Above Hawkswick

View across to Kettlewell and Great Whernside

Admiring the views on Great Whernside

Admiring the views on Great Whernside

Photos from Andrew

Half a dozen gathered in Grassington : such is my growing popularity Mill Bank Peter had even come all the way from a campsite in Ripon to attend . And so we were off via Threshfield & a nicely located campsite at Skirethorns to go thru pastures studded with scores of huge field mushrooms : foragers would have made a fortune . Past the multiple barking dogs at Bordley Farm & a brief stint on Mastiles Lane for the first stop wallside at Gordale Beck .

Then a wonderful grassy high level path across High Cote Moor with stunning views toward the upcoming tops, a pause for a quick photo then via Arncliffe Cote to picturesque Hawkswick . From the hamlet a steep ascent to gain a fabulous ridgeline to a remote Shooting Hut with far reaching views high across the valley . Joining a shooters track with the hum of bees working overtime in purple flowering heather , to crest the top & steeply downhill via a narrow limestone gap to replenish supplies in Kettlewell . The village had been invaded for the Scarecrow festival : debateable in places to distinguish what were the stuffed exhibits with enough comedy material from the visiting hordes in the churchyard to fill an entire series of Little Britain … think mobility scooters on uneven ground !!!

Tearing ourselves away from this spectacle we speedily marched out to regain the peace & calm of wonderful unoccupied open countryside with 1600 feet of straight ascent to the summit of Great Whernside via a fabulous remote outdoor lodge . The views on the way up & from the trig were stunning (Pendle Hill , Pen Y Ghent & Ingleborough) & after enjoying the panorama it was downwards on unmarked access land roughly following the boundary across Sweet Hill's impressive unspoilt moorland expanse . Eventually a defined path was reached to Capplestone Gate where the final stop was taken behind a wall sheltering from the now very gusty conditions .

Another superb grassy path downhill to the track at Bycliffe Road , passing the disused farm at Bare House & magnificent 360 degree views of Barden Fell , Pendle Hill & Pen Y Ghent to finally descend into Grassington . And no better way to round off a perfect days walking than a superb pint of Black Sheep Riggwelter before my taxi home courtesy of the chairman . A magnificent walk matched by the company with the 25 miles & 4400 feet of ascent chalked off in a walking time of just seven hours plus stops . It does what it says on the tin ... “Brisk Paced”

Ian