Wild Guide Lake District and Yorkshire Dales

guide

Lake District and Yorkshire Dales

Hidden Places, Great Adventures and the Good Life

Imagine a summer spent swimming in mountain waterfalls, exploring lost ruins and caverns, and camping in ancient forests.

In this explorer’s compendium you will discover the most exciting and lesserknown places to visit in the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, with magical places to stay and where to find the very best local and artisan food, straight from the farm or field. Featuring stunning photography and engaging travel writing, this is the perfect book for families seeking new adventures off the beaten track, or explorers dreaming up their ultimate weekend escape.

ÂŁ15.99

9 781910 636091

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swimming new from the publishers of swimming

New from the award-winning Wild Guide series, with over 750 secret adventures, hidden places and wild weekend escapes. Taking you to places no other guidebook reaches.

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Wild swims, waterfalls, river pools and hidden tarns

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Scrambles, gorge walks and gills

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Secret beaches and islands

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Lesser-known peaks and extraordinary rock formations

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Giant caverns and caves

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Lost ruins, follies and sacred wells

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Meadows, ancient forests and amazing wildlife

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Local food producers, microbreweries, inns and farm shops

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Bothies, gypsy caravans, wild camps and campfire campsites

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Ancient rock art, sacred circles and the Stonehenge of the north

The Wild Guide is available as an ebook and app for iPhone and Android.

Also from Wild Things Publishing:

Daniel Start is an award-winning travel writer and photographer. He is author of Wild Swimming, Hidden Beaches and Wild Guide South East.

Tania Pascoe is a naturalist and food writer. She is author of Wild Garden Weekends and Wild Guide South West.

The Wild Guide series was winner of the Travmedia Travel Guidebook of the Year 2015

Inside the Wild Guide water 1 2 Jump or rope swing T land and wildlife Amazing wildlife 4 Sunset views 6 Lost ruin 7 Ancient or sacred 8 Wild swimming

Waterfall

Canoeing or boating

Hidden beach

Cosy inn Campfires

Cave or cavern Ancient forest Magical meadow Scramble or climb

9 3 5 E

sleep

food Locally-sourced food

Secret island

= o ÂŹ

s a f

Wilder campsite

q z c t

Very remote

Bothy or bunk barn Bivvy or wild camp

d g *

general Great for kids Lovely walk Cycling Train nearby

Hazards Secret Busy or popular

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h w A K

Lake District & Yorkshire Dales Hidden Places, Great Adventures and the Good Life Daniel Start & Tania Pascoe

Contents

Map of the regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Finding your way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

best for Wild swimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Boats & floats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gills & scrambles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Caverns & caves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sacred & ancient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ruins & follies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rocks & tops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Forest, meadows & wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Slow food & accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wild camping & bothies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

the regions Lake District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Yorkshire Dales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Co-ordinate conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

Regional Overview

XX 1

Maryport

p45

Cockermouth

Penrith

Workington

XX 2

p57

XX 3

Keswick

p69

2 4

p83

Whitehaven Cleator Moor Egremont

XX 5

Lake District 1 North Fells & Bassenthwaite

p99

6XXp111

XX 7

p121 Ambleside

38

2 Buttermere, Crummock & Ennerdale 46 3 Borrowdale 58

XX 8

p131

XX 9

p141

Windermere

XX 10

p151

Bowness

4 Ullswater 70 5 Wastwater & Eskdale

84

6 Langdales & Grasmere

100

7 North Windermere

112

8 Duddon & Ravenglass

122

9 Coniston & Grizedale

132

10 South Windermere

142

11 Barrow & Silverdale

152

Kendal

M

XX 11

p163Millom

Ulverston

Grange-over-sands

Dalton-in-furness Barrow-in-furness

Yorkshire Dales

Morecambe

12 Howgills & Dentdale

164

13 Swaledale

178

14 Wensleydale & Langstroth

188

15 North East Dales

202

16 Whernside & Ingleton

214

17 Stainforth & Malham

228

18 Wharfedale

238

19 Nidderdale & Ilkley Moor

248

20 Forest of Bowland

258

6

LANCASTER Heysham

M6

Fleetwood Cleveleys Thornton Poulton-le-fylde Blackpool M55

Crook

Willington Spennymoor Bishop Auckland

rith

Shildon

XX 12

Barnard Castle

p177

A1(M)

