26th January 2024 - Giggleswick Scar to Smearsett Scar
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.4 miles
Total ascent: 2024 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas & OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Greenfoot car park, Settle-Station Road-Ribble Way-B6480-Stackhouse Lane-Giggleswick Scar-Feizor-Pennine Bridleway-Wood Lane-Wood End Farm-Wharfe-Dales High Way-Pennine Bridleway-Pot Scar-Smearsett Scar-Dales High Way-Little Stainforth-Stainforth Bridge-Ribble Way-B6480-Greenfoot car park, Settle
I didn't get out for a walk last weekend, the weather was just too bad. It's not exactly forecast to be perfect this weekend either, or for today, my Friday off work, but at least there'll be some reasonable weather for the time of year. Given the strength of the wind, whatever route I went for today had to be mostly low level, so I decided on a walk from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales which took in the moors and limestone scars to its north on the western side of Ribblesdale. All of it is familiar territory having done many walks in the area, although I did manage to use a few footpaths that were new to me. I set off from Settle in the morning with blue skies and sunny spells, and I kept that mix of patchy cloud and sunny spells for the rest of what was a mild and very windy day. It was especially windy on Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar, I struggled to keep still enough to take photos without them coming out blurry.
From the Greenfoot car park in Settle I made my way to the B6480, crossed it, then walked along Station Road until it crossed the River Ribble to reach a public footpath sign on the right. I took this, and followed it north through a housing estate and by the west bank of the Ribble to the B6480 at Settle Bridge. I crossed the road, then walked west until I reached Stackhouse Lane, then followed this north to a public footpath on the left at "The Riddings". This took me south across a field to a wood and a track, which I used to reach the footpath up to the southern end of Giggleswick Scar and the Schoolboys Tower cairn. After taking in the view I made my way northwest across the moorland above Giggleswick Scar before dropping down to the footpath along the top of the scar above Buck Haw Brow to reach the bridleway to Feizor, which I followed north to the hamlet. I then walked up Kiln Hill Lane through Feizor to a public footpath on the left, which I took west across fields to a bridleway, and I followed this north past Wood House and along the track of Wood Lane to the road past Wood End Farm. After a brief walk east along this I took a bridleway on the left to the hamlet of Wharfe and the Dales High Way trail, which I followed southeast (with a stop for lunch) up to the Pennine Bridleway next to Wharfe Wood. I briefly walked south along the Pennine Bridleway before taking a footpath on the left that heads east to Hargreaves Barn and Stainforth Lane, leaving this for a track through a gate so that I could make my way up to the top of Pot Scar. I then made my way east to Smearsett Scar, and once I'd taken in the view I descended south to the Dales High Way, and followed this east down to Little Stainforth, and Stainforth Bridge over the River Ribble. From here I took the Ribble Way south to the B6480 at Settle Bridge, and a walk through Settle took me back to the Greenfoot car park.
Total ascent: 2024 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas & OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Greenfoot car park, Settle-Station Road-Ribble Way-B6480-Stackhouse Lane-Giggleswick Scar-Feizor-Pennine Bridleway-Wood Lane-Wood End Farm-Wharfe-Dales High Way-Pennine Bridleway-Pot Scar-Smearsett Scar-Dales High Way-Little Stainforth-Stainforth Bridge-Ribble Way-B6480-Greenfoot car park, Settle
I didn't get out for a walk last weekend, the weather was just too bad. It's not exactly forecast to be perfect this weekend either, or for today, my Friday off work, but at least there'll be some reasonable weather for the time of year. Given the strength of the wind, whatever route I went for today had to be mostly low level, so I decided on a walk from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales which took in the moors and limestone scars to its north on the western side of Ribblesdale. All of it is familiar territory having done many walks in the area, although I did manage to use a few footpaths that were new to me. I set off from Settle in the morning with blue skies and sunny spells, and I kept that mix of patchy cloud and sunny spells for the rest of what was a mild and very windy day. It was especially windy on Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar, I struggled to keep still enough to take photos without them coming out blurry.
From the Greenfoot car park in Settle I made my way to the B6480, crossed it, then walked along Station Road until it crossed the River Ribble to reach a public footpath sign on the right. I took this, and followed it north through a housing estate and by the west bank of the Ribble to the B6480 at Settle Bridge. I crossed the road, then walked west until I reached Stackhouse Lane, then followed this north to a public footpath on the left at "The Riddings". This took me south across a field to a wood and a track, which I used to reach the footpath up to the southern end of Giggleswick Scar and the Schoolboys Tower cairn. After taking in the view I made my way northwest across the moorland above Giggleswick Scar before dropping down to the footpath along the top of the scar above Buck Haw Brow to reach the bridleway to Feizor, which I followed north to the hamlet. I then walked up Kiln Hill Lane through Feizor to a public footpath on the left, which I took west across fields to a bridleway, and I followed this north past Wood House and along the track of Wood Lane to the road past Wood End Farm. After a brief walk east along this I took a bridleway on the left to the hamlet of Wharfe and the Dales High Way trail, which I followed southeast (with a stop for lunch) up to the Pennine Bridleway next to Wharfe Wood. I briefly walked south along the Pennine Bridleway before taking a footpath on the left that heads east to Hargreaves Barn and Stainforth Lane, leaving this for a track through a gate so that I could make my way up to the top of Pot Scar. I then made my way east to Smearsett Scar, and once I'd taken in the view I descended south to the Dales High Way, and followed this east down to Little Stainforth, and Stainforth Bridge over the River Ribble. From here I took the Ribble Way south to the B6480 at Settle Bridge, and a walk through Settle took me back to the Greenfoot car park.
Route map
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The River Ribble as I make my way through Settle
Looking across to Settle and Warrendale Knotts as I head north on Stackhouse Lane
Walking north along Stackhouse Lane towards Stackhouse..
Looking up Ribblesdale to Penyghent, Fountains Fell, and Stainforth Scar as I make my way up onto Giggleswick Scar
Heading uphill and the footpath goes around the edge of the disused Giggleswick Quarry
Settle and Giggleswick below from the southern end of Giggleswick Scar
Looking northwest along Giggleswick Scar
and southwest to the Forest of Bowland
The large cairn of Schoolboys Tower
Ingleborough in the distance as I head northwest across the moorland above Giggleswick Scar
Penyghent and Fountains Fell on the other side of Ribblesdale
Blue skies, sunshine, and wide open spaces
I've had to make my way down onto Giggleswick Scar to pick up the bridleway to Feizor
Looking southeast along Giggleswick Scar
Following the bridleway north to Feizor..
Feizor Wood and Pot Scar, with Ingleborough in the distance, as the footpath from Stackhouse joins the bridleway
Heading down into Feizor
Leaving Feizor I take a footpath across fields towards Austwick
Looking back to Feizor
Following the footpath west beneath Oxenber Wood..
Onto the track of Wood Lane, which will take me north
To my left, Austwick, Robin Proctor's Scar, and Thwaite
Walking north along Wood Lane and I get a view of the hill of Moughton ahead of me..
..and then of Robin Proctor's Scar and Thwaite on the other side of Crummack Dale
Approaching Wood End Farm and the road past Wharfe
Following the bridleway into the hamlet of Wharfe
Onto the trail of the Dales High Way
After a late lunch sat in the shelter of that wall, I look back to the hamlet of Wharfe, with Ingleborough in the distance and Moughton on the right
Looking across Ribblesdale to Penyghent and the moorland of Overdale as I briefly join the Pennine Bridleway
I'm not on the Pennine Bridleway for long as I leave it for the footpath across to Hargreaves Barn and Stainforth Lane
Before I leave the footpath and head up to Pot Scar, a view across to Ingleborough, Crummack Dale, and Moughton
Looking across to Smearsett Scar from a very windy Pot Scar
Ingleborough, Crummack Dale, and Moughton
The hamlet of Feizor below
A cairn between Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar gives me an excuse to take another shot of the view across to Ingleborough
At the trig point on Smearsett Scar. I can make out the outline of Pendle Hill in the distance to the left of it.
Looking across Ribblesdale to Stainforth
and up Ribblesdale to Horton and Penyghent
Pot Scar, and just to the right..
..Crummack Dale, and Ingleborough
Looking back to Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar as I take the footpath down to Little Stainforth
Arriving in Little Stainforth
By Stainforth Force on the River Ribble below Stainforth Bridge
From Stainforth Bridge I join the Ribble Way and follow it south towards Settle
For a moment I'm high enough above the river to see the sunlit moorland above Stainforth
Following the Ribble Way south by the River Ribble..
Before the trail leaves the riverbank I take in a view of the river from the footbridge over it at the weir below Langcliffe
After a short stint along Stackhouse Lane, the Ribble Way continues south through fields to Settle..
Crossing the River Ribble back into Settle