5th October 2025 - Mill Gill Force and Burtersett High Pasture
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.0 miles
Total ascent: 1712 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Bainbridge-Yore Bridge-Grange-Mill Gill-Skellgill Lane-Skell Gill-Shaw Cote-Litherskew-Sedbusk-Brunt Acres Road-Pennine Way-Hawes-Gayle-Shaws Lane-Burtersett-Burtersett High Pasture-Cam High Road-Bainbridge
For my walk this weekend I decided to head to Bainbridge in Wensleydale to do a route that would take in the waterfall of Mill Gill Force, which I've already visited a few times, and also some footpaths through the dale that I'd not used before, namely those from Mill Gill to Sedbusk. The forecast was for a mostly fine day during daylight hours, but the sunny spells of the morning becoming hazy into the afternoon as thickening cloud arrived ahead of rain. In fact it turned out to be a really nice autumn day with the sunshine only fading as I left Burtersett.
From where I parked my car in Bainbridge I left the village by walking north along the road to Yore Bridge. Once across the bridge I took the footpath on the right and followed it up to the line of the disused railway, crossed it, then up to the road at Grange. I crossed the road, took the footpath opposite up through fields to Mill Gill, then followed the footpath up Mill Gill to visit Mill Gill Force. From Mill Gill Force I retraced my steps and left Mill Gill by taking a footpath west along a track to Skellgill Lane, then walked west along Skellgill Lane to its end at the hamlet of Skell Gill. A footpath along a track from the end of the lane took me south until I reached a footpath on the right, which I took and followed west to eventually reach Sedbusk, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I left Sedbusk by taking a footpath from Sedbusk Lane down to the Hardraw to Askrigg road, across this, then down to Brunt Acres Road where I joined the Pennine Way. I followed the Pennine Way through Hawes to Gayle, then walked up Gayle Lane and across the bridge over Gayle Beck to take the lane on the left. I soon reached a footpath on the right, which I took up onto the fields above, then followed a footpath east to Shaws Lane and Burtersett. From Burtersett I took the bridleway up onto Burtersett High Pasture, then a footpath south to the track of Cam High Road. I then walked down the track and road of Cam High Road all the way back down to Bainbridge.
Total ascent: 1712 ft
OS map used: OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Bainbridge-Yore Bridge-Grange-Mill Gill-Skellgill Lane-Skell Gill-Shaw Cote-Litherskew-Sedbusk-Brunt Acres Road-Pennine Way-Hawes-Gayle-Shaws Lane-Burtersett-Burtersett High Pasture-Cam High Road-Bainbridge
For my walk this weekend I decided to head to Bainbridge in Wensleydale to do a route that would take in the waterfall of Mill Gill Force, which I've already visited a few times, and also some footpaths through the dale that I'd not used before, namely those from Mill Gill to Sedbusk. The forecast was for a mostly fine day during daylight hours, but the sunny spells of the morning becoming hazy into the afternoon as thickening cloud arrived ahead of rain. In fact it turned out to be a really nice autumn day with the sunshine only fading as I left Burtersett.
From where I parked my car in Bainbridge I left the village by walking north along the road to Yore Bridge. Once across the bridge I took the footpath on the right and followed it up to the line of the disused railway, crossed it, then up to the road at Grange. I crossed the road, took the footpath opposite up through fields to Mill Gill, then followed the footpath up Mill Gill to visit Mill Gill Force. From Mill Gill Force I retraced my steps and left Mill Gill by taking a footpath west along a track to Skellgill Lane, then walked west along Skellgill Lane to its end at the hamlet of Skell Gill. A footpath along a track from the end of the lane took me south until I reached a footpath on the right, which I took and followed west to eventually reach Sedbusk, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I left Sedbusk by taking a footpath from Sedbusk Lane down to the Hardraw to Askrigg road, across this, then down to Brunt Acres Road where I joined the Pennine Way. I followed the Pennine Way through Hawes to Gayle, then walked up Gayle Lane and across the bridge over Gayle Beck to take the lane on the left. I soon reached a footpath on the right, which I took up onto the fields above, then followed a footpath east to Shaws Lane and Burtersett. From Burtersett I took the bridleway up onto Burtersett High Pasture, then a footpath south to the track of Cam High Road. I then walked down the track and road of Cam High Road all the way back down to Bainbridge.
Route map
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It's a fine autumn morning in Bainbridge
Views of the River Ure from Yore Bridge..
From Yore Bridge I follow a footpath east up to the road to Askrigg
Having crossed the road to Askrigg, looking back to Bainbridge High Pasture and Burtersett High Pasture on the other side of Wensleydale
Following the footpath across fields to Mill Gill
To my right, a view across Wensleydale to Addlebrough
Some photos of Mill Gill Force. It has a great setting in a wooded ravine, especially at this time of year with the colours of autumn, although I'm bit early to see them at their best.....
One last shot as I head back up the path
From Mill Gill I take a footpath west to Skellgill Lane
Looking back down Wensleydale to Penhill
Walking west along Skellgill Lane
The tiny hamlet of Helm above
Approaching the hamlet of Skell Gill
Leaving Skell Gill I take a footpath south along a track
Looking back to Skell Gill, with Whitfield Scar above on the left
I leave the track for a footpath that I'll follow all the way west to Sedbusk
Passing through Shaw Cote
Looking back down Wensleydale with Addlebrough on the right
Following the footpath to Sedbusk, with great views across Wensleydale......
Reaching the hamlet of Sedbusk
The limestone scars of High Clint above
A view across Wensleydale to Wether Fell, Sleddale, Dodd Fell Hill, and Ten End as I leave Sedbusk and take a footpath down to the Hardraw to Askrigg road below
and down Wensleydale to Addlebrough
The River Ure from Brunt Acres Road
and from Haylands Bridge
Looking back along the Pennine Way to High Clint
Crossing Gayle Beck in Hawes
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and crossing Gayle Beck in Gayle
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Leaving Gayle I take a footpath up through fields
Looking back to Gayle
Onto the footpath east towards Burtersett
Looking across Wensleydale to Whitfield Scar and Askrigg Common
and up Wensleydale to Widdale Fell, Cotter End, and the southern slopes of Great Shunner Fell
The footpath joins the track of Shaws Lane
Autumn sunshine on the fields around Burtersett
Into the hamlet of Burtersett
Leaving Burtersett on the bridleway up to Cam High Road
Looking back down to Burtersett
I follow the bridleway up and across Burtersett High Pasture, with views across Wensleydale...
Green Scar and Common Allotments with Cam High Road below..
..from the footpath to Cam High Road from the bridleway
Heading down Cam High Road..
Looking back to Crag on the left and Yorburgh on the right
Making my way down Cam High Road, with views across Wensleydale to my left...
Crossing Bainbridge High Pasture as the track nears the road down into Bainbridge
A last look back up Cam High Road
Heading back down into Bainbridge