2nd January 2017 - Buckden Pike
Walk Details
Distance walked: 8.4 miles
Total ascent: 2141 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: Buckden-Dales Way-Hubberholme-Cray-Buckden Pike-Walden Road-Buckden
What a way to start the year! The bar has been set pretty high with this walk and it will take some doing for it to be beaten. When the weather turned colder yesterday I'd hoped that some snow had been left on the tops of the hills and after checking the Ingleborough webcam this morning that proved to be the case. I decided to head up Buckden Pike for a couple of reasons, it's more than two years since I'd last been to its summit and with it being that bit further east I was hoping that it had seen more snow. To make a change to my usual route up I left Buckden by taking the Dales Way north to Hubberholme and then heading for Cray before commencing the ascent. The path by Cray Gill was definitely worth a walk along, there were plenty of waterfalls to see. The weather was stunning today, wall to wall blue skies and sunshine with great visibility for taking in the views. The air was clear enough for me to make out some of the Lake District fells and the North York Moors.
From the car park in Buckden I set off by walking down Dubb's Lane to cross the River Wharfe and reach the Dales Way trail. I followed this north to join the road again to Hubberholme and after crossing the bridge over the Wharfe to the church of St. Michael and All Angels I walked east along the lane towards Cray to Stubbing Bridge. Here I left the road for a footpath by Cray Gill up to the hamlet of Cray. I then crossed the road next to the White Lion Inn and Cray Gill via the stepping stones to head uphill to the bridleway of Buckden Rake, where I went across it to continue uphill to join the path up to the summit of Buckden Pike. After having lunch in the shelter of the summit wall I walked south along the summit ridge to the memorial cross then down to the wall corner where the bridleway of Walden Road is reached. I followed this downhill towards Starbotton but just before the final descent to the valley floor I left it for a footpath on the right signposted for Buckden Lead Mine. This contoured north across the hillside and when it was joined by a path up from Buckden I took that one down to Buckden and the car park.
Total ascent: 2141 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: Buckden-Dales Way-Hubberholme-Cray-Buckden Pike-Walden Road-Buckden
What a way to start the year! The bar has been set pretty high with this walk and it will take some doing for it to be beaten. When the weather turned colder yesterday I'd hoped that some snow had been left on the tops of the hills and after checking the Ingleborough webcam this morning that proved to be the case. I decided to head up Buckden Pike for a couple of reasons, it's more than two years since I'd last been to its summit and with it being that bit further east I was hoping that it had seen more snow. To make a change to my usual route up I left Buckden by taking the Dales Way north to Hubberholme and then heading for Cray before commencing the ascent. The path by Cray Gill was definitely worth a walk along, there were plenty of waterfalls to see. The weather was stunning today, wall to wall blue skies and sunshine with great visibility for taking in the views. The air was clear enough for me to make out some of the Lake District fells and the North York Moors.
From the car park in Buckden I set off by walking down Dubb's Lane to cross the River Wharfe and reach the Dales Way trail. I followed this north to join the road again to Hubberholme and after crossing the bridge over the Wharfe to the church of St. Michael and All Angels I walked east along the lane towards Cray to Stubbing Bridge. Here I left the road for a footpath by Cray Gill up to the hamlet of Cray. I then crossed the road next to the White Lion Inn and Cray Gill via the stepping stones to head uphill to the bridleway of Buckden Rake, where I went across it to continue uphill to join the path up to the summit of Buckden Pike. After having lunch in the shelter of the summit wall I walked south along the summit ridge to the memorial cross then down to the wall corner where the bridleway of Walden Road is reached. I followed this downhill towards Starbotton but just before the final descent to the valley floor I left it for a footpath on the right signposted for Buckden Lead Mine. This contoured north across the hillside and when it was joined by a path up from Buckden I took that one down to Buckden and the car park.
Route map
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Leaving Buckden behind..
..as I follow the Dales Way trail north to Hubberholme
What a glorious winters morning in Wharfedale
Across the River Wharfe in Hubberholme
The church of St. Michael and All Angels in Hubberholme
I left the road towards Cray at Stubbing Bridge for a footpath by Cray Gill
There are numerous waterfalls on Cray Gill, some are easier to see and get close to than others..
Looking back to Wharfedale as I reach Cray
The path reaches the road through Cray next to the White Lion Inn
The stepping stones over Cray Gill
The road over to Bishopdale then Wensleydale
Cray below as I start the climb up Buckden Pike
As I gain height there are improving views towards the moors around Langstrothdale....
and then Penyghent, Ingleborough and Whernside join the scene
On the summit of Buckden Pike with its trig point, cairn and pole
I took that last photo from this side of the summit wall. Time to have my lunch, out of the wind.
Looking northeast down the valley of Walden. The ridge on the right heads from Brown Haw to Penhill above Wensleydale. The visibility is so good today I can make out the North York Moors in the distance on the right.
It was nice to get out of the wind for a while but it's time I crossed back over that wall and took some photos before moving on
I'll get a better view to the northwest from the other side of the trig point
Beyond nearby Yockenthwaite Moor is Dodd Fell Hill, Wild Boar Fell and High Seat above Mallerstang, and Great Shunner Fell
Horse Head Moor on the other side of Langstrothdale with Fountains Fell, Penyghent, Plover Hill, Ingleborough and Whernside in the distance
The visibility is so good today I could make out the Coniston fells, Scafell and Scafell Pike in the Lake District to the right of Whernside
The moors above Malham and Fountains Fell to the southwest
The summit ridge heads south with Great Whernside in the distance on the left
Snow covered walls provide a great subject for photography...
The moors above Malham and Fountains Fell as I reach the southern end of the summit ridge
A last chance to look across Langstrothdale to Penyghent, Ingleborough and Whernside
Over the stile..
..to reach the war memorial
Great Whernside in the distance as I start my descent
As I reach the bridleway of Walden Road I get a last glimpse northeast into the valley of Walden..
..as well as the high fells of Fountains Fell, Penyghent and Ingleborough
The bridleway heads downhill above the valley of Cam Gill Beck towards Starbotton
Looking back up to the blue skies above a snow covered fellside
The village of Starbotton in Wharfedale. I've decided to stay in the sunshine for as long as I can by taking a hillside path back to Buckden. It left the bridleway at the wall corner below.
There's a lovely light on the hillside as I follow it north with the snow covered top of Yockenthwaite Moor in the distance
Into the cold shadows as I descend to Buckden
A final shot of a water slide as I cross Bucken Beck