Newton Aycliffe

Appleby-in-westmorland

Stock Middle

Darlington

XX 13

Kirkby Stephen

p187

XX 15

A66(M)

p213

M6

Richmond

Northallerton

ndal

Sedbergh

XX 14

p201

M6

XX 16

p227

ands

be

Peter

Brandon

Tow Law

Kirkby Lonsdale

XX 19 XX 17 XX 20

p267

p237

XX 18

p257

p247

RIPON

Pateley Bridge

Settle A1(M)

R

Knaresborough Harrogate

6

Skipton Barnoldswick Earby Clitheroe Barrowford Longridge

M65

Brierfield Padiham Burnley

Colne Trawden

Silsden

Keighley

Wetherb

Ilkley Otley Guiseley Yeadon Bingley Baildon Horsforth Shipley A64(M)

Garforth

7

M1

8

Introduction Swim in sparkling waterfalls and hidden tarns; explore ancient forests; discover secret caverns and remote ruins.

Refuel afterwards with local cheeses from artisan food makers, taking an ale at a friendly inn, or picnic in a meadow of orchids and rare butterflies. Watch the sunset from an Iron Age hillfort, dance under the stars by sacred stones, then wild camp as some of the darkest skies in England turn indigo and a multitude of stars appears above you.

The Lakes and Dales The Lake District and Yorkshire Dales are our most popular and best-loved National Parks, which means they can be crowded – but not everywhere. This Wild Guide is a celebration of the most beautiful places that lie within them, with an eye to those that are lesser known, more hidden or more adventurous, which means you’ll find all the local secrets for swimming, exploring, walking and eating, but with ideas for scrambling, wild camping, river tubing, waterfall plunging and caving too.

The Lakes owe their excitement to the soaring peaks and the serene lakes they enclose, formed by volcanic upheavals and subsequent glaciation. Water is everywhere, islands to canoe to, hidden waterfalls to swim under, and gills to explore, while lakes offer secret coves and shores. There’s also a rich history of ancient and sacred ruins, from Stone Age axe ‘factories’ to an epic range of stone circles, henges and burial cairns. Those who like ruins and caves will find fascinating relics of copper and slate mining, though of course care is needed when entering any old structure. The area also has some of Britain’s most ancient mountain oak forest, as well as some of its wildest beaches, sandflats and dunes.

The Yorkshire Dales owe their rich topography to the soluble limestone geology, formed beneath ancient tropical seas 9

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hundreds of millions of years ago. Above ground this has created vast areas of limestone pavement – a habitat for some of our rarest and most beautiful wild flowers – and lime-rich meadows, maintained by traditional hay-making practices. Below ground lies a labyrinth of natural tunnels and giant chambers, some of which were once Victorian ‘show caves’ but have now returned to the wild. Between earth and rock run the rivers, punctuated by spectacular waterfalls and plunge pools. Local history is rich here, from Bronze Age rock art and vast astronomical earthworks to the remains of medieval castles and abbeys, some overgrown in woods or forgotten over the ages.

The need for adventure Some of the places in this book will require caution and a good dose of common sense. More information on risks is given in subsequent sections, but we believe that adventure is an important element of a healthy life, and that building experience and simple skills in the outdoors, particularly in childhood, makes us safer explorers in the long run.

In our modern digital world, much is made of our new-found freedoms – to work remotely, be contactable anywhere and always be online. Yet these ‘freedoms’ keep us tethered to our technology, disconnected from our surroundings and busier than ever. As our children spend more time indoors and in front of screens, deprived of beneficial wild experiences, they can develop a kind of ‘nature-deficit disorder’ and suffer attention problems, obesity, anxiety and depression.

Exploring the wilder places that lie on the edge of everyday life and throwing ourselves into new experiences makes us happier and healthier. New adventures can bring an enormous sense of freedom and satisfaction. This Wild Guide will help you find that freedom in the following places: Rivers and lakes: They shape our landscape and are ideal for swimming, canoeing, jumping, tubing, scrambling and fishing.

Caves and caverns: Whether naturally created by the flow of underground rivers, or man-made by miners centuries or just decades ago, these can give a glimpse of a Tolkien-like underworld.

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Rocks and tops: Lesser-known easy peaks, which offer vistas out of all proportion to the effort required, plus unusual rock formations and intriguing gills and gorges to explore.

Ancient and sacred: Relics of Britain’s pre-history, offering tantalising glimpses of our relationship with nature, the wider universe and the afterlife.

Ruins: Elaborate reminders of more recent history, many long since lost or almost forgotten, including fantastical lookout towers and castles, and romantic remains of former industry.

