Ribblehead July 25th


 

Dales Way Alternatives

On a lovely morning, eight of us gathered at Ribblehead to walk a route based on the Dales Way Watershed Alternative. A section of the Hawes road was first taken past the former inn at Gearstones, formerly frequented by the cattle drovers,  before we emerged on to the Cam High Road which, has now unfortunately for walkers, been surfaced with limestone chippings to accommodate the large timber lorries, taking the dressed logs from Cam Woodlands. This was compensated by the wonderful increasing view southwards through Ribblesdale, as we gained height. Then it was down to Cam Houses, the farm that used to provide bed and breakfast and bunk house accommodation for Dales Way walkers, but alas, no more. It is also the start of the high level Watershed Alternative which rejoins the main route in Dentdale.

Initially, a short steep pull up after the farm, then on to Cold Keld Gate for the first welcome stop of the day. From there it was down along the Pennine Bridleway, to Gavel Gap where the River Ribble starts its journey to the sea from a small spring at the base of a crag. The first stretch of the Ribble Way was then followed, before leaving it and continuing from Newby Head on the bridleway around Wold Fell, amidst lovely scenery to our lunch break at the beginning of the Arten Gill track. The impressive Arten Gill viaduct then came into view, with its eleven arches on the way down to Stone House in Dentdale, for some of us bringing back memories of a checkpoint on the Fellsman. Happy days! The former Dent youth hostel was then passed before the footpath to Dent Head Farm, where different varieties of geese and colourful cockerels created much interest.

Then the final climb of the day, following the air shafts of the Settle Carlisle railway over Blea Moor to find a really good spot for our final break of the day. It was downhill all the way now, meeting walkers before their climb over Whernside on a charity Three Peaks Walk. We had been looking anxiously at the rain that seemed to be closing in around us, but finally the iconic Ribblehead viaduct came into view and it was then, just a short distance back to the cars.

A walk of many glorious views and thankfully, just beating the rain, as we encountered a cloudburst, soon after we left for home.