Bell Busk

I seem to be having a run on walks around Airton.  Today I’m going to Bell Busk from Airton. Setting off in the direction I usually finish this walk – up past the telephone box then heading left along the road.  I then turned off on Kirk Syke Lane.  I stayed on this trackway following a track which eventually took me over Otterburn beck eventually popping out onto a road in Bell Busk. A century ago there were mills here spinning silk.

At the road I turned left going across the road bridge turning right onto a small lane. The lane went uphill towards Haw Crag I stayed on this lane until I came to a gate straight ahead of me to take me through a field to the Crag. 

As I was going through the gate two fell runners were heading down.  They said don’t worry if I saw a sheep laid on its back at the top they were on their way to tell the farmer as they were local. At Haw Crag is a trig point 676ft up from here on a good day there are all the main tops to see Whernside, Pendle, Fountains fell.  I’m getting so I can recognise them now.

At the top I took the stile into a field which somewhere near the centre crosses the Pennine way.  I then took a gate at the bottom of this which led into one of the biggest fields I have ever been in, it must have taken 10/15 minutes to walk across.

It was then straight to a footbridge over the river and following the river Aire back to Airton.

A steady 5 miles with a lot of fields and stiles.  Good walk.

Kirkby Malham

I have walked to Kirkby Malham from Airton before but today I’m doing a slightly longer route and in the opposite direction to the one I usually take.

It was a really warm day, glad I’d put my sun cream on and brought it with me for a top up. I set off up the road where normally finish this walk passing an old water pump by the side of the road. 

Leaving the village behind I turned off to the right – going through the fields catching a glimpse of Malham Cove.

 You can’t not love seeing it, even at a distance it’s dramatic. Eventually I came out onto Scosthrop lane.  Here I crossed over and took a path across a field walking past a small stone hut Dowber Laithe. Then following a faint track below an old quarry. 

From here is in an old waypath to Kirkby Malham called Kirk Gait. It goes from Otterburn to Kirkby Malham Church. This pathway brought me back onto Scosthrop Lane – I remember doing this before and thinking I might as well have just stayed on the lane and walked round to here. I took a stile which leads to a path taking me up the hill to the top of Warber hill.  On the right was a beautiful stone arch – part of an old quarry.

It was really hot now and no shade from the sun until I got to the top.  Here I had a rest and a drink.  The next part of the walk was past trees onto a farm track with Kirkby Malham in the valley below. Down the field and across a small stream at the bottom to emerge by the Church. 

I then followed the narrow road to Hanlith Bridge where there is a stile which took me onto the path by the river Aire.  The path follows the river for quite a way eventually meeting up with a mill race which was once used by Airton Mill spinning cotton.  The mill is now flats.  I eventually came back into Airton after a good 4 ¾ mile walk, which felt a lot further because of the heat.

Flasby Fell

I’ve done this walk before and I’ve been waiting for the right time of year to do this again. I parked up in the little hamlet of Flasby.  It is so small the road through it is one way only. There are only a couple of places to park so I was lucky to have a space.  It was a lovely day and I set out uphill  straight away.

As I got going up the track I looked ahead and saw a huge field filled with dairy cows.  My heart sank was I going to have to go through that field. What a relief as got up to the gate there was a track fenced off – me on one side, the cows on the other.  Thank goodness for that, I’d already decided if I had to go through there I’d just turn around and go for a different walk.  It was lovely walking up to the old hawthorn tree, which is the marker to bear left around the fell.  Even the boggy bits weren’t too boggy.

 

Once I’d turned off at the tree there is a dark indented track across greenways which gradually slopes down to a small road.

  Here I turned right down past Tarn House Farm.  Just past it is the footpath across several fields eventually coming to a stile which takes you into the plantation.

 I love this bit of the walk. Fir trees, lovely views and a peace and quiet you only find in these places.  At the beginning of the plantation is a bird hide but I didn’t really have time to stop half an hour bird-watching so I kept on the forestry track.  As I climbed up through the forest of Crag Wood there were scars in the landscape where there had been tree felling.

Eventually the path drops down and on a sharp corner bearing left there is a signpost and small footpath going right.  This was my way.  Here was was the reason why I was doing this walk in June.  Following the path down the forest is now Rhododendrons in bloom. Just beautiful. 

 

At the end of the woods there is a gate into a field taking me down to a bridge across Septeria Gill. This track is then just a steady walk back into Flasby.

Fantastic 6 mile walk – one to put in my diary for the same time next year.

Stoodley Pike

It was a lovely day – a little windy but I’d been wanting to walk up here again for ages.  Today was the day, but I chose a shorter route than the one I had taken last time was up here.  My last walk up to Stoodley Pike had been from Todmorden and I had a lot more time to do the walk.  Today I only had a few hours in the afternoon so I was starting out from Lumbutts which would make the walk considerably shorter. Parked up just a little lower down from the pub and set off up the track.  This then joined the walled track – flagged up onto the moor. 