Woods, meadows and wildlife: Rich fragments of once-great forests to picnic in, early summer hay meadows to snooze in, and ospreys, busy red squirrels and glow-worms to discover.

Wild coast: Shimmering sands, dunes, pools and estuaries, and some of the least-visited habitats in the region.

The good life You’ll be pleased to know that eating hearty local food of known provenance, created with care, is part of the adventure. A bit of light foraging can be satisfying too – especially for the more abundant treats such as wild garlic, samphire, field mushrooms and maybe a line-caught mackerel or two, all cooked up on some rocks or a shoreside fire. And when you’re ready for sleep, you can wild camp by a high mountain tarn – perfect for a quick dip in the morning – or find one of the more remote bothies or bunk barns, or a wilder campsite that allows campfires.

We chose to make the Lakes and Dales the subject of our third Wild Guide because they’ve always been among our favourite places for wild swimming and adventure. The idea is for an intimate, locals’ guide; along the way we’ve met many people living simple, rich lives – artisan producers making traditional foods, and smallholders who tend to their pigs and chickens alongside their guests.

The end result is a compendium of wonderful places, all without having to fly, or queue, or spend much money at all. We hope this book inspires many more wild and wonderful escapades.

Be safe, and do write and tell us how you get on.

Daniel and Tania adventure@wildthingspublishing.com 13

Finding your way Each wild place can be located using the overview map provided at the end of each chapter, along with the detailed directions, but to be sure of finding your way you’ll need to use the latitude and longitude provided. This is given in decimal degrees (WGS84) and can be entered straight into any web-based mapping program, such as Google, Bing or Streetmap. The latter two of these will also provide Ordnance Survey mapping if you select that option. Print out the map before you go, or save a ‘screen grab’ and email it to yourself. You can also enter the co-ordinates into your GPS, car satnav (enable ‘decimal degrees’) or your smartphone, if it has GPS. All maps apps will take decimal degrees, and the ViewRanger app will even give you turn-by-turn instructions to guide you to your point. In this edition we’ve included more postcodes too, as these are often quicker to enter into a device and have a specific point location. If you have paper maps, look up the equivalent national grid reference in the conversion table at the back of the book. Approximate walk-in times are given, for one way only (we allow about 15 mins per km), and abbreviations in the directions refer to left and right (L, R) and north, east, south and west (N, E, S, W).

Wild & responsible

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1.

Fasten all gates and if you must climb them, use the hinged side.

2.

Keep your dogs under close control, especially around livestock and in nature reserves.

3.

4.

Keep to public paths unless you are on Access Land.

5.

If you wash in streams or rivers, only use biodegradable soap, or none at all.

6.

Take special care on country roads and park considerately.

7.

Take map, compass, whistle and waterproof clothing when venturing into remote or high areas.

8.

Always tell someone where you are going, and do not rely on your mobile phone.

Take your litter home, and gain good karma by collecting other people’s.

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Best for Wild swimming With so many lakes, tarns, waterfalls and rivers, the Lakes and Dales are a paradise for wild swimming 1.

Being so high up, their water quality is excellent, but temperatures can be low. That said, a hot spell will quickly warm up shallower tarns, especially those with dark, peaty underbellies so the afternoon can be a good time for tarn swimming. Do be cautious of the cold, and don’t attempt to swim across a wide lake unless you know how your body reacts to the cold. The effect can be surprisingly severe – in general people can swim just 10% of their normal distance once in cold water.

Jumping can be fun, and we’ve marked where this is usually possible with a T, but always check the depth before you jump, even if you were there just the day before. Never jump into the centre of a waterfall, as the currents can be very powerful there.

Take your swimming costume on every trip, together with a small cotton sarong, and you’ll always be ready for a dip. Bring a plastic bag with you so you can pack away your wet things. Those places marked with a A symbol could be ideal for skinny-dipping.

Galleny Force and Blackmoss Pot, Langstrath, p61 Kailpot Crag and Sandwick Bay, Ullswater, p73 Swindale Beck Waterfalls, p73 Tongue Pot, Esk Falls and Kail Pot, Eskdale, p87 (pictured) Esthwaite Water and High Dam, p145 Duddon Bridge, Wallowbarrow and Birks Bridge, Duddon, p125 Wain Wath, Currack and Kisdon Force, River Swale, p181 Redmire Falls and Cotter Force, River Ure, p191-2 Stainforth Force, River Ribble, p231 Loup Scar and River Wharfe, p241

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Be safe

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1 Never swim alone, and do keep a constant watch on weak swimmers.

