Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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27th January 2019 - Airton to Weets Top and back

Walk Details

Distance walked: 8.9 miles

Total ascent: 1429 ft

OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas

Time taken: 5 hrs

Route description: Airton-Pennine Way-Hanlith Bridge-Hanlith-Windy Pike Lane-Hanlith Moor-Weets Top-Hawthorns Lane-Gordale Scar-Gordale Bridge-Janet's Foss-Mires Barn-Pennine Way-Hanlith-Pennine Way-Airton


Just a week after my last visit and I find myself heading for the summit of Weets Top again. This wasn't intentionally planned but with a very windy day forecast I had to try and work out a route where I wouldn't go too high up. So, I decided to do a walk to its top from somewhere that I hadn't started from before, the village of Airton. My outbound route to the summit was the one I had planned but I ended up changing my route back. By the time I'd reached the trig point on Weets Top I'd had enough of battling with the wind and opted for a lower level route back via Gordale Scar and the Pennine Way instead of the bridleway across Calton Moor and down to Calton. I'm glad I changed my mind, it's never a bad idea to visit Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss. The day was a mixture of cloudy spells with welcome bursts of sunshine and an ever present strong wind, which only got stronger the high up I went.

​After parking in Airton I walked down Calton Lane to the bridge over the River Aire. From there I took the trail of the Pennine Way north to Hanlith Bridge and up into the hamlet of Hanlith. The trail was left behind here as I walked up Windy Pike Lane and onto the bridleway up and across Hanlith Moor and to the top of Hetton Common Head. From Hetton Common Head there's just a short walk to the trig point on Weets Top. After having lunch in the shelter of the wall I took the bridleway down to Hawthorns Lane and then walked down Hawthorns Lane to Gordale Bridge. On returning to Gordale Bridge after having a look at Gordale Scar I took the path to the waterfall of Janet's Foss and to Mires Barn where it meets the Pennine Way. I then followed the Pennine Way south back to Hanlith and Hanlith Bridge and then towards Airton. Just before reaching Airton I crossed the River Aire via a footbridge and returned to Airton by the path along the west bank of the river to Airton Mill.

Route map
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© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

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Airton Mill (now apartments) next to the River Aire, taken from the bridge over the river
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Little waterfall on Foss Gill
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Following the Pennine Way north to Hanlith..
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Hanlith as I walk up Windy Pike Lane
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and looking across Malhamdale to Kirkby Fell
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There's also a fantastic view north to Malham and Malham Cove from Windy Pike Lane
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Heading up Windy Pike Lane
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Views across to Kirkby Fell..
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On the bridleway up Hanlith Moor
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Kirkby Fell, Malham, and the limestone scars between Malham Cove and Gordale Scar
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On Hetton Common Head and Great Whernside in the distance with a dusting of snow on its top
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At the trig point on Weets Top and I can finally get out of the wind and take a break
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Cracoe Fell..
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..and Sharp Haw beyond Hetton Common Head
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Pendle Hill in the distance
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along with a snow topped Great Whernside
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Finally, Kirkby Fell and the entrance to Gordale Scar
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Walking down the bridleway to Hawthorns Lane..
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..and then down Hawthorns Lane to Gordale Scar
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Some photos of my there and back visit to Gordale Scar.....
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The waterfall of Janet's Foss..
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Looking back to the barn of Middle Laithe from the path out to the Pennine Way
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Malham and Malham Cove to the north as I head south on the Pennine Way
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Following the Pennine Way back to Airton.....
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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2022                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Lake District Walks
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