Most people think of a long distance trail as a
multi-day walk, a week or longer spent on a coastal path or trekking from coast
to coast making steady progress as they go. But being away from home and
walking every day doesn’t suit everyone.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the
creation of the route we, the Friends of A Dales High Way, decided to walk all
90 miles, from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland, as a series of day walks
using public transport.
We wanted to show that the trail can be walked in
stages without a car. We used the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line for most of our
train travel with additional bus journeys on days 3, 4, 7 and 8. On
days 8 and 9 we used a local taxi firm who took us by minibus to and from
Kirkby Stephen station. Mainly we walked on Saturdays although it was only
essential for days 7 and 8 when we used the Western Dales bus. Here’s how we
did it.
Day 1. Saltaire to Ilkley. 7.5 miles / 12.1km
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| Crossing Rombalds Moor |
The group met at
Ilkley railway station, again at 10.30 am and climbed quickly back up to rejoin
the trail on Ilkley Moor, continuing a long ridge walk onto Addingham High Moor
before dropping steeply to the northern edge of the town of Addingham. We then
crossed Skipton Moor along the line of the Roman Road before dropping
steeply into Skipton. Walkers returning to Ilkley caught the bus while others
took the train. This section could be shortened by finishing in Addingham, a village well served by buses.
Day 3. Skipton to Hetton 6.8 miles /10.9 km
We met at Skipton
railway station at 11.00 am and climbed up to Tarn Moor and into the Yorkshire
Dales National Park. A steady climb over Skyrakes led to the modest summit of
Sharp Haw, with great panoramic views. We crossed Flasby Fell to the tiny
farming hamlet of Flasby, before an easy beckside ramble to Hetton - Calender
Girls country. At Hetton we caught the bus back to Skipton railway station. This was a deliberately short section so we
could use the bus between Skipton and Hetton and avoid going into Malham
village which has fewer transport links.
We met outside
Skipton railway station, to catch the 9.40 a.m. bus to Hetton. The walk started
in Hetton, heading up Moor Lane and around the
end of Winterburn Reservoir, before a long steady moorland climb to the heights
of Weets Top. Then we were into limestone country, dropping to Goredale Bridge
and on to the top of magnificent Malham Cove. We followed the Dry Valley to
Langscar Gate, continuing to climb up to Nappa Gate and Kirkby Fell. The trail
descended to Stockdale Lane, then alongside the stunning crags of Attermire
Scar and Warrendale Knotts, before the final steep descent to Settle where we
caught the train on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line.
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| Lunch above Malham Cove |
This section can be shortened by walking into Malham to catch the bus back to Skipton.
Another 10.30 am
start, this time from Settle railway station. We headed north, following the
river Ribble to Little Stainforth and Stainforth Force, then climb up alongside
Smearset Scar and down to Feizor, with a short stop at Elaine's cafe. After
passing Wharfe woods we headed down to the tiny hamlet of Wharfe, with
Ingleborough dominating the view ahead. A fine walled track led us into
Crummackdale, for a lunch stop at the lovely Wash Dub field. A final
climb above Crummack heads towards Ingleborough but that’s for another day.
Instead we followed the trail from Sulber Nick down into Horton-in-Ribblesdale,
another stop on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line.
We
left Horton station at 9am to retrace our steps towards Ingleborough, picking
up A Dales High Way again at Sulber Nick, before the steady climb to the summit
of Ingleborough. We descended to the foot of Swine Tail then down the very
steep, rocky path to Humphrey Bottom. At Souther Scale we cut down to
Chapel-le-dale for a short break at St Leonard's Church. A gentle climb through
the wooded Ellerbeck Gill led to a long traverse along the lower south-eastern
flank of Whernside, with superb views of Ingleborough and Ribblehead Viaduct.
Finally we left the trail by the viaduct for the Station Inn and Ribblehead
station.
This was a fine long day’s walk
in two halves. Leaving Ribblehead station at 9.06 am we retraced our steps
alongside Ribblehead viaduct to rejoin the trail, climbing around the north-eastern
flank of Whernside to Boot of the Wold, with spectacular views over Dentdale. A
steep descent led us down to join the Dales Way alongside the river Dee into
the lovely village of Dent - and lunch (there was an option to break the walk
here).
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| Heading down into Dentdale |
Then there was another stiff climb over Frostrow Fell, with stunning
views of the Howgill Fells ahead. A steady descent brought us into the
attractive market town of Sedbergh to finish at the Dalesman Inn where we
caught the Western Dales bus back to Dent station, a journey only possible on a
Saturday.
We caught the train to Dent station, arriving at
09.15 am then waited for the 09.35 Western Dales bus to Sedbergh.
Leaving Sedbergh, we
climbed up onto the Howgill Fells via Settlebeck Gill, along the ridge to climb
again onto Calders, and finally up to the summit at the Calf. The six-mile
ridge route continues north above Bowderdale, crossing Hazelgill Knott and West
Fell, with superb views north across the Orton Fells. Finally we descended to
Bowderdale and along a quiet lane to Newbiggin-on-Lune where we waited for our
taxi to Kirkby Stephen station at Brownber Hall. We had booked an 8-seater taxi in
advance and were delighted that it took less than 10 minutes and cost only £2
per person.
We
were met at 10.53 outside Kirkby
Stephen railway station by the taxi which took us to Newbiggin-on-Lune.
From Newbiggin-on-Lune
we crossed wild Ravenstonedale Moor to the secluded splendour of Sunbiggin
Tarn, before climbing beside Great Kinmond across the spectacular limestone
scars of the Orton Fells. We dropped into the Eden Valley at Great Asby, before
enjoying a beckside ramble alongside Hoff Beck via Rutter Force and Hoff to
finish at the delightful former county town of Appleby-in-Westmorland where
again we caught the train back on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line.
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| We did it! Friends of A Dales High Way at the end of the trail. |
You can see the details of
the trains and buses we used by following this link:
These were correct for summer
2018 but should not be relied upon if you are planning your own walk. Please
check up to date information at:
https://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/ for info about the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for train times
http://www.dalesbus.org/ for bus information
http://primataxis.co.uk/ This is the taxi firm we used
www.daleshighway.co.uk for everything you need to know about A Dales High Way
www.daleshighway.co.uk for everything you need to know about A Dales High Way
