Yule Climb Simons Seat | Thursday 27 December 2018


Walk Leader: Steph Carter
Participants: 12
Mileage: 14 miles
Walk Report: Steph Carter

 

12 of us walked off some of the excesses of Christmas on this year’s Yule Climb Simons Seat Walk.

A mild dry day, sometimes clear, sometimes misty from low cloud, and relatively dry underfoot, our route followed the Dales Way north from Barden Bridge along the beautiful river Wharfe, to leave it to climb up onto a misty Appletreewick Pasture to High Road before dropping into Troller’s Gill.

A short break at the old lead mine, then on down, passing Parceval Hall to High Skyrholme, down to cross Brands Beck, and then the gentle climb to Dalehead farm, tucked in the shadow of Simon’s Seat. Here the gentleness stopped and it was up Simon’s seat the hard way.  Brands Beck to Simons Seat is 1000 feet climb…that worked off the Christmas pudding!

As if steeling from a Laurel and Hardy film, amongst the rocks of Simons seat there stands a lonesome pine, as always wearing a seasonal adornment of red and gold baubles.

The hard work done, a relatively gentle descent across the moor and into the Valley of Desolation, so named due to localised storm in the 19thcentury that uprooted a complete forest, and down to the Cavendish Tearoom (and the thronging crowds of day trippers).

Declining the refreshment option we headed upstream to complete our circle, passing the amazing rapids of the Strid, and under the Aquaduct Bridge that carries water from Nidderdale to Bradford, traversing Wharfedale to do so.

A spectacular combination of river, dale, mountain and moor. Is there a finer walk anywhere?