2 Know your limits and stay close to the shoreline. Cold water will decrease your swimming range and can lead to cold cramps. People with a heart condition should avoid rapid entry into cold water.

3 Never jump into water you have not thoroughly checked for depth and obstructions.

4 Avoid strong currents, such as those found under large waterfalls, rapids or weirs: they can drag you under.

5 Always make sure you know how you will get out before you get in.

6 Wear footwear if you can.

7 Watch out for boats on any navigable river. Wear a coloured swim hat so you can be seen.

8 Avoid direct contact with bluegreen algae and be wary of water quality in lowland areas during droughts and heavy rain. Cover cuts with plasters if worried, and if you develop flu-like symptoms tell your doctor you have been wild swimming.

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Best for Boats & floats With its iconic expanses of water and numerous rapids, boats and inflatables 2 are an obvious way to explore in the Lakes and to reach the myriad offshore islands – after all, this the home of Swallows and Amazons. Water in the Dales tends to move a bit faster, often racing down ‘forces’ and into ‘pots’, but there are still lakes and calmer stretches of river where a raft can be fun.

These days there are many new and affordable types of boat. Plastic ‘sit-on-tops’ are unsinkable, while inflatable canoes are much easier to transport – make sure you buy one with multiple chambers, and don’t use inflatables if you plan to venture out to sea. Stand up paddleboards (SUPs) are another way to travel; these provide a higher vantage point and are great fun on placid waters.

If you haven’t got a boat you could use a rubber ring or a lilo to ride gentle rapids, though you should ideally wear a wetsuit to protect yourself from grazes and knocks.

Extreme versions of this sport are called ‘hydrospeed’ in France, ‘river boarding’ in the United States and ‘white-water sledging’ in New Zealand. Take great care!

St Herbert’s and Lord’s Islands, Derwent, pp62-63 Mossdale Bay & Norfolk Island, Ullswater, p 73 Overbeck Bridge, Wastwater Wastwater, p87 Brathay Bridge, Clappersgate from Elterwater, p115 Peel Island, Coniston, p135 Silver Holme & Lilies of the Valley, Windermere, p146 North End Haws, Walney Island, p155 Ghaistrill’s Strid and Grassington Weir, p241 (pictured) Appletreewick, River Wharfe, p241 West Tanfield, River Ure, p205

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Best for Gills & scrambles The rocky landscapes of the region make for great climbing and scrambling E, both wet and dry.

‘Scrambling’ tends to mean anything that requires you to use your hands but doesn’t need all the technical gear of climbing. Routes are classed from Grade 1 (easy), which don’t the use of ropes, to Grade 3 (difficult), which do require knowledge of ropes in order to protect yourself on some steeper sections, and which involve more exposure and more ‘committing’ sections where it’s harder or impossible to avoid difficulties. Most of the routes in this book are Grade 1, but bear in mind that there is large variation within this: Striding Edge is a Grade 1, but so is Sharp Edge. The former is a very pleasant walk with a bit of a scramble, but Sharp Edge can be scary as its exposed to the wind, has longer drops and can be slippery in the wet.

Gill scrambling means following a wet ravine, often with pools and falls, either up or down. In hot weather this can be great fun, but there are also hazards so it’s advisable to wear a helmet and a wetsuit.

Sharp Edge, Blencathra, p43 Honister via ferrata, p53 Striding Edge, Helvellyn, p75 Skew Gill, Piers Gill and Napes Needle Ridge, Great Gable, p96 Jack’s Rake, Stickle Ghyll and Dungeon Ghyll, p105 Church Beck gorge and gill, p135 Hell Gill, Garsdale Head, p167 (pictured) Swinner Gill canyon & pools, p182 Strans Gill, p198 Ease Gill Kirk gorge walk, p219 Gordale Scar, p231

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Be safe

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1 Always be prepared to turn back if you don’t feel confident on a scramble or climb.

2 Many scrambles are in high and remote locations; be especially cautious on wet and windy days, when some scrambles will feel even more exposed.

3 Gill scrambling requires a helmet due to the danger of rock falls from above.

4 Never jump into pools that haven’t been checked for depth, or descend something you can’t climb back up. If in doubt, scramble up the gill, not down.

5 In wet gills wear a wetsuit, to avoid hypothermia; it also protects your skin if you slip.

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Best for Caverns & caves Some people love them, others hate them, but it’s difficult not to be awed by the largest and grandest of the many subterranean adventures 9 that exist in this area, and to wonder at the passage of time and the forces of nature play. The Lake District’s caverns are mainly man-made, left over from slate mining, and there are some truly vast holes. The Yorkshire Dales caves are almost all natural, created by the power of water eroding limestone.

Some are relatively recent, created during the last Ice Age, and still contain the lees of the rivers that created them. Others are now dry, the water source long since diverted or dried up. One such is Victoria Cave, perhaps the most famous in the area, which contained bones from 130,000 years ago, including those of hippos, rhinos, elephants and spotted hyenas. Gaping Gill, on the other hand, was never inhabited, but it contains Britain’s highest waterfall and is large enough to fit a cathedral into. Don’t fall down!

Castle Crag ‘cave hotel’, p64 Caudale Moor slate mine, p75 Hodge Close/Parrock Quarries, p105 Cathedral Cavern, p107 (pictured) Cauldron Quarry, Kentmere, p119 Rydal Cave, Loughrigg Fell, p119 Cove Well, Silverdale, p156 Scoska cave and woods, p197 Yordas Cave, p218 Great Douk Cave, p219 Gaping Gill & Trow Gill, p221 Victoria, Attermire and Jubilee caves, p234

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Be safe

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1 Always carry back-up torches if you’re entering a dark cave.

2 Never enter a wet cave – one that contains a stream or water flow – if rain is likely or if there are reservoirs upstream. Caves can flood violently and quickly, trapping you or sweeping you over underground waterfalls.

3 Never enter more than a few metres into any mine tunnels (adits) without an experienced guide. It’s safer to peer in from the outside.

4 Remember that mine tunnels can have false floors over deep voids, which may be rotten and could give way at any moment.

Partially flooded tunnels with water underfoot are somewhat safer in this respect, as the void is already filled.

5 Wear a helmet in any wild or narrow cave, to protect from possible rock falls and to avoid banging your head.

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Best for Sacred & ancient Humans first inhabited this region over 13,000 years ago, and a few tantalising remains of the earliest Stone Age habitation have been found in caves. There are many extraordinary relics and more substantial remains from the later Bronze and Iron Ages 8. These include stone circles and banked henges. There are many other lesser-known stones: some of the larger circles were likely used as astronomical calendars and for worship, while smaller circles more often include the remains of burial cairns.

There are also some intriguing examples of ‘rock art’, where stones have been marked and carved with cup-and-rings or other motifs. Their purpose is still a mystery, and finding them can feel like a magical piece of luck.

From the late Iron Age, when Celtic tribes fought each other, to the time of the Roman invasion – you’ll find the remains of hillforts and stretches of fortification walls, as well as Roman bath houses, encampments and roads.

Castlerigg Stone Circle, p67 (pictured) Burnmoor Stone Circles, p94 Stone Age axe factory and Copt Howe rock art, p109 Swinside stone circle, p128 Megger Stones & Cairns, p170 Maiden Castle hillfort, Reeth, p184 Thornborough Henges, p208 Tree of Life Stone and Middleton Moor rock art, p252 West Agra and Barningham Moor rock art, pp208-209 Twelve apostles stone circle, p254 Badger stone and Ilkley Moor rock art, p252

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Best for Ruins & follies Both the Lakes and the Dales, so peaceful now, were once hives of industry, and the extraction of slate and limestone, as well as lead and other metals, has left a swathe of ruins across each 7. Many are the remnants of mine workings, where machinery still lies rusting at the top of mountains. Abandoned railways still trace a route on tunnel floors, sometimes ending in empty air. Old kilns abound and there are also the remains of the buildings where the workers of old went about their lives, such as the wonderfully named and situated Crackpot Hall.

The wealthier industrialists often spent their money in the construction not just of homes that have since fallen to ruin, but also of follies and towers. Some were fairly simple structures to amuse and catch the eye from a distance. More numerous were the elaborate towers and lookouts built to be visited for romantic parties or the viewpoints they provided over ‘picturesque’ vistas.

Religious ruins are to be found in plenty, too, ranging from small chapels and almost-abandoned churches whose congregations have dwindled, to several lesserknown grand abbeys, as fascinating as Fountains but much quieter and wilder.

Wrengill Quarry, Sadgill, p119 Duddon Bridge Iron works, p128 Claife Station folly, p148 Pendragon Castle and Lammerside Castle, p169 Crackpot Hall and Gunnerside Gill, p182 Surrender Mill, and Old Gang, Reeth Moor, pp183-4 Sorrelsykes Follies, p196 Easby Abbey and Jervaulx Abbey ruins, p207 (pictured) Druid’s Temple, Ilton, p208 Craven Lime Kilns, Langcliffe, p234

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Best for Rocks & tops Above all, both of these regions are characterised by their native rocks, which are responsible for the famous peaks and intriguing and distinctive formations. The high peaks may be well-known and offer a challenge – the Lakes in particular are the home of British mountaineering and some rock faces are worn smooth by visitors. But there are many lower fells that provide immense satisfaction and great views in exchange for much less effort, as well as dramatic rocky outcrops too remote to appeal to kit-laden climbers. These often receive fewer visitors and make good places to wild camp or watch the sunset 6.

Fantastic rock formations abound, especially in the Dales. Here, the softer rock has yielded to wind and water, which have carved out pinnacles, tors and gorges.

There are ‘erratic’ boulders too, dragged far from their native bedrock by glaciers and then dumped as the ice retreated. They are obviously alien, and their origins have often been the subject of colourful legends down the centuries.

Barf, Whinlatter, p42 Hallin Fell, Ullswater, p78 Helm Crag and Holme Fell, p105 Latterbarrow, p118 Gummer’s How and Scout scar, p147-8 Norber Erratics, p224 Malham Cove & Watlowes, p232 Jenny Twigg and Tib stones, p253 Brimham Rocks and Almscliff crag, p254 (pictured) The Great Stone of Fourstones, p263 Whitendale Hanging Stones, p264

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Best for Forest, meadows & wildlife There are some very special habitats in these regions, and the sheer diversity takes some beating 4. In the low fells of Lakeland you can find England’s only golden eagle and patches of rare montane oak forest.

The forests 3 here are also one of the few remaining strongholds of the native red squirrel in England – fitting for the home of Beatrix Potter, creator of Squirrel Nutkin. Nearer the sea you may occasionally catch sight of the awe-inspiring osprey, with special hides that have been set up to watch their nests from afar, while down on the dunes and estuaries there are natterjack toads, fritillaries and curlews.

In the Dales, rare wildflowers 5 survive in the microhabitats of limestone pavement, protected from hungry sheep. Junipers cling on too, along with stunted ash trees, sometimes twisted by the wind into fantastical shapes. But traditional hay meadows are the jewel of the landscape here, filled with beautiful summer flowers such as orchids and ragged robin. Over 97% of England’s hay meadows have been lost since the 1930s, but the small fields and difficult access in the Dales have helped many beautiful species to survive here.

Osprey look-out, Dodd wood, p42 Birkrigg & Keskadale oaks, p52 Rannerdale bluebells, Crummock, p52 Loweswater red squirrels, p50 Haweswater golden eagle, p80 Whitbarrow Scar orchid & juniper, p147 Sandscale Haws natterjack toads, p157 Augill, Great Asby and Ravenstonedale meadows, p172-3 Freeholders wood spring flowers, p197 White Scar and Southerscales limestone pavement, p223-4

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Best for Slow food & accommodation Virtually free of food miles, local produce can be a highlight of any trip, giving delicious and fascinating insights into an area’s cultural and natural history s.

Across the Lakes and Dales the curious visitor can find an increasing number of artisanal food producers, from local farms selling their own meat and ice cream to an ever-growing number of microbreweries, bakers and farm shops showcasing regional produce.

Some of these places are ancient and others are far more recent developments, such as the assembly of food and drink producers in the repurposed railway station in Richmond. Others tell a unique story – for example, the Cross Keys Temperance Inn at Cautley has a history going back to the founding of the Quakers.

There are also several historic places to stay. Try the off-grid farm at Parkamoor, unchanged in a century – just by sleeping there you feel a part of a more ancient way of life – or one of the many bunk barns g and hostels, such as the YHA’s legendary Black Sail hostel, also off-grid and accessible only by hiking,

YHA Black Sail, Ennerdale, p54 Yew Tree farm Flock-In tearoom and produce, p67 Askham Hall kitchen garden café, p80 Wanderlusts gypsy caravan tours, p121 (pictured) Lakes hammock camping, Low Wray, p121 Wild & Co, Windermere, p120 More? artisan bakery, p120 Parkamoor off grid cottage & Dodgson Wood, p140 Plumgarth’s Farm shop & café, p150 Growing with Grace farmshop, p225 Courtyard Cheese shop & dairy, p236

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Best for Wild camping & bothies Wild camping is perhaps the ultimate elemental experience. Nothