Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

  • HOME
  • About this site
  • Walking Diaries
    • Walking Diary 2024
    • Walking Diary 2023
    • Walking Diary 2022
    • Walking Diary 2021
    • Walking Diary 2020
    • Walking Diary 2019
    • Walking Diary 2018
    • Walking Diary 2017
    • Walking Diary 2016
    • Walking Diary 2015
    • Walking Diary 2014
    • Walking Diary 2013
    • Walking Diary 2012
    • Walking Diary 2011
    • Walking Diary 2010
    • Walking Diary 2009
    • Walking Diary 2008
  • Lake District Walks
  • Peak District Walks
  • Yorkshire Dales Walks
  • Forest of Bowland, Pendle & West Pennine Moors Walks
  • South Pennines Walks
  • Walks in other areas
  • Links Page

5th March 2022 - Aye Gill Pike

Walk Details

​Distance walked: 12.2 miles

Total ascent: 1715 ft

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

Time taken: 6.5 hrs

Route description: Dent-Dales Way-Barth Bridge-Lunds Farm-Long Moor-Aye Gill Pike-Snaizwold Fell-Dockra Bridge-Cowgill-Ewegales Bridge-Dales Way-Church Bridge-Dent


Two fine weekends in a row. I wait ages for one, and then another comes along straight away. I'll stay close to home for tomorrow's walk but for today's I decided on Dent in Dentdale for my destination, with two routes in mind, this one or to head up Whernside. I opted for Aye Gill Pike thinking that it was too windy for going up Whernside, and that it was nearly five years since I last did this route. Ironically, two weeks later I did Whernside from Dent, and it was a windier day. I had a fine spring day for this walk, with sunny spells, fair weather clouds, and great visibility for appreciating the fantastic all-round views from the top of Aye Gill Pike.

From the car park in Dent I walked west along the road out of the village to pick up the trail of the Dales Way which I then followed to Barth Bridge. I left the trail here to cross the bridge and take the lane on the right uphill to Lunds Farm, and from there the bridleway onto Long Moor. The moorland crossing of Aye Gill Pike, Rise Hill and Snaizwold Fell came next, keeping to the north side of the wall that runs across the top except when I visited the trig point on Aye Gill Pike (lunch was taken here). From Snaizwold Fell I continued to follow the summit wall east until I reached the Garsdale to Dentdale bridleway. I turned right here and walked down the bridleway to reach the hamlet of Cowgill in Dentdale. After crossing Ewegales Bridge I walked west along the road on the south side of the dale (with a brief detour down to the River Dee at Ibbeth Peril) until I reached the Dales Way. I took the trail and kept on it to Church Bridge just outside Dent, where I left it for a short walk back up into the village.

