Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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4th July 2023 - Barden Fell

Walk Details

Distance walked: 12.4 miles

Total ascent: 1940 ft

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

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: The Strid car park-Dales Way-Stangs Lane-Howgill-Howgill Lane-Dalehead Farm-Simon's Seat-Lord's Seat-Hazlewood Moor-Storiths-Storiths Lane-Dales Way-The Strid car park


I'm off work this week, but with it booked at quite short notice I wasn't able to arrange to go anywhere. Definitely in a couple of months time though. I decided to head to Wharfedale today for a walk up Barden Fell to its high point of Simon's Seat, and across the wider moor to its south, familiar territory. It should be quieter than it normally is during a weekend, the Bolton Abbey estate is a popular place. The route I decided on would also include passing the "Brownie Barn" in the hamlet of Howgill, which I've been meaning to visit for while, and was well worth the stop. Guess what they sell. I had average weather for a summer's day for my walk, a mixture of fair weather clouds and sunny spells, with more in the way of sunshine as the afternoon wore on.

After parking my car in The Strid car park I took the path down to the River Wharfe to join the trail of the Dales Way, which I then followed west and north past Barden Bridge and up to Stangs Lane at the bridge over Fir Beck. I left the trail here and walked up the track through the hamlet of Howgill to Howgill Lane, where I stopped at the Brownie Barn for a drink and a bite to eat. After this break I walked north along Howgill Lane past Eastwood Head and up to Dalehead Farm where I reached a gate on the right that gave me access to the path up the northern slopes of Simon's Seat, which I took and followed up to the trig point on Simon's Seat, where I stopped for lunch. From Simon's Seat I took the flagged path east to Lord's Seat, then the flagged path and track south to Hazlewood Moor, from where tracks where followed down to and across Pickles Gill Beck, past Intake Farm, and down to Storiths Lane at the hamlet of Storiths. I then walked north along Storiths Lane until I reached the bridge across Pickles Gill where I joined the Dales Way, which took me north across the Wooden Bridge and through Strid Wood until I reached the path back up to the car park.

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

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After making my down from The Strid car park I follow the Dales Way north to a bridge that carries an aqueduct across the river
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The River Wharfe as I cross the bridge
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Passing Barden Bridge
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Following the Dales Way by the River Wharfe to Howgill...
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I leave the Dales Way and take a footpath up a track to Howgill Lane
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I've been meaning to pay a visit to the Brownie Barn for a while. It's well worth finding an excuse to be in its neighbourhood.
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Making my way up Howgill Lane
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Looking up Wharfedale towards Burnsall
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and across the valley of Blands Beck to Skyreholme
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Walking up Howgill Lane to its end at Dalehead Farm
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Onto access land at Dalehead Farm
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A view across to Appletreewick Pasture, and over Wharfedale as I climb the path to Simon's Seat
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At the top of the path and the trig point is in sight
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At the trig point on Simon's Seat, the high point of Barden Fell
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Taking in the view from Simon's Seat. Boulsworth Hill, and Pendle Hill in the distance to the southwest beyond the southern end of Barden Moor..
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Looking northwest up Wharfedale, with the Barden Moor on the left
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Looking north across the valley of Blands Beck to Appletreewick Moor and the distant high point of Great Whernside
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Looking south down Wharfedale to Beamsley Beacon and Ilkley Moor
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Following the flagged path from Simon's Seat to Lord's Seat
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On the western outcrops of Lord's Seat. The eastern outcrops and Pock Stones Moor to the east.
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A view across to Simon's Seat and Wharfedale..
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..and the same from the eastern outcrops
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Pock Stones Moor to the east
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I leave Lord's Seat and follow the flagged path, then track, south across Barden Fell..
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Pendle Hill in the distance as I reach the depression of Little Agill Head
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Looking back to Lord's Seat, with Great Pock Stones on the right
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Pendle Hill in the distance on the left, Barden Moor and Carncliff Top on the right
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Round Hill and Beamsley Beacon to the south as I reach Hazlewood Moor
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Great views of Wharfedale as I follow the track south across Hazlewood Moor....
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Heading down to the ford across Pickles Gill Beck
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At a junction of tracks, I take the one to Storiths
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Looking back across Hazlewood Moor, with Intake Farm down in the valley of Pickles Gill
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Following the track down to Storiths
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To my right, Barden Moor in the distance, and Strid Wood in Wharfedale
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and looking back up to Hazlewood Moor
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A bit further down the track and I get a glimpse of the River Wharfe
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On Storiths Lane. Looking across Wharfedale to Skipton Moor in the distance.
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Walking north down Storiths Lane
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By the River Wharfe as I join the Dales Way..
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Crossing the River Wharfe via the Wooden Bridge
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Making my way through Strid Wood
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A view of the River Wharfe before I head up to the The Strid car park

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2025                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
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  • Walking Diaries
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  • Lake District Walks
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  • South Pennines Walks
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