3rd April 2013 - Buckden Pike
Walk Details
Distance walked: 7.8 miles
Total ascent: 1675 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: Buckden-Dales Way-Starbotton-Walden Road-Buckden Pike-Buckden Rake-Buckden
Real contrasts on this walk. Spring-like weather in the valley bottom with winter still prevailing on the fells.
From the car park in Buckden I set off on the Dales way to Starbotton. I then crossed over the Wharfe and walked through the hamlet to take the track of Walden Road onto the fell and to the summit of Buckden Pike. My route back was to descend the western flank of the hill to join the path of Buckden Rake which took me back to Buckden.
Total ascent: 1675 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: Buckden-Dales Way-Starbotton-Walden Road-Buckden Pike-Buckden Rake-Buckden
Real contrasts on this walk. Spring-like weather in the valley bottom with winter still prevailing on the fells.
From the car park in Buckden I set off on the Dales way to Starbotton. I then crossed over the Wharfe and walked through the hamlet to take the track of Walden Road onto the fell and to the summit of Buckden Pike. My route back was to descend the western flank of the hill to join the path of Buckden Rake which took me back to Buckden.
Route map
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At the start of the walk and I'm crossing the River Wharfe to follow the Dales Way to Starbotton
The bridge over the Wharfe
Looking across the river and I can see the snow covered slopes of Buckden Pike above Buckden
A last look up the valley before crossing over the Wharfe to Starbotton
Crossing the River Wharfe
In the hamlet of Starbotton
Uphill on the track of Walden Road
At the top of Walden Road and it's a different world up here. Sunshine on Great Whernside.
Firth Fell on the other side of the valley. My route of ascent was across the hillside to the right of Cam Gill Beck.
The memorial cross on Buckden Pike
Across the stile to head for the summit
Seriously deep drifts
The summit of Buckden Pike
I've walked a little to the west of the summit to get a better view of Penyghent, Ingleborough, Whernside and the valley of Langstrothdale
The view to the northwest. Some of the fells that be seen include Wild Boar Fell and High Seat above Mallerstang, Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat.
The Walden valley, Height of Hazely and Brown Haw
A tricky descent. The western flank of the hill was holding a lot of snow.
Even half way down and there was ample evidence of how deep the snow must have been in the not too distant past
Heading down across the hillside to join the path of Buckden Rake
The road to Bishopdale heads through this gap in the hills
Langstrothdale
The final descent to Buckden and it's spring again