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30th May 2021 - Fountains Fell

Walk Details

Distance walked: 14.1 miles

Total ascent: 2005 ft

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

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: Street Gate-Malham Tarn-Monk's Road-Middle House-Out Pasture-Darnbrook-Pennine Way-Tennant Gill Farm-Pennine Way-Fountains Fell-Knowe Fell-Henside Road-Street Gate


There's some good weather in the forecast for this Bank Holiday weekend and today has the best of it, certainly visibility wise. To make the most of this I picked a route that would take me up onto one of the higher fells in the Yorkshire Dales, I chose Fountains Fell, so that I would be able to appreciate being able to take in the great all-round views. Fountains Fell is one of the quieter tops in the Dales, which is a distinct advantage when it comes to it being a fine day during a Bank Holiday weekend. Certain other places nearby, I'm thinking of Penyghent, would probably have been very busy, and Malham was chock-a-block when I drove through it on the way up to Street Gate. To take in a bit of new territory in what is already a familiar part of the Dales I followed the footpath across the limestone moorland of Out Pasture to Darnbrook. It was worth it as I got to see quite a number of wildflowers in bloom. It was a great day to be out on the fells with more or less wall-to-wall blue skies and warm sunshine from start to finish.

After parking at Street Gate I followed the track to Malham Tarn and was briefly on the Pennine Way, before taking the footpath on the right away from Malham Tarn and across fields towards Middle House Farm. The path joined a bridleway above Middle House Farm and this took me north onto Back Pasture Hill and past the ruins of Middle House to a fingerpost and the path signposted for Darnbrook. I followed this north across the limestone moorland of Out Pasture, down to and across Cowside Beck and to the hamlet of Darnbrook, where I then walked west along the road to pick up the Pennine Way to Tennant Gill Farm. I then followed the Pennine Way north up onto Fountains Fell to its high point on the northern shoulder of the fell where I stopped for lunch. Break had, I resumed my walk and left the Pennine Way and made my way south to the summit of Fountains Fell, and then on past Fountains Fell Tarn and south to the trig point on Knowe Fell. After taking in the view I continued following the wall south down the fellside until I picked up a bridleway which took me down to Henside Road. I then had a long walk east along the road back to Street Gate where I was parked.

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

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Following the track from Street Gate to Malham Tarn..
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By the shores of Malham Tarn
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Leaving Malham Tarn..
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..and taking the path to Middle House Farm
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Great Close Hill from above Middle House Farm
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Passing the ruins of Middle House surrounded by its stand of trees..
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The fingerpost points the way as I leave the path to Arncliffe for the one to Darnbrook
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Fountains Fell and Darnbrook Fell ahead of me
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The limestone pavement I'm passing through provides a good habitat for wildflowers, including this early purple orchid
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and surprisingly, wood anemone
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Mountain Pansy
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More wildflowers, this time Bird's Eye Primrose..
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Darnbrook Fell with the hamlet of Darnbrook in the trees below
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Looking down the valley of Cowside Beck to the fells around Littondale, with the top of Great Whernside in the distance
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Heading down to cross the footbridge over Cowside Beck
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Crossing Cowside Beck
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In the hamlet of Darnbrook
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Looking back to Darnbrook..
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..as I walk along the road to Tennant Gill Farm
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Tennant Gill Farm as I take the Pennine Way up Fountains Fell
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As I gain height the view opens up to include Great Whernside above the slopes of nearby Darnbrook Fell..
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..and the countryside that I've walked through since I set off
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Darnbrook Fell, with Buckden Pike, Little Whernside and Great Whernside in the distance
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At the northern end of the top of Fountains Fell, and this is a convenient place to stop for lunch
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Ingleborough, Penyghent and Whernside from the top of the Pennine Way
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Looking towards the fells around the top of Littondale
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Darnbrook Fell, Birks Fell, Buckden Pike, Little Whernside and Great Whernside
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Ingleborough, Penyghent and Whernside
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At the summit cairn of Fountains Fell with the Forest of Bowland in the distance..
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..and Pendle Hill
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Ingleborough, Penyghent and Plover Hill
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Looking northeast to Birks Fell, Buckden Pike, Little Whernside and Great Whernside
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Heading south across the broad moorland of Fountains Fell
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Passing Fountains Fell Tarn..
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Ingleborough and Penyghent from the south top of Fountains Fell
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Malham Tarn appears as start the walk south to Knowe Fell
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A cloudberry in flower
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A rash of gritstone boulders provides a foreground for a couple of photos. Buckden Pike, Birks Fell and Great Whernside in the distance.
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Malham Tarn and its surrounding moorland
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Heading south to Knowe Fell with Pendle Hill in the distance beyond Rye Loaf Hill
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To my left is the limestone moorland around Darnbrook with Great Whernside in the distance
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A crumbling wall provides a foreground for a great view of Malham Tarn
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At the trig point on Knowe Fell. Looking north to Fountains Fell.
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Ingleborough, Whernside, Penyghent and Plover Hill
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On the bridleway from Knowe Fell down to the Langcliffe to Malham road
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A walk along the Langcliffe to Malham road back to Street Gate. It is relatively quiet though, and it's a lovely end to the afternoon.
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A last look back to Ingleborough and Ribblesdale
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Capon Hall
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A beautiful end to the afternoon in limestone country
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A chimney stands alone on the nearby moor
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Buttercup and daisy filled fields..
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Crossing Malham Tarn Beck
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My walk comes to an end as I arrive back at Street Gate

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2022                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Walking Diaries
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    • Walking Diary 2015
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  • Lake District Walks
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