6th September 2020 - Barden Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 15.9 miles
Total ascent: 2215 ft
OS map used: 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Bark Lane, Addingham-Dales Way-Bolton Bridge-Red Lion Farm-Dales Way-Storiths Lane-Valley of Desolation-Simon's Seat-Lord's Seat-Barden Fell-Hazlewood Moor-Noska Brow-Hazlewood-Storiths Lane-Almshouses-A59-Beamsley-Lowfield Lane-West Hall Lane-West Hall-Bark Lane, Addingham
With the weather really not up to much this weekend I didn't put a great deal of thought into deciding on where to go, though I was certain that it wouldn't be too far from home. In the end, with showers in the forecast, I plumped for the familiar moorland of Simon's Seat and Barden Fell on the eastern side of Wharfedale. What I hadn't planned on though was this walk being as long as it was. I had intended to park in a layby on the B6160 just to the south of the roundabout at Bolton Bridge. However, I discovered that it had been filled in and could no longer be used, which meant that I had to quickly think of somewhere else to start from. Bark Lane in Addingham, where the Dales Way leaves the village for the west bank of the Wharfe, was my decision. I've started a walk from there before. It added about five miles to the route that I'd originally planned. The forecast showers certainly turned up, and after a mostly dry late morning and early afternoon, I had to endure a couple of hours of almost continuous rain until it finally brightened up for some late afternoon sunshine.
From where I parked on Bark Lane in Addingham I picked up the trail of the Dales Way and followed it north through Olicana Caravan Park, by the west bank of the River Wharfe, across the B6160, then north by this road and then across it again to reach Bolton Bridge. After crossing Bolton Bridge I took the path north above the east bank of the River Wharfe to above Waterfall Bridge where I joined the Dales Way again, which I followed north up to Storiths Lane. I then walked north along Storiths Lane until I reached a footpath on the right signposted for the Valley of Desolation and Simon's Seat. I followed this path north up Posforth Gill and the Valley of Desolation to the track up through Sheepshaw Plantation, which took me up onto Barden Fell and the path to the summit of Simon's Seat. After a stop for lunch I took the flagged path across to Lord's Seat, then the flagged path southeast across Barden Fell, picking up the track south across Hazlewood Moor and down to the ford on Pickles Gill Beck. Once across the ford I took the track across Noska Brow and down to the hamlet of Hazlewood. I then turned right and walked down and up the lane to Storiths Lane, which I crossed to take the footpath opposite down through fields to reach Almshouses on the A59. Once across the A59 I took the footpath down to Kex Beck, then west through fields to Beamsley Lane. I long walk south along Lowfield Lane and West Hall Lane brought me to West Hall, and the footpath to the suspension bridge across the River Wharfe and up to Bark Lane where I was parked.
Total ascent: 2215 ft
OS map used: 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Bark Lane, Addingham-Dales Way-Bolton Bridge-Red Lion Farm-Dales Way-Storiths Lane-Valley of Desolation-Simon's Seat-Lord's Seat-Barden Fell-Hazlewood Moor-Noska Brow-Hazlewood-Storiths Lane-Almshouses-A59-Beamsley-Lowfield Lane-West Hall Lane-West Hall-Bark Lane, Addingham
With the weather really not up to much this weekend I didn't put a great deal of thought into deciding on where to go, though I was certain that it wouldn't be too far from home. In the end, with showers in the forecast, I plumped for the familiar moorland of Simon's Seat and Barden Fell on the eastern side of Wharfedale. What I hadn't planned on though was this walk being as long as it was. I had intended to park in a layby on the B6160 just to the south of the roundabout at Bolton Bridge. However, I discovered that it had been filled in and could no longer be used, which meant that I had to quickly think of somewhere else to start from. Bark Lane in Addingham, where the Dales Way leaves the village for the west bank of the Wharfe, was my decision. I've started a walk from there before. It added about five miles to the route that I'd originally planned. The forecast showers certainly turned up, and after a mostly dry late morning and early afternoon, I had to endure a couple of hours of almost continuous rain until it finally brightened up for some late afternoon sunshine.
From where I parked on Bark Lane in Addingham I picked up the trail of the Dales Way and followed it north through Olicana Caravan Park, by the west bank of the River Wharfe, across the B6160, then north by this road and then across it again to reach Bolton Bridge. After crossing Bolton Bridge I took the path north above the east bank of the River Wharfe to above Waterfall Bridge where I joined the Dales Way again, which I followed north up to Storiths Lane. I then walked north along Storiths Lane until I reached a footpath on the right signposted for the Valley of Desolation and Simon's Seat. I followed this path north up Posforth Gill and the Valley of Desolation to the track up through Sheepshaw Plantation, which took me up onto Barden Fell and the path to the summit of Simon's Seat. After a stop for lunch I took the flagged path across to Lord's Seat, then the flagged path southeast across Barden Fell, picking up the track south across Hazlewood Moor and down to the ford on Pickles Gill Beck. Once across the ford I took the track across Noska Brow and down to the hamlet of Hazlewood. I then turned right and walked down and up the lane to Storiths Lane, which I crossed to take the footpath opposite down through fields to reach Almshouses on the A59. Once across the A59 I took the footpath down to Kex Beck, then west through fields to Beamsley Lane. I long walk south along Lowfield Lane and West Hall Lane brought me to West Hall, and the footpath to the suspension bridge across the River Wharfe and up to Bark Lane where I was parked.
Route map
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Setting off from Addingham I follow the Dales Way through Olicana Caravan Park by the River Wharfe..
Following the Dales Way north by the River Wharfe..
The Farfield Quaker Meeting House
The River Wharfe from Bolton Bridge
I leave the Dales Way for the quieter path on the eastern side of the river
I have a view of the ruins of Bolton Priory from above Waterfall Bridge
and of Cavendish Pavilion on the other side of the Wooden Bridge
Onto the path to the Valley of Desolation
The waterfall in Posforth Gill..
Out of Sheepshaw Plantation and onto a heather clad Barden Fell
Looking back to Posforth Gill with Addingham High Moor in the distance
At the trig point on Simon's Seat
A near miss as a shower passes by to the south
Carncliff Top and Barden Moor
Without doubt the best view from here is that looking northwest up Wharfedale
Back down from the trig point, which is one of the harder ones to reach
Simon's Seat and Wharfedale from the southern outcrops of Lord's Seat
Dramatic skies over Greenhow Hill and Pock Stones Moor
On the northern outcrops of Lord's Seat, and dark clouds are gathering over Wharfedale. Rain isn't far away.
Looking east across Pock Stones Moor
Down from Lord's Seat and I follow the path south across the top of Barden Fell..
Looking across Hudson Gill to my right and the rain is arriving
On the track down to Hazlewood Moor, and that shower may have passed through but there's more on the way
Looking across a sea of heather to Carncliff Top
On the track across Hazlewood Moor..
Down to the ford across Pickles Gill Beck, and with the sun coming out while it's chucking it down, I'm treated to a rainbow...
Colourful heather on Hazlewood Moor..
Crossing the top of Noska Brow..
..and down to the hamlet of Hazlewood
From Hazlewood, I take a field path from Storiths Lane down to Almshouses on the A59..
The sun finally reappears as I pass through the hamlet of Beamsley
Walking south along Lowfield Lane and West Hall Lane, and I'm treated to some late afternoon sunshine over Wharfedale....
Ilkley Moor and Addingham
West Hall ahead
Across the suspension bridge over the River Wharfe and I'm back to where I started in Addingham..
