield Lane, which I took and followed northeast across the hillside and down towards Eshington Bridge. Just before the lane descends to Eshington Bridge I left it for a footpath on the left signposted for "Aysgarth crossing Dike Hollow". I followed this footpath northwest up and across the hillside, across a lane, and then across fields to Garths Lane, where I turned right and walked along it to its junction with the A684. Just before the junction I took a footpath on the left up a track between Edgley Garage and Aysgarth Garage, and followed it west across the top of some fields to take a footpath north to Thornton Road close to its junction with the A684. I then walked up Thornton Road until I reached the track of Flout Moor Lane on the left, which I took and followed all the way to its end up on Flout Moor. From the end of the track I took a footpath northwest across Flout Moor, then another one north across the moorland of Aysgarth Rigg and Gill Beck and down to Thornton Rust. I left Thornton Rust by taking the bridleway southwest up onto Thornton Rust Moor, then took a concessionary footpath from Thornton Rust Moor to reach the top of Addlebrough. After taking in the view from Addlebrough I returned to the bridleway and followed it west down to Carpley Green Road, then walked south through Carpley Green Farm and onto the track of Busk Lane. I followed Busk Lane south up onto Stake Allotments until I reached a bridleway on the left for Thoralby. This took me east across Stake Allotments, down to and along the track of Stake Lane, then down and along the track of Haw Lane to above Thoralby. I then made my way down into and through Thoralby to where I'd parked my car.
Total ascent: 2351 ft
OS map used: Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Thoralby-Eastfield Lane-Eshington Bridge-Aysgarth-Thornton Road-Flout Moor Lane-Flout Moor-Aysgarth Rigg-Thornton Rust-Thornton Rust Moor-Addlebrough-Carpley Green Road-Carpley Green Farm-Busk Lane-Stake Allotments-Stake Road-Haw Lane-Westfield Lane-Thoralby
For my walk this weekend I decided to head to Thoralby in Bishopdale in the Yorkshire Dales, one of the many side valleys of Wensleydale, and do a route across the moors between it and Wensleydale taking in Addlebrough and Stake Allotments. A lot of the route was already familiar to me from previous walks done in the area during the past few years, especially one that I did in February last year. However, I wanted to change it a bit and use some different footpaths and bridleways, which I managed to do by going from Thoralby to Thornton Rust via Aysgarth. The forecast was for a mostly fine winter's day, with the chance of an odd passing shower in the morning. One passed through while I was in Aysgarth. Once that cleared the rest of the day was dry with sunny spells but windy. It was especially windy on Addlebrough with the wind rushing up its western slopes, so it was a struggle keeping still for taking photos.
From where I parked my car in Thoralby I walked east along the road out of the village towards Aysgarth. I soon reached the byway of Eastfield Lane, which I took and followed northeast across the hillside and down towards Eshington Bridge. Just before the lane descends to Eshington Bridge I left it for a footpath on the left signposted for "Aysgarth crossing Dike Hollow". I followed this footpath northwest up and across the hillside, across a lane, and then across fields to Garths Lane, where I turned right and walked along it to its junction with the A684. Just before the junction I took a footpath on the left up a track between Edgley Garage and Aysgarth Garage, and followed it west across the top of some fields to take a footpath north to Thornton Road close to its junction with the A684. I then walked up Thornton Road until I reached the track of Flout Moor Lane on the left, which I took and followed all the way to its end up on Flout Moor. From the end of the track I took a footpath northwest across Flout Moor, then another one north across the moorland of Aysgarth Rigg and Gill Beck and down to Thornton Rust. I left Thornton Rust by taking the bridleway southwest up onto Thornton Rust Moor, then took a concessionary footpath from Thornton Rust Moor to reach the top of Addlebrough. After taking in the view from Addlebrough I returned to the bridleway and followed it west down to Carpley Green Road, then walked south through Carpley Green Farm and onto the track of Busk Lane. I followed Busk Lane south up onto Stake Allotments until I reached a bridleway on the left for Thoralby. This took me east across Stake Allotments, down to and along the track of Stake Lane, then down and along the track of Haw Lane to above Thoralby. I then made my way down into and through Thoralby to where I'd parked my car.
Route map
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Leaving Thoralby behind
I take the byway of Eastfield Lane towards Eshington Bridge
Looking back along Eastfield Lane and up Bishopdale
Heading down to Eshington Bridge
From Eshington Bridge I follow a footpath northwest up and across the hillside towards Aysgarth...
Looking across the roofs of Aysgarth and Wensleydale..
Carperby Moor on the other side of Wensleydale as the footpath I'm on enters Aysgarth at the junction of Thornton Road and the A684
A bit of rough weather crosses Wensleydale as I walk up Thornton Road
I leave Thornton Road and walk up the track of Flout Moor Lane..
Looking back along Flout Moor Lane and down Wensleydale
Following Flout Moor Lane up and across Aysgarth Moor
A last look back down Flout Moor Lane from its top
From the top of Flout Moor Lane I take a footpath west across Flout Moor
Following the footpath north across the moorland of Aysgarth Rigg towards Thornton Rust...
Approaching the village of Thornton Rust
I leave Thornton Rust on the bridleway across Thornton Rust Moor to Carpley Green
Looking across Wensleydale to Ivy Scar, and down Wensleydale from above Thornton Rust
As I gain height the top of Addlebrough appears ahead
Looking back across Wensleydale to Carperby Moor and Ivy Scar, and down Wensleydale towards Leyburn
Crossing Thornton Rust Moor, with Addlebrough on the right
Looking southeast across Flout Moor to Penhill and Harland Hill
Looking back down Wensleydale as I make my way across Thornton Rust Moor
I leave the bridleway and take a concessionary footpath to Addlebrough..
Great views across Thornton Rust Moor before I make the steep climb to the top of Addlebrough..
Crossing the top of Addlebrough to its northern edge
Looking across the foot of Raydale, and up Wensleydale to the moors around Hawes
and across Wensleydale to Carperby Moor, and Ivy Scar
and across to Askrigg Common, Askrigg, and Ellerkin Scar
Stalling Busk Pasture, Woldside, Common Allotments, Raydale, Semer Water, and Countersett from a very windy western edge of Addlebrough
Looking west to the head of Wensleydale in the distance, and across to Abbotside Common north of Hawes
Carpley Green Farm below
Following the bridleway down to Carpley Green Road
Making my way through Carpley Green Farm..
..and onto the track of Busk Lane
Looking back to Carpley Green Farm and Addlebrough
Following Busk Lane up to Stake Allotments and I have great views back down to Addlebrough and across Wensleydale...
I've left Busk Lane for the bridleway to Thoralby, and I stop to take in the view from a cairn just off it. Looking northwest to the fells around the head of Wensleydale..
..and north across Wensleydale to Abbotside Common and Askrigg Common
I resume my journey east along the bridleway to Thoralby..
Low winter sun on the moorland of Stake Allotments
Following the bridleway east and down the track of Stake Road...
Gayle Ing
Looking across Bishopdale to Naughtberry Hill and the northern end of Buckden Pike
Following the bridleway down Haw Lane
Looking back up Haw Lane
and up to the head of Bishopdale
Making my way back down into Thoralby