Length: 24.4 km (15.2 mi) [shorter walks possible, see
below]
Ascent /Descent: 703/792m
Net Walking Time: 6 hours
Toughness: 7 out of 10
Take the 08.50 Carlisle train from Settle, arrives Horton-in-Ribblesdale 8.58. [This is the 07.48 from Leeds.]
Return trains to London: 15.06
(3’ 24”), 16.30 (3’ 31”), 17.58 (4’ 02”), 20.02 (5’ 12”).
This is a relatively easy exploration in the Yorkshire Dales up to the
wild Fountains Fell – a fine viewpoint in good weather – which despite leading
through very remote countryside has mostly good quality and easy-to-walk paths
courtesy of the ascent and the crossing of the fell following the well-funded
Pennine Way.
The approach to and ascent of Fountains Fell give fine vistas up to and
along the famous Pen-y-ghent ‘from the back’ out of Silverdale – an angle of it
not seen from the more popular routes in the area focusing on the Yorkshire
Three Peaks. Fountains Fell itself, once owned by Fountains Abbey and used for
sheep farming aiding the production of wool, shows ample signs of having been
intensely worked for coal in the early 19th century in support of
the lead smelting near Malham. On the descent off the far side of the fell, you
get views into the very green Cowside and Littondale valleys and to the large
Malham Tarn and beyond it into Malhamdale.
Subsequently you cross a few lonely pastures-with-views, then drop down
to the pretty Catrigg Force waterfall close to Stainforth village (with a
shortcut option to a bus stop) and continue along quiet lanes and bridleways
through some interesting limestone country at the Winskill Stones National
Nature Reserve and then along an elevated path above Ribblesdale with fine
views to Settle with its good selection of tea stops.
Walk Options:
On the top of
Fountains Fell,
a more direct descent, southerly across the plateau and down a spur of the
hill, would be shorter but also involves rougher and at times pathless ground
(not yet walked).
Towards the end of the walk, you could stay on Henside Lane instead of
looping down to Catrigg Force waterfall and back up through the Winskill Stones
NNR. This cuts 1.9 km and 60m ascent.
Bus Line 11 (Horton in Ribblesdale to Clitheroe) stops at Stainsforth (Main
Street), with a late afternoon last bus to Settle (Mon-Sat at 16.02).
This enables a shortcut down from Catrigg Force along the Pennine Bridleway to
the bus stop 1.2 km away. Cuts 3.6 km and 60m ascent.
Lunch: Picnic.
Tea: Plenty of options, all within a few
minutes’ walk to the train station. Check the webpage or pdf for details.
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos
and gpx/kml files click here . T=swc.442
4 comments:
Apparently Catrigg Force is a great spot for a swim.
mwis.org forecast for the day summary: sun and high cloud, drizzle possible western Dales, wind blustery morning, easing quickly
N=9 walkers on a w=very-early-low-clouds-lifting-for-views-from-the-top-sunny-ending-no-rain-but-humid day.
We reached the top of Fountains not long after it had cleared of clouds (unlike Pen-y-gent, which took much longer), where two split off to recce the rougher alternative route across the top.
2 others had (deliberately) fallen behind already (not going home for a couple more days), and the various groups never reunited.
The across the top two had their lunch break when back on the main route and explored the Force in detail (water depth in the pool is apparently too deep to reach the bottom, ie this is officially a swimming walk!).
Punters reached Settle from 15.30 onwards, meaning that everyone who wanted to is now on the 16.30 to Leeds.
Enjoyable day for all.
Two of us had a refreshing dip in Catrigg Force, and are now enjoying a relaxing ice cream in Settle 😋. Thanks Thomas for another great weekend of walking.
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