3rd July 2022 - Ribblesdale to Malhamdale and back
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.1 miles
Total ascent: 2574 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Settle-Pennine Bridleway-Winskill Stones-Jubilee Cave-Pennine Bridleway-Langscar Gate-Cove Road-Fair Sleets Gate-Pikedaw Hill-Kirkby Fell-Rye Loaf Hill-Pennine Bridleway-Stockdale Lane-Warrendale Knotts-Dales High Way-Pennine Bridleway-Settle
I decided to head to Settle for my walk this weekend. The route I went for is one that I've done several times, with different variations of where I start from, and involves crossing the moors between Ribblesdale and Malhamdale using bridleways. The weather forecast provided the reason for taking the northerly bridleway to Langscar Gate first. An improvement through the day would hopefully give me the best of the weather for taking in the views from Rye Loaf Hill and Warrendale Knotts. This proved to be the case, and after a mostly grey and cloudy morning with the odd shower, the skies brightened and the cloud broke up to sunny spells for the second half of the afternoon. The views from Warrendale Knotts, particularly that looking up Ribblesdale in the late afternoon summer sunshine, were worth the steep climb.
After parking in the Greenfoot car park I left Settle by walking through the town, up the road of Castle Hill, and onto the Pennine Bridleway. I then followed the Pennine Bridleway north towards Langcliffe, taking the branch up to the road above Langcliffe to Winskill Stones, and I then walked north up the road to Winskill Stones. From there I took a path across access land to reach the Pennine Bridleway below Jubilee Cave, which I then followed east across the moors and down to Langscar Gate on the Cove Road above Malham, with a stop on the way for my lunch break. After a short walk down Cove Road I reached a bridleway on the right signposted for Settle, which I took and followed west up to and through Fair Sleets Gate, before leaving this to visit the top of Pikedaw Hill, just a short distance to the south. Once I'd taken in the view from Pikedaw Hill I returned to the bridleway and made my way west along it until I reached its junction with the bridleway north across Grizedales, where I left it to make my way south through a gate and across access land to the top of Kirkby Fell. From Kirkby Fell I had a pathless crossing of access land to reach Rye Loaf Hill, and once I'd taken in the view from there I made my way north across the moor and through a gate in a wall to pick up the Pennine Bridleway. I then walked along the Pennine Bridleway down Stockdale and Stockdale Lane until I reached the Dales High Way footpath on the right towards Warrendale Knotts, which I followed west until I was below Warrendale Knotts, and a steep ascent between the crags from there took me up to the trig point on the summit. I spent a bit of time taking in the great view from Warrendale Knotts before making my way back down to the Dales High Way, which I followed west, and then joining the Pennine Bridleway for a return to Settle.
Total ascent: 2574 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7.5 hrs
Route description: Settle-Pennine Bridleway-Winskill Stones-Jubilee Cave-Pennine Bridleway-Langscar Gate-Cove Road-Fair Sleets Gate-Pikedaw Hill-Kirkby Fell-Rye Loaf Hill-Pennine Bridleway-Stockdale Lane-Warrendale Knotts-Dales High Way-Pennine Bridleway-Settle
I decided to head to Settle for my walk this weekend. The route I went for is one that I've done several times, with different variations of where I start from, and involves crossing the moors between Ribblesdale and Malhamdale using bridleways. The weather forecast provided the reason for taking the northerly bridleway to Langscar Gate first. An improvement through the day would hopefully give me the best of the weather for taking in the views from Rye Loaf Hill and Warrendale Knotts. This proved to be the case, and after a mostly grey and cloudy morning with the odd shower, the skies brightened and the cloud broke up to sunny spells for the second half of the afternoon. The views from Warrendale Knotts, particularly that looking up Ribblesdale in the late afternoon summer sunshine, were worth the steep climb.
After parking in the Greenfoot car park I left Settle by walking through the town, up the road of Castle Hill, and onto the Pennine Bridleway. I then followed the Pennine Bridleway north towards Langcliffe, taking the branch up to the road above Langcliffe to Winskill Stones, and I then walked north up the road to Winskill Stones. From there I took a path across access land to reach the Pennine Bridleway below Jubilee Cave, which I then followed east across the moors and down to Langscar Gate on the Cove Road above Malham, with a stop on the way for my lunch break. After a short walk down Cove Road I reached a bridleway on the right signposted for Settle, which I took and followed west up to and through Fair Sleets Gate, before leaving this to visit the top of Pikedaw Hill, just a short distance to the south. Once I'd taken in the view from Pikedaw Hill I returned to the bridleway and made my way west along it until I reached its junction with the bridleway north across Grizedales, where I left it to make my way south through a gate and across access land to the top of Kirkby Fell. From Kirkby Fell I had a pathless crossing of access land to reach Rye Loaf Hill, and once I'd taken in the view from there I made my way north across the moor and through a gate in a wall to pick up the Pennine Bridleway. I then walked along the Pennine Bridleway down Stockdale and Stockdale Lane until I reached the Dales High Way footpath on the right towards Warrendale Knotts, which I followed west until I was below Warrendale Knotts, and a steep ascent between the crags from there took me up to the trig point on the summit. I spent a bit of time taking in the great view from Warrendale Knotts before making my way back down to the Dales High Way, which I followed west, and then joining the Pennine Bridleway for a return to Settle.
Route map
Settle as I leave it behind by the Pennine Bridleway
Heading north on the Pennine Bridleway towards Langcliffe and the weather goes downhill in Ribblesdale as a shower moves across...
Looking across Ribblesdale from the Pennine Bridleway up to the road to Winskill Stones
The shower clears and the skies brighten while I'm at Winskill Stones. The bright white of the cottage at Lower Winskill stands out..
Looking back across Ribblesdale from the path up to Jubilee Cave
Warrendale Knotts to the south as I join the Pennine Bridleway beneath Jubilee Cave
Jubilee Cave
Taking the Pennine Bridleway for the journey east to Langscar Gate
The tops of the moors of upper Ribblesdale are still shrouded in cloud
Heading east along the Pennine Bridleway..
The sun breaks through the clouds over the moors to the north
Looking back west along the Pennine Bridleway towards Ribblesdale as I reach its top..
..and starting the long gradual descent to Langscar Gate. I can make out Weets Top and Cracoe Fell in the distance.
Looking over the wall to my left and I can see Malham Tarn
and then lower down are the limestone pavements of Langscar
Finally at Langscar Gate
A walk south down Cove Road to reach the bridleway to Stockdale
I can see a bit of Malham Cove from the side of the road
Heading up the bridleway to Fair Sleets Gate
I leave the bridleway and make a detour to the top of Pikedaw Hill to take in the view of Malham and Malhamdale
Back on the bridleway, but not for long. I'll leave it again to visit Kirkby Fell.
Looking back down the bridleway with the limestone pavement above Malham Cove and Gordale Scar in the distance
Malham Tarn in the distance as I reach the junction with the bridleway across the moorland of Grizedales. Time to head for Kirkby Fell.
A cairn at the top of the eastern slope of Kirkby Fell gives me a good view of Pendle Hill to the south
As well as east across Malhamdale to Weets Top and Calton Moor, with Cracoe Fell in the distance
The rounded top of Rye Loaf Hill is just a short distance away to the west
Rye Loaf Hill and the limestone moorland above Stockdale from the top of Kirkby Fell
Buckden Pike and Great Whernside in the distance beyond Malham Tarn and the limestone moorland of Parson's Pulpit
Ingleborough, the moorland of Grizedales, and Penyghent
After a rough crossing of access land I reach the wall junction where I can cross and reach the top of Rye Loaf Hill
Looking back to Kirkby Fell
and across Malhamdale to Calton Moor, with Cracoe Fell in the distance
Ingleborough, Whernside, and Penyghent from the trig point on the top of Rye Loaf Hill
The Forest of Bowland in the distance to the left, Stockdale below, Sugar Loaf Hill, and Warrendale Knotts
Pendle Hill to the south
The tops of Buckden Pike and Great Whernside in the distance beyond the moorland of Grizedales
Malhamdale below
A visit to the top of the crags on the western edge of the summit gives me a view of Stockdale, and across to Warrendale Knotts and the limestone scars on the other side of the dale
Back onto the bridleway down Stockdale
Rye Loaf Hill above Stockdale Farm
Heading down Stockdale Lane
I leave Stockdale Lane and take the footpath towards Warrendale Knotts and Settle
Passing beneath the limestone cliffs of Attermire Scar
Heading for the top of Warrendale Knotts and I've got the best weather of the day for taking in the great view up Ribblesdale to Ingleborough, Whernside and Penyghent..
Penyghent, Fountains Fell, Victoria Cave, and Attermire Scar
Attermire Scar, Stockdale and Rye Loaf Hill
Pendle Hill in the distance from the trig point on Warrendale Knotts
I leave Warrendale Knotts via a steep path down its southern slope to reach the footpath to Settle below
Back on the footpath to Settle
Looking back to the limestone crags of Warrendale Knotts, with Rye Loaf Hill in the distance on the right
Settle appears below. Not far to go.
One last look at the view up Ribblesdale..
..before I return to Settle via the Pennine Bridleway