The pathway was clear all the way up – however on reaching the top you lose sight of the Pike and on arriving at the crossroads of paths – how I missed the stoop an ancient guidepost I have no idea but I blithely carried straight on.  Eventually when I kept thinking I should surely be able to see the Pike by now I stopped and looked back.  I could see a steady stream of walkers heading across the moors from my left to right. I then had to re-trace my steps back to the crossroads this time turning to my right.  Within minutes there was the Pike in front of me.

 As I got up to its base the wind was picking up.  There were several people who had gone up inside the Pike to come out and walk around its viewing balcony and because I hadn’t gone up there last time I was here today I decided I would. I was glad of my little torch on the way up the 39 steps to the viewing area. It was pitch black inside. When you looked out over the views it was worth the climb.  It was surprising how much more windy it was up here.  Those few steps up made a huge difference. 

After walking all the way round I went back down and started the journey back down off the moors.

 I dropped past the Doe Stones onto a broad track taking you beneath the Pike. 

 This is known as the London Road which eventually comes out by Mankinholes a YHA stopping point for walkers on the Pennine Way.

 

 From here it was a straight walk back to where I’d left my car.

4 ½ miles of bracing air, you can’t beat it

Bolton Abbey - Embsay

It was another nice day, what to do with the children?  Eventually we decided to go to Bolton Abbey catch the train to Embsay and – guess what meet Peppa Pig. 

We set off and all the way there George said he thought this was going to be so boring.  That is until we parked up and boarded the train.  They were those lovely old fashioned individual carriages with a corridor running down the side.  Very exciting.  The train ride was lovely and just long enough to not get bored.  We hopped off the train and had a look around Embsay train station then got back on for the ride back. 

  When we got back Peppa Pig was there to meet us, Mabel was sooo excited. She couldn’t wait to have her photo taken with Peppa.

We then took off to Embsay Reservoir, Bernard had been very good sat in the car while we were on the train and he needed a run out now.  

 

It was pretty busy up at the reservoir, lots of dog walkers and families but the children really enjoyed the walk around and so did Bernard. It was a nice leisurely one mile saunter just enough for everyone to let off steam without getting over tired.

A brilliant family day out. 

Cam Head

It was a pleasant day today and I felt like a change.  A run up into the Dales, and a new walk.  This walk starts in Kettlewell, and although I thought I had got there pretty early a lot of the car parks were already full.  Eventually found a small space and went and paid my £2 to garage.

Set off past the Racehourse Inn and took the road out of the village. Uphill straight away, why am I not surprised.  The direction was as the road went right I should continue straight ahead.  Uphill.

This is Top Mere Road, the book says a relatively steep start so stop and admire the view.  There was going to be a lot of that.  As I kept on up and up I could see Great Whernside to my right.  I did that last year and that had left me with a sense of achievement – I could see the Hag Dyke Scout building on the hillside.

Eventually I came to a signpost at the top, the book said there was a cairn but this has since been replaced with the signpost.  I asked a couple who were coming up behind me and they confirmed I was on the right track and should bear left and take the path that was turning back on itself slightly. The summit it 1706ft 520 mts so not as high as Great Whernside, but still a stiff climb.

The green path goes along level for a short way and then begins the slope back down. I joined the road back down – this is called Starbottom Cam Road.  It’s a horrid road, all rolling stones and pebbles, like the one down from Buckden Pike.  As I kept walking down I looked across and could see the similar road which runs down from the Pike.   Eventually coming into back lane at Starbottom.

To return to Kettlewell from here I turned left along the road and then took a footpath down to the river, crossing it and taking the Dalesway path all along the valley bottom which then brought me back into Kettlewell.

Ponden Circular

Well originally I had been going to go over to Colne and do a walk there but I was late setting out and I’d been full of cold all week so I decided to stay closer to home.

Parked up at Ponden Reservoir banking and walked up past Ponden Hall and took the same pathway I’d taken a few weeks ago with the family.  It was pretty breezy up on the tops, this would certainly clear the bugs and blow the cobwebs away.  When I got up to the kirk top the wind was pretty chilly too.  There were lots of Grouse flying up out of the heather and lapwing flying around. 

  However on this walk instead of going across past the Kirk stones and then taking the steps back down to the water board track I carried along the top of the hill following the narrow track, eventually Buckley Green came into view.  Here instead of going through the stile, I headed right back up onto the moor eventually joining up with the broad Pennine Way track I followed this straight up to Top Withins. 

  As I neared the top I could see lots of walkers heading my way from the direction of Heptonstall/Warley.  As I went round the back of the Top Withins ruins there were two marshals.  A long distance walk of 20 miles apparently and this was their last check point.

Anyway I headed back down the hill and then took fork off to the right and followed the clear pathway which eventually brought me to the hill at the top of Bronte bridge and waterfalls.  I decided not to walk down to the bridge but cut back across a field which brought me back on the Pennine Way track and across to Buckley Green.  Following the track past the houses until I turned down a narrow path which looked like an old cart track – bringing me back to the Reservoir banking and my car.

A good 6 mile tramp across the moors, that should hopefully killed a lot of my cough/cold bugs.  Just wish it had been a little warmer, it was too cold to linger today.