31st August 2020 - Lippersley Pike to Beamsley Beacon
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.5 miles
Total ascent: 1229 ft
OS map: 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Lanshaw Bank-Beacon Hill House-Badgers Gate-Langbar Moor-Denton Moor-High Badger Gate-Ellarcarr Pike-High Badger Gate-Lippersley Pike-Round Hill-The Old Pike-Beamsley Beacon-Lanshaw Bank
If I'm going to have a walk across moors covered in blooming heather this year then now is the time to do it. The window of opportunity is usually only a few weeks wide and the second half of August is generally the best time. I decided to head for the moorland around Wharfedale, which has plenty of choices, and in particular that of Round Hill and Beamsley Beacon to the east of Addingham. I'm certainly familiar with Round Hill and Beamsley Beacon, having done a few walks to their tops in the past couple of years, but to make the walk longer and to cover a bit of new territory, I planned a route that took me further east to Ellarcarr Pike and Lippersley Pike overlooking the valley of the River Washburn. It was a nice summer's day for enjoying the views of heather covered moors, with sunny spells, light winds and good visibility.
From where I parked by the road on Lanshaw Bank beneath Beamsley Beacon, I walked southeast along the road to Beacon Hill House where I left the road and took the footpath signposted for Badgers Gate. I followed this path across Langbar Moor to join the bridleway on Foldshaw Ridge, which I followed east across Bow Shaw, through the plantation on Low Dearncomb and up onto Denton Moor. I kept on this path east across Denton Moor beneath Lippersley Pike to where I picked up the High Badger Gate path on Lippersley Ridge to reach Ellarcarr Pike. After taking in the view from Ellarcarr Pike I returned west along the High Badger Gate path and made my way to the top of Lippersley Pike, and then followed the footpath northwest across Stainforth Gill Head, past Gawk Hall Gate and up to the summit of Round Hill. I then made my way southwest across Beamsley Moor to The Old Pike and to Beamsley Beacon, which left me with a short descent down to the road below where I was parked.
Total ascent: 1229 ft
OS map: 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Lanshaw Bank-Beacon Hill House-Badgers Gate-Langbar Moor-Denton Moor-High Badger Gate-Ellarcarr Pike-High Badger Gate-Lippersley Pike-Round Hill-The Old Pike-Beamsley Beacon-Lanshaw Bank
If I'm going to have a walk across moors covered in blooming heather this year then now is the time to do it. The window of opportunity is usually only a few weeks wide and the second half of August is generally the best time. I decided to head for the moorland around Wharfedale, which has plenty of choices, and in particular that of Round Hill and Beamsley Beacon to the east of Addingham. I'm certainly familiar with Round Hill and Beamsley Beacon, having done a few walks to their tops in the past couple of years, but to make the walk longer and to cover a bit of new territory, I planned a route that took me further east to Ellarcarr Pike and Lippersley Pike overlooking the valley of the River Washburn. It was a nice summer's day for enjoying the views of heather covered moors, with sunny spells, light winds and good visibility.
From where I parked by the road on Lanshaw Bank beneath Beamsley Beacon, I walked southeast along the road to Beacon Hill House where I left the road and took the footpath signposted for Badgers Gate. I followed this path across Langbar Moor to join the bridleway on Foldshaw Ridge, which I followed east across Bow Shaw, through the plantation on Low Dearncomb and up onto Denton Moor. I kept on this path east across Denton Moor beneath Lippersley Pike to where I picked up the High Badger Gate path on Lippersley Ridge to reach Ellarcarr Pike. After taking in the view from Ellarcarr Pike I returned west along the High Badger Gate path and made my way to the top of Lippersley Pike, and then followed the footpath northwest across Stainforth Gill Head, past Gawk Hall Gate and up to the summit of Round Hill. I then made my way southwest across Beamsley Moor to The Old Pike and to Beamsley Beacon, which left me with a short descent down to the road below where I was parked.
Route map
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The purple of the heather on Barden Moor and Barden Fell in the distance as I set off from beneath Beamsley Beacon
Skipton Moor in the distance as I walk along the road to Langbar
I leave the road for the path to Badgers Gate on Langbar Moor
Addingham down in Wharfedale
Ilkley Moor on the other side of Wharfedale
Following the Badgers Gate path across Langbar Moor..
March Ghyll Reservoir from Foldshaw Ridge
Langbar Moor
Through the plantation on Low Dearncomb
Langbar Moor as I leave the plantation
March Ghyll Reservoir, Middleton Moor and Langbar Moor from Denton Moor
Following the path east up onto Denton Moor
Heather covered Langbar Moor and Middleton Moor..
Ilkley and Ilkley Moor on the other side of Wharfedale
Looking east to Askwith Moor and Norwood Edge
Heading east along the High Badger Gate path to Ellarcarr Pike
The radomes of Menwith Hill in the distance from Ellarcarr Pike
Norwood Edge on the other side of the valley of the River Washburn, and Askwith Moor
Boundary stone with OS benchmark on Ellarcarr Pike
Lippersley Pike to the west. Time to head for it.
One of several boundary stones passed on the way
Approaching the top of Lippersley Pike
Boundary stone on Lippersley Pike
Ilkley Moor to the south
Langbar Moor and Round Hill
Looking southeast to Askwith Moor
The radomes of Menwith Hill in the distance to the northeast
Looking back to Lippersley Pike..
..as I follow the path to Gawk Hall Gate
One way to Ripon, and to Ilkley the other way
Looking east to Lippersley Pike from above Gawk Hall Gate
Ilkley Moor to the south from Round Hill
There's a great view from south round to north from Round Hill. Ilkley Moor and Addingham High Moor on the left and Beamsley Beacon on the right.
Beamsley Beacon, a distant Pendle Hill, Skipton Moor, and Barden Moor
Barden Moor on the left and Barden Fell on the right
Looking south down Wharfedale to The Chevin as I head west to The Old Pike
Great views of the heather covered Barden Moor and Barden Fell to the north from The Old Pike..
Skipton Moor and Chelker Reservoir to the west from The Old Pike
Barden Moor, Wharfedale and Barden Fell as I head across to Beamsley Beacon..
Addingham, Chelker Reservoir and Skipton Moor from Beamsley Beacon
Barden Moor and Wharfedale from the trig point on Beamsley Beacon
Looking down Wharfedale to The Chevin and Ilkley Moor
and across Wharfedale to Chelker Reservoir, Skipton Moor and Barden Moor
Addingham and Wharfedale as I make my way down from Beamsley Beacon to where I'm parked