27th October 2024 - Great Coum
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.5 miles
Total ascent: 2010 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Dent-Mill Beck-High House-Barbondale Road-Green Lane-Towns Fell-The Crag-Crag Hill-Great Coum-Green Lane-Nun House Outrake-Deepdale Lane-Dales Way-Church Bridge-Dent
For my second walk of the weekend I decided to head to Dent in the Yorkshire Dales to do a route that would take me up onto Great Coum, the hill that rises above Dent on the south side of Dentdale. It's a hill that I've been to the top of many times, usually as part of a round of its neighbours, which meant not starting from Dent, the last time I did being July 2018. The route that I worked out for today used the same means of ascent from Green Lane as on that occasion, but a lot of it took in footpaths and bridleways that I'd never used before, such as how I got up to Green Lane from Dent and the track of Nun House Outrake. The forecast was for a fine autumn day, but with the best of the sunshine in the morning and increasing cloud and a strengthening wind through the afternoon. Fortunately I managed to get up onto Great Coum while the sun was still out so that I could take in the best of the views.
From the car park in Dent I briefly walked west along the main road through the village to the lane on the other side of the Methodist Church, and the public footpath signposted for High House. I took this and followed it up the lane to and through High Laning Farm, up the hillside to Millbeck Farm, then up and across the hillside to High House, and along a track to Barbondale Road. After a walk up Barbondale Road I reached the track of Green Lane on the left, which I took and followed east across the hillside until I reached a fence with a gate in it blocking the track with another track to the right just before it. I made my way up this track to its end and onto the open fell. A wall on the left was my guide as I made my way uphill, but as I gained height I veered away from it to head south and up to the prominent cairn that stands on The Crag. After taking in the view from it I made my way to the trig point on Crag Hill, then across to the summit of Great Coum, where I stopped for lunch. Break had, I walked east to the eastern edge of Great Combe and down to what remains of a quarry on Binks, from where a rough track took me down to a gate onto Green Lane. I then walked north along Green Lane to the junction with Nun House Outrake, which I took and walked down to Deepdale Lane. A walk north along Deepdale Lane brought me to its junction with the road on the south side of Dentdale, and a bench, which was an excuse to stop for a break. From here I took the bridleway down the track opposite the junction to reach the Dales Way by the River Dee, and following the Dales Way west brought me to Church Bridge. I then walked up the road into Dent and back to the car park.
Total ascent: 2010 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Dent-Mill Beck-High House-Barbondale Road-Green Lane-Towns Fell-The Crag-Crag Hill-Great Coum-Green Lane-Nun House Outrake-Deepdale Lane-Dales Way-Church Bridge-Dent
For my second walk of the weekend I decided to head to Dent in the Yorkshire Dales to do a route that would take me up onto Great Coum, the hill that rises above Dent on the south side of Dentdale. It's a hill that I've been to the top of many times, usually as part of a round of its neighbours, which meant not starting from Dent, the last time I did being July 2018. The route that I worked out for today used the same means of ascent from Green Lane as on that occasion, but a lot of it took in footpaths and bridleways that I'd never used before, such as how I got up to Green Lane from Dent and the track of Nun House Outrake. The forecast was for a fine autumn day, but with the best of the sunshine in the morning and increasing cloud and a strengthening wind through the afternoon. Fortunately I managed to get up onto Great Coum while the sun was still out so that I could take in the best of the views.
