28th September 2024 - Ellerkin Scar and Wegber Scar
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.2 miles
Total ascent: 1768 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Askrigg-Newbiggin-Heugh Lane-Long Band-Greets Shooting House-Woodhall Greets-Ellerkin Scar-Carperby Moor-Wegber Scar-Peatmoor Lane-Oxclose Gate-Oxclose Road-Woodhall-Low Lane-Thwaite Holme Lane-Nappa Hall-Askrigg
For my walk this weekend I've decided to head to Askrigg in Wensleydale to do a route that will let me explore a bit more of the moorland on the northern side of the dale. I've been on the top of Ellerkin Scar a few times, but the moorland to the east of it is unknown to me. Setting off from Askrigg, my route up onto Ellerkin Scar was familiar to me, then I used tracks to make my way across Carperby Moor and a pathless crossing of moorland to reach Wegber Scar. By using the track of Peatmoor Lane I was able to make my way off access land and down to the Castle Bolton to Woodhall bridleway. All the bridleways and footpaths that took me back to Askrigg were new to me. Another reason that I went to Wensleydale is that this was where some decent weather should be, it having some shelter from the strong westerly wind. I set off from Askrigg with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, which I kept until I was crossing Carperby Moor to Wegber Scar. The cloud increased and a brief drizzly shower passed through, although the sunshine returned afterwards. It was on the way back to Askrigg that it became much cloudier with a bit of drizzle.
After parking my car in Askrigg I walked up Moor Road to take a footpath on the right up across fields to the hamlet of Newbiggin, then another footpath up through fields to the track of Heugh Lane. I then walked west along the track to the road of Long Band, which I walked up until I reached a bridleway on the right signposted for Woodhall. This took me up to the ruins of Greets Shooting House and then south across the moorland of Woodhall Greets to a beacon, from where I made my way south to the top of Ellerkin Scar. I then made my way east along the top of Ellerkin Scar (with a stop for lunch) until I reached the bridleway down to Woodhall, which I briefly walked up to take a track east across Carperby Moor. When this track met another one joining it from the left I took to the moorland on their other side, and followed a wall east and then another one south to the top of Wegber Scar. After taking in the view I made my way down to the track of Peatmoor Lane, and walked south along it to reach the Woodhall to Castle Bolton bridleway. I briefly walked east along this to Low Gate, then took the bridleway down towards Carperby, and then the one west beneath Ponderledge Scar to Oxclose Gate. Another bridleway took me west from here beneath Ivy Scar and then down to the hamlet of Woodhall. I crossed the road through Woodhall, took Low Lane opposite, walked down it to its end at West End Farm, then along the bridleway down a track to the line of the former Wensleydale Railway. A footpath took me west from here, following the line of the former railway, to the end of Thwaite Holme Lane, from where I took a footpath up through fields to Nappa Hall and the Askrigg to Carperby Road. After a brief walk west along the road I took a footpath on the left across fields to Leyburn Road at the eastern end of Askrigg. I then made my way through Askrigg to where I'd parked my car.
Total ascent: 1768 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Askrigg-Newbiggin-Heugh Lane-Long Band-Greets Shooting House-Woodhall Greets-Ellerkin Scar-Carperby Moor-Wegber Scar-Peatmoor Lane-Oxclose Gate-Oxclose Road-Woodhall-Low Lane-Thwaite Holme Lane-Nappa Hall-Askrigg
For my walk this weekend I've decided to head to Askrigg in Wensleydale to do a route that will let me explore a bit more of the moorland on the northern side of the dale. I've been on the top of Ellerkin Scar a few times, but the moorland to the east of it is unknown to me. Setting off from Askrigg, my route up onto Ellerkin Scar was familiar to me, then I used tracks to make my way across Carperby Moor and a pathless crossing of moorland to reach Wegber Scar. By using the track of Peatmoor Lane I was able to make my way off access land and down to the Castle Bolton to Woodhall bridleway. All the bridleways and footpaths that took me back to Askrigg were new to me. Another reason that I went to Wensleydale is that this was where some decent weather should be, it having some shelter from the strong westerly wind. I set off from Askrigg with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, which I kept until I was crossing Carperby Moor to Wegber Scar. The cloud increased and a brief drizzly shower passed through, although the sunshine returned afterwards. It was on the way back to Askrigg that it became much cloudier with a bit of drizzle.
After parking my car in Askrigg I walked up Moor Road to take a footpath on the right up across fields to the hamlet of Newbiggin, then another footpath up through fields to the track of Heugh Lane. I then walked west along the track to the road of Long Band, which I walked up until I reached a bridleway on the right signposted for Woodhall. This took me up to the ruins of Greets Shooting House and then south across the moorland of Woodhall Greets to a beacon, from where I made my way south to the top of Ellerkin Scar. I then made my way east along the top of Ellerkin Scar (with a stop for lunch) until I reached the bridleway down to Woodhall, which I briefly walked up to take a track east across Carperby Moor. When this track met another one joining it from the left I took to the moorland on their other side, and followed a wall east and then another one south to the top of Wegber Scar. After taking in the view I made my way down to the track of Peatmoor Lane, and walked south along it to reach the Woodhall to Castle Bolton bridleway. I briefly walked east along this to Low Gate, then took the bridleway down towards Carperby, and then the one west beneath Ponderledge Scar to Oxclose Gate. Another bridleway took me west from here beneath Ivy Scar and then down to the hamlet of Woodhall. I crossed the road through Woodhall, took Low Lane opposite, walked down it to its end at West End Farm, then along the bridleway down a track to the line of the former Wensleydale Railway. A footpath took me west from here, following the line of the former railway, to the end of Thwaite Holme Lane, from where I took a footpath up through fields to Nappa Hall and the Askrigg to Carperby Road. After a brief walk west along the road I took a footpath on the left across fields to Leyburn Road at the eastern end of Askrigg. I then made my way through Askrigg to where I'd parked my car.
Route map
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It's a lovely autumn morning in Wensleydale as I look back to Askrigg below as I leave it behind
Approaching Newbiggin
On the footpath from Newbiggin up to Heugh Lane, with Ellerkin Scar above
Looking back to Newbiggin
and across Wensleydale as I reach Heugh Lane
Walking west along Heugh Lane
To my left, a view across Wensleydale to Addlebrough, the entrance to Raydale, Bainbridge, and Bainbridge High Pasture
Looking back along Heugh Lane
From the end of Heugh Lane I walk up the road of Long Band that crosses Fleak Moss to Swaledale
The view south across Wensleydale to Addlebrough, Raydale, Semer Water, and Wether Fell from the road of Long Band
The moorland of Askrigg Common to the west of the road
I leave the road for the bridleway onto the moorland of Woodhall Greets
At the ruins of Greets Shooting House..
Looking across Wensleydale to Raydale and Semer Water, Wether Fell and Widdale Fell from Greets Shooting House
Making my way from Greets Shooting House to the beacon on Woodhall Greets
The view west up Wensleydale from the beacon on Woodhall Greets..
A fantastic view of Wensleydale greets my arrival on the western end of Ellerkin Scar. Looking across the dale to Addlebrough, Raydale and Semer Water, Wether Fell, Dodd Fell Hill, and Widdale Fell.
and east down the dale to Penhill and the moors around Bishopdale
Greets Edge above
Looking west to Whitfield Fell
Great views of Wensleydale as I make my way east along the edge of Ellerkin Scar......
Blue skies and sunshine over the moorland of Woodhall Greets as I reach the eastern end of Ellerkin Scar. That wall provided a convenient place to stop and have lunch.
Lunch had, I take a track east across Carperby Moor
Looking across Wensleydale to Penhill, Harland Hill, Waldendale, and Wasset Fell
When the track that I'm on meets another one I leave it to cross the moorland on the left to reach a wall. Following that south will take me to Wegber Scar.
Next to that wall and looking north across Wegber Plain to Greenhaw Hut on the skyline
Blue Scar and Carperby Moor to the west
On Wegber Scar as a brief and light drizzly shower passes through. Looking across Wensleydale to Penhill, Harland Hill, Waldendale, and Wasset Fell. The track below is Peatmoor Lane, which I'll be walking along soon.
Looking east down Wensleydale towards Leyburn
and north across Wegber Plain to Greenhaw Hut and East Bolton Moor
At the western end of Wegber Scar, and I'm going to make my way down to the track below
Onto the track of Peatmoor Lane
Looking back to Wegber Scar above me..
Making my way down Peatmoor Lane
A last look back to Wegber Scar
Briefly on the bridleway to Castle Bolton, which I'll follow east to Low Gate
From Low Gate I take the bridleway towards Carperby
Then the bridleway west below Ponderledge Scar
Looking across Wensleydale to Penhill, Harland Hill, and the countryside around West Burton
and back along the bridleway below Ponderledge Scar
The bridleway reaches Oxclose Gate
I then follow the bridleway west beneath Ivy Scar
and down to the hamlet of Woodhall
On Low Lane in Woodhall
From the bottom of Low Lane I take a footpath west that follows the line of the former Wensleydale Railway..
By a bend in the River Ure
The footpath that I'm on reaches a barn at the end of Thwaite Holme Lane
Looking up wensleydale as I take the footpath from the end of Thwaite Holme Lane up to Nappa Hall
Making my way through Nappa Hall..
After a brief walk along the road towards Askrigg I leave for a footpath west across fields
Crossing Newbiggin Beck
Late afternoon sunshine in Wensleydale as I follow the footpath towards Askrigg
To my left, a view across Wensleydale to Addlebrough
The final approach to Askrigg