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

Picture
Setting off from the village of Dent
Picture
I have a view of Middleton Fell to my left as I follow the trail of the Dales Way to Barth Bridge..
Picture
Picture
The River Dee from Barth Bridge
Picture
On the lane up to Lunds Farm
Picture
From Lunds Farm I take the bridleway north up onto Long Moor..
Picture
Picture
Turning round to see Middleton Fell behind me..
Picture
..as well as Whernside and Great Coum
Picture
Hints of the Howgills as the bridleway approaches its summit on Long Moor
Picture
At the top of the bridleway across Long Moor. To the west is the hill of Helms Knott. It's a shame that there's no access to it, I think it probably has a great view up Dentdale.
Picture
Middleton Fell
Picture
Great Coum and Middleton Fell
Picture
Finally, before I start my ascent of Aye Gill Pike, the Howgills
Picture
The broad slopes of Aye Gill Pike await. They may be dull and featureless but the views of the surrounding fells aren't. Behind me are increasingly expansive views to the Howgills and to the distant Lake District fells...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Yarlside and the eastern Howgills, and the western half of Baugh Fell
Picture
As I gain height I can see more of the Lake District in the distance beyond the nearby Howgills..
Picture
Picture
East Baugh Fell to the north
Picture
The northern side of the wall that runs across the top of Aye Gill Pike has stiles in place for crossing the walls that meet it
Picture
One last shot of that view to the west before I reach the top
Picture
The trig point on the summit of Aye Gill Pike is finally in sight
Picture
At the trig point on Aye Gill Pike. The wall will provide me with some shelter from the wind for my lunch break.
Picture
Although it's surrounded by higher fells, Aye Gill Pike has a great all-round view. To the east is Great Knoutberry Hill.
Picture
Going round clockwise, Penyghent and Whernside
Picture
Whernside and Great Coum
Picture
Great Coum and Middleton Fell
Picture
Baugh Fell to the north on the other side of Garsdale
Picture
Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat in the distance on the left through the gap of Garsdale Head, with Great Knoutberry Hill on the right
Picture
This moorland pool provides a nice foreground for the view towards Garsdale Head
Picture
Leaving the trig point behind I follow the wall east across the top of the fell
Picture
​This handsomely built cairn just a short distance east from the summit and on the northern edge of the fell provides a fantastic view of Garsdale
Picture
Baugh Fell on the other side of Garsdale
Picture
Great Knoutberry Hill, Wold Fell, and the head of Dentdale
Picture
Approaching Snaizwold Fell
Picture
Garsdale and the Howgills from Snaizwold Fell
Picture
Great Knoutberry Hill, Wold Fell, the head of Dentdale, Penyghent, and Blea Moor
Picture
Leaving Snaizwold Fell my route follows the edge of a plantation down to the Garsdale to Dentdale bridleway
Picture
I get a great view of the head of Dentdale
Picture
and across to Garsdale Head
Picture
On the bridleway down to Cowgill in Dentdale
Picture
Zooming in on the Arten Gill Viaduct that carries the Settle to Carlisle line above the head of Dentdale
Picture
The bridleway finally makes it down to Cowgill in Dentdale
Picture
A quiet Saturday afternoon in Cowgill
Picture
St. John the Evangelist's Church in Cowgill
Picture
The River Dee from Ewegales Bridge
Picture
From Ewegales Bridge I walk west along the road on the south side of the dale
Picture
A look back along the road as I reach Birchen Tree Farm
Picture
I've made a short detour down to the River Dee to see if I can spot the waterfall of Ibbeth Peril. Unfortunately I can't really make it out from the footbridge that I'm stood on.
Picture
Back up to the road and heading west again
Picture
Looking down Dentdale as I take the Dales Way, which I'll follow most of the way back to Dent, down to the River Dee
Picture
This section of the River Dee flows over limestone, so there's water in it only when there's been a lot of rain recently, which there was in February
Picture
Lengthening shadows in Dentdale
Picture
The River Dee and Tommy Bridge
Picture
Looking up Dentdale to Great Knoutberry Hill
Picture
and across to Middleton Fell
Picture
and up Dentdale again to Whernside
Picture
Church Bridge and the River Dee
Picture
The southern slopes of Aye Gill Pike from Church Bridge
Picture
Stepping back in time as I walk along the cobbled streets of Dent

Return to HOME
Return to Yorkshire Dales Walks
​Return to Walking Diary 2022
© Alan Kilduff 2016-2025                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
  • About this site
  • Walking Diaries
    • Walking Diary 2024
    • Walking Diary 2023
    • Walking Diary 2022
    • Walking Diary 2021
    • Walking Diary 2020
    • Walking Diary 2019
    • Walking Diary 2018
    • Walking Diary 2017
    • Walking Diary 2016
    • Walking Diary 2015
    • Walking Diary 2014
    • Walking Diary 2013
    • Walking Diary 2012
    • Walking Diary 2011
    • Walking Diary 2010
    • Walking Diary 2009
    • Walking Diary 2008
  • Lake District Walks
  • Peak District Walks
  • Yorkshire Dales Walks
  • Forest of Bowland, Pendle & West Pennine Moors Walks
  • South Pennines Walks
  • Walks in other areas
  • Links Page