From the car park in Dent I briefly walked west along the main road through the village to the lane on the other side of the Methodist Church, and the public footpath signposted for High House. I took this and followed it up the lane to and through High Laning Farm, up the hillside to Millbeck Farm, then up and across the hillside to High House, and along a track to Barbondale Road. After a walk up Barbondale Road I reached the track of Green Lane on the left, which I took and followed east across the hillside until I reached a fence with a gate in it blocking the track with another track to the right just before it. I made my way up this track to its end and onto the open fell. A wall on the left was my guide as I made my way uphill, but as I gained height I veered away from it to head south and up to the prominent cairn that stands on The Crag. After taking in the view from it I made my way to the trig point on Crag Hill, then across to the summit of Great Coum, where I stopped for lunch. Break had, I walked east to the eastern edge of Great Combe and down to what remains of a quarry on Binks, from where a rough track took me down to a gate onto Green Lane. I then walked north along Green Lane to the junction with Nun House Outrake, which I took and walked down to Deepdale Lane. A walk north along Deepdale Lane brought me to its junction with the road on the south side of Dentdale, and a bench, which was an excuse to stop for a break. From here I took the bridleway down the track opposite the junction to reach the Dales Way by the River Dee, and following the Dales Way west brought me to Church Bridge. I then walked up the road into Dent and back to the car park.
Route map
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Leaving Dent behind on the footpath up to Millbeck
Looking back to Dent
Above Millbeck and I take the footpath up across the hillside towards High House
Looking back across Dentdale to the southern slopes of Aye Gill Pike
and across to Helms Knott, Long Moor, and the Howgills
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The footpath crosses a wooded gill to reach High House..
From High House I follow a footpath along a track to Barbondale Road...
Taking in the view across Dentdale to Aye Gill Pike
Walking south up Barbondale Road
Taking the bridleway along the track of Green Lane, and following it east across the hillside...
To my left, a view across Dentdale to the Howgills
Approaching this gate and it's as far along Green Lane as I'm going. I'll take the track up the hillside on the right..
Looking back along the track and across Dentdale to Aye Gill Pike..
..and to the Howgills
Makeshift bridges help me cross Gill Head..
Rough walking up the hillside of Towns Fell. At the moment I'm keeping close to the wall on my left.
Looking back to Combe Top on Middleton Fell on the left, with Dentdale and the Howgills on the right
As I gain height I'll move away from the wall and head up the hillside on the right towards The Crag
Some time later and I arrive at the handsomely built cairn that stands on The Crag. There's a great view across Dentdale to the Howgills from it.
Middleton Fell on the other side of Barbondale
Looking up Dentdale to Great Knoutberry Hill to the right of the cairn, with Baugh Fell behind Aye Gill Pike on the left
It's a short walk from the cairn on The Crag to the trig point on Crag Hill. Looking across Barbon Low Fell, and Castle Knott to Morecambe Bay.
Ingleborough and Gragareth to the south
and the Howgills to the northwest
Leaving Crag Hill I'll cross the stiles at the wall junction ahead
Heading up Great Coum
Taking in the view over the wall to my right to Ingleborough, Green Hill, and Gragareth
Looking back to Crag Hill
While I'm having my lunch on Great Coum the increasing cloud relents to give me views across sunlit moors and a hidden Dentdale to the Howgills, Baugh Fell, and Great Knoutberry Hill..
Whernside and Ingleborough to the east and southeast
From the top of Great Coum I head in the direction of where Deepdale meets Dentdale to reach the eastern edge of Great Combe
Whernside, High Pike, Foul Moss, and Ingleborough. The track of Green Lane runs along the hillside below.
Making my way down the eastern edge of Great Combe
Great Combe
A rough track takes me down from the quarry on Binks to a gate onto Green Lane
Heading north along Green Lane..
A view across Dentdale and Deepdale to my right
Looking down Dentdale to the Howgills ahead of me
Green Lane continues along the northern slopes of Great Coum as I reach its junction with Nun House Outrake
Making my way down the bridleway on Nun House Outrake to Deepdale Lane...
Heading north along Deepdale Lane
Looking up Dentdale to Great Knoutberry Hill
Making my way through the hamlet of Slack
Taking a break on a bench at the junction of Deepdale Lane with the road on the southern side of Dentdale, and I have a view across to the southern slopes of Aye Gill Pike..
..and up Dentdale to Great Knoutberry Hill
Break had, I take the bridleway opposite the junction down to the River Dee..
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..and onto the Dales Way
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Views across to Middleton Fell..
..and to Whernside, as I follow the Dales Way to Church Bridge
At Church Bridge
Making my way back through Dent to the car park