25th January 2025 - Dodd Fell Hill and Drumaldrace
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.3 miles
Total ascent: 1742 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas & OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Hawes-Gayle-Pennine Way-Dodd Fell Hill-Pennine Way-Kidhow Gate-Cam High Road-Wether Fell-Drumaldrace-Wether Fell-Wether Fell Side-Burtersett High Pasture-Gayle-Hawes
I decided to head to Hawes in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales for my walk this weekend. In the absence of being able to come up with a new route I went for one that I hadn't done for a couple of years, a circuit of Sleddale, taking in Dodd Fell Hill and Wether Fell. The forecast is for a day of relatively decent winter weather; sunny spells and the chance of a shower, but very windy high up. Given how windy it proved to be, walking south along West Cam Road proved to be quite a challenge, I decided not to bother visiting the trig point on Dodd Fell Hill. Apart from the wind, which eased down a bit during the afternoon, it was a pretty nice winter's day with a lot of sunny spells.
From the car park in Hawes I walked up the lane to Gayle and onto the trail of the Pennine Way. This makes its way through a housing estate before leaving Gayle to take to the fields to reach Gaudy Lane. I followed the trail up Gaudy Lane to its end, onto the open fell, up onto Ten End Peat Ground to where it joins the track of West Cam Road. I then walked south along West Cam Road to reach the Cam High Road at Kidhow Gate, where I stopped for lunch. The Pennine Way was left behind here to follow the tarmacked Cam High Road east past where it leaves the tarmac and becomes a track across Wether Fell. I left the Cam High Road for a bridleway on the left, which I soon left to head up to the cairn of Drumaldrace on Wether Fell. Once I'd taken in the view I returned to the bridleway and followed it north and east across Wether Fell Side and onto to the bridleway down to Burtersett. I followed this bridleway for a short distance downhill until I reached a footpath on the left, which I took and followed downhill through fields to Gayle. I then walked through Gayle onto Gayle Lane and down Gayle Lane back to the car park in Hawes.
Total ascent: 1742 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas & OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Hawes-Gayle-Pennine Way-Dodd Fell Hill-Pennine Way-Kidhow Gate-Cam High Road-Wether Fell-Drumaldrace-Wether Fell-Wether Fell Side-Burtersett High Pasture-Gayle-Hawes
I decided to head to Hawes in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales for my walk this weekend. In the absence of being able to come up with a new route I went for one that I hadn't done for a couple of years, a circuit of Sleddale, taking in Dodd Fell Hill and Wether Fell. The forecast is for a day of relatively decent winter weather; sunny spells and the chance of a shower, but very windy high up. Given how windy it proved to be, walking south along West Cam Road proved to be quite a challenge, I decided not to bother visiting the trig point on Dodd Fell Hill. Apart from the wind, which eased down a bit during the afternoon, it was a pretty nice winter's day with a lot of sunny spells.
From the car park in Hawes I walked up the lane to Gayle and onto the trail of the Pennine Way. This makes its way through a housing estate before leaving Gayle to take to the fields to reach Gaudy Lane. I followed the trail up Gaudy Lane to its end, onto the open fell, up onto Ten End Peat Ground to where it joins the track of West Cam Road. I then walked south along West Cam Road to reach the Cam High Road at Kidhow Gate, where I stopped for lunch. The Pennine Way was left behind here to follow the tarmacked Cam High Road east past where it leaves the tarmac and becomes a track across Wether Fell. I left the Cam High Road for a bridleway on the left, which I soon left to head up to the cairn of Drumaldrace on Wether Fell. Once I'd taken in the view I returned to the bridleway and followed it north and east across Wether Fell Side and onto to the bridleway down to Burtersett. I followed this bridleway for a short distance downhill until I reached a footpath on the left, which I took and followed downhill through fields to Gayle. I then walked through Gayle onto Gayle Lane and down Gayle Lane back to the car park in Hawes.
Route map
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Leaving Gayle on the Pennine Way
It's a beautiful winter's morning in Wensleydale
Looking across Wensleydale to the southern slopes of Great Shunner Fell as I leave Gayle on the Pennine Way
Following the Pennine Way west to Gaudy Lane
Looking back to Gayle and across Wensleydale to High Clints
Heading west on the Pennine Way along Gaudy Lane
I follow the Pennine Way up onto Ten End Peat Ground
Looking back to Lovely Seat and Wensleydale
and across Widdale to Widdale Fell
The strength of the wind is now becoming really noticeable as I cross Ten End Peat Ground..
The Pennine Way joins the track of West Cam Road, and I follow it south and onto the western flank of Dodd Fell Hill ..
Snow from two weeks ago has survived in the shelter of the wall, and it's also giving me a bit of relief from the gale force wind that's blowing from right to left
A brief wintry shower passes by just to the north
The ground levels out as the Pennine Way approaches Kidhow Gate
Looking across Snaizeholme Fell to Wold Fell and Great Knoutberry Hill
and across Gayle Moor to Whernside in the distance
Looking back north along West Cam Road
and this is where it meets the Cam High Road and I leave the Pennine Way, at Kidhow Gate. A remote and quiet spot to stop for a break and have my lunch, and most importantly I can some shelter from the wind behind a wall.
Blue skies above the southern slopes of Dodd Fell Hill
The view west from Kidhow Gate to Whernside, Middleton Fell, Wold Fell, and Great Knoutberry Hill
Break had, I set off walking east along the Cam High Road
Looking back to Cam West End and Kidhow Gate
Penyghent and Ingleborough from the Cam High Road
To my right I can see down to Oughtershaw and into Langstrothdale
It's turned into a nice winter's afternoon, despite it still being very windy
A last look back to Ingleborough
Dramatic skies above the eastern slopes of Dodd Fell Hill..
On Cam High Road to Wether Fell
Looking down Sleddale and across Wensleydale to Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat
Walking down Cam High Road to its junction with Oughtershaw Road
The eastern slopes of Dodd Fell Hill
I leave the tarmacked road behind as it heads down Sleddale to Gayle and Hawes
The Cam High Road continues east along the side of Wether Fell bound for Bainbridge
A look over the wall to my right across Raydale to Addlebrough, Semer Water, and Stake Allotments..
..and across Bardale to Cragdale Moor and Woldside
Once through this gate I'll leave Cam High Road and head up to the cairn of Drumaldrace on the summit of Wether Fell
At the cairn of Drumaldrace on the summit of Wether Fell. Wild Boar Fell, Lunds Fell, Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat to the northwest.
and west to Whernside, Great Coum, Great Knoutberry Hill, Widdale Fell, and Baugh Fell
Dodd Fell Hill, Whernside, Great Coum, Great Knoutberry Hill, and Widdale Fell to the southwest and west
Looking south across Bardale to Woldside and Fleet Moss, with Fountains Fell and Penyghent in the distance on the right
and looking east to the moors to the north of Wensleydale in the distance on the left, with Addlebrough and the moorland of Stake Allotments above Raydale on the right
Finally, a short walk north from the cairn gives me a great view across Wensleydale to Wild Boar Fell, Lunds Fell, Cotterdale, Great Shunner Fell, and Lovely Seat
I leave the summit behind and follow the bridleway along the northern edge of the fell, which gives me improving views of the fells around the head of Wensleydale...
A cairn just above the bridleway gives me a view east down Wensleydale to Carperby Moor, Addlebrough, and Penhill
I follow the bridleway east across Wether Fell to meet the one down to Burtersett
The bridleway to Burtersett has been left behind for a footpath down to Gayle
Looking across Hawes and Wensleydale to Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat
Heading down through fields to Gayle...
Crossing Gayle Beck as I make my way through Gayle to Hawes