Ard, Up !!!!! | Saturday 31 July 2021


Walk Leader: Andy Miller
Participants: 5
Mileage: 22 miles
Ascent: 4,000 ft
Walk Report: Andy Miller
 
Weather: Dry and Warm in the morning ,With a thick mist on the Tops but Mist cleared as we were descending.One short shower of Rain at Crag Hill.
 
We set off from the Car park in the middle of Dent heading NW along the Dales Way, (A Pennine Journey) which was a mixture of Riverside Paths ,Field Boundaries ,some slightly overgrown but nothing which caused us any concern.
Continuing NW on the same paths we then reached  a long Road section passing through 3 Hamlets Ellers ,Lenacre and Brackengill 
to then reach Rash Bridge where we had a drinks stop .
From Rash Bridge we continued on a Road/Track to take a bridleway across Holme Fell which had some areas of Bracken .This didn,t deter us and we made our way through finding an intermittent path to reach the Farmers Track .Using the Farmers Track we  climbed in a Zig Zag fashion all the way up to Holme Knott.This Track is on the Map but not on the Gps.
This area now becomes like Spaghetti Junction Tracks and Paths all over the moor.We then had our Break and whilst our group were finishing off there break, I did some investigating and found the Track we wanted to be on,In my opinion for what it is worth a Finger Post would not go amiss here showing walkers which track to take up to Coombe Scar.
Coombe Scar was our first confrontation with a thick mist which didn't last that long and disappeared  as soon as we started to descend from Coombe Top but appeared again on the climb up to Calf Top.
From Calf Top we descended passing the large Cairns at intervals to reach Castle Knott and then the infamous Steep Descent down into the outskirts of Barbon.If you have done The Barbondale Round you will know exactly what I mean there is no definite path and puts a massive strain on the Knees.
On reaching Barbon there was an event taking place for Motocross which was very well supported .
We had our lunch stop at the side of the river and then took the Riverside track all the way to Blindbeck Bridge which we crossed and a short road section to reach the Bridleway which took us to Bullpot Farm which is the adopted Home of the Red Rose Cave and PotHole Club . 
From Bullpot Farm we then headed along a Track (Swallow Hole) Where we then reached the open moor of Casterton Fell.Keeping the wall to our LHS we followed the narrow path to reach a Wooden gate. We then passed through the gate to then keep the wire fence on our RHS climbing all the time to reach a small track going NE passing Richard Man (Pile of Stones) to reach the fence which takes you all the way to the top and Crag Hill. This fence must be kept on your LHS climbing to Crag Hill.
Thank You West Lancs LDWA for putting this information on the Route Description which made it far easier.
This part of the walk needed particular attention as you are on an open moor where the Walls/Fence lines are on the map but not on the Gps .  
From Crag Hill we climbed to The Cairn at The Crag by this time we were in the Middle of a Heavy Shower of Rain . We then decided to follow the wall on our LHS (CragSide)  we found our narrow path and with the Wall/Fence always on our LHS we made our way down to Blea Gill Rigg (on The Fellsman) and then descended to the Green Lane and then the Boulder/Stone strewn track down Flincher Gill into Dent Car Park .
This was a Tough Day but our group was WELL UP for it and gave us an excellent day's Walking .An area we will visit again. 
We then retired to The Sun Inn where an extra hit of Caffeine was required to just give us the kick up the backside we needed for our long drive home. 
 
Steve won a bottle of White, Paul from Hull East York's Group won the box of Chocolates from our Raffles. Well done you both .
 
Thank you for the donation of Books for Autism Plus as always much appreciated .
 

Photos by Paul Revill


Photos by Steve Hall

 

Photos by Andy Miller