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2nd April 2022 - Great Whernside

Walk Details

Distance walked: 12.7 miles

Total ascent: 2066 ft

OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas and OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: Kettlewell-Cam Gill Road-Top Mere Road-Starbotton Road-Hunters Sleets-Black Dike End-Blackfell Top-Great Whernside-Sweet Hill-Slatepit Rigg-Capplestone Gate-Conistone Turf Road-Bycliffe Road-Dales Way-Conistone Lane-Kettlewell


During yesterday's walk up Ingleborough I decided that today's walk would include Great Whernside. I could see that what snow cover there was was more extensive further east, so I just needed to work out a route that would keep me high up on the moors for as long as possible. Starting from Kettlewell, the one I went for took in the whole of Great Whernside's summit ridge and then the moorland to the south to the trig point at Capplestone Gate. All of it was already familiar to me although I've never done this exact route before. It certainly made for a good full day's walk. It was another cold day with a mixture of cloud and sunny spells, and a distinctly chilly breeze. The cloud built up enough in the afternoon for a few brief light wintry showers, and this made for some dramatic skies. The snow was softening and starting to disappear even on the top of Great Whernside so I can't imagine it lasting much longer.

From the NP car park in Kettlewell I walked through the village and onto Cam Gill Road, which I walked up to the first right hand bend, and onto the bridleway of Top Mere Road. I followed this to its top and joined the bridleway of Starbotton Road to reach the Kettlewell to Coverdale road across Hunters Sleets. After crossing the road I took the path opposite and followed it uphill to Black Dike End, and then south to Blackfell Top and on to the trig point on the summit of Great Whernside, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I made my way to Great Whernside's south top, then followed the fence south to Sweet Hill where I made a largely pathless descent across the moorland of Whernside Pasture to reach the footpath on the western edge of Slatepit Rigg. Once I'd made it I followed the path south along the edge of the moor to reach the trig point at Capplestone Gate. From there I took the Conistone Turf Road path down to the track of Bycliffe Road and then walked down this to reach the Dales Way. I then followed the Dales Way north past the limestone knoll of Conistone Pie and down Highgate Leys Lane to Conistone Lane, which after a short walk north along I left for a footpath on the left to the River Wharfe and a return to Kettlewell.

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

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Kettlewell as I set off up the track of Top Mere Road
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There are great views back down to Wharfedale as I follow Top Mere Road up Cam Pasture to Cam Head and the bridleway of Starbotton Road.....
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On the bridleway of Starbotton Road with a snow capped Great Whernside to my right
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Looking down the valley of Cam Gill Beck to Wharfedale
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Heading across Hunters Sleets to the Kettlewell to Coverdale road
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Looking back across Hunters Sleets to Buckden Pike as I make my way up onto Great Whernside
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Blackfell Top from Black Dike End
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Angram Reservoir, Scar House Reservoir, and Nidderdale
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Pendle Hill in the distance from Nidd Head
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Looking north as I head for Blackfell Top. Buckden Pike in sunshine, with the moors around Wensleydale in the distance.
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It's still cold enough for rime ice to hang onto this fence
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The sunlit northern slopes of Great Whernside
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Looking south to the summit of Great Whernside
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and west to Fountains Fell, Penyghent, Ingleborough, Plover Hill, Birks Fell and Whernside
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Windblown snow
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On Blackfell Top
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Heading for the trig point and summit of Great Whernside
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Looking back to Blackfell Top
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At the trig point on Great Whernside with Pendle Hill in the distance to the southwest
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Looking west to Fountains Fell, Penyghent, Ingleborough, Plover Hill, Birks Fell and Whernside
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and north along the summit ridge to Blackfell Top
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Views across the moors around upper Wharfedale and Littondale as I leave the summit behind and head for the south top..
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Heading for the south top
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Past an icy cold moorland pool
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At the south top of Great Whernside
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The fence that I'll follow to Sweet Hill, with Pendle Hill in the distance
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Rime ice on the fence at the south top
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Following the fence to Sweet Hill
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Looking back and it looks like a shower is on the way
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Fountains Fell, Penyghent, Ingleborough, Plover Hill, Whernside, Birks Fell and Yockenthwaite Moor in the distance
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From Sweet Hill I head down Whernside Pasture to Slatepit Rigg. There's still a light shower of ice pellets falling.
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Following the path south along the moorland edge to Capplestone Gate
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A view of the fells around Littondale and upper Wharfedale
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At the Capplestone Gate trig point
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Looking south down Wharfedale to dramatic skies over Simon's Seat and Barden Moor
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Over the wall, Conistone Moor and Black Edge, the moorland between Nidderdale and Wharfedale
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Finally, the fantastic view across Wharfedale and Littondale to Fountains Fell, Darnbrook Fell, Plover Hill, Old Cote Moor Top, and Yockenthwaite Moor
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Following the Conistone Turf Road path..
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..and the track of Bycliffe Road down to Wharfedale to join the Dales Way
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Heading north on the Dales Way
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Past the limestone knoll of Conistone Pie
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Following the Dales Way towards Kettlewell..
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Looking across Wharfedale to Kilnsey Crag
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Some limestone pavement makes a great foreground for this view of upper Wharfedale
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On the Dales Way down the track of Highgate Leys Lane
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Walking along the Conistone to Kettlewell road
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I leave the road for a path by the River Wharfe back to Kettlewell
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Kettlewell is in sight

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Lake District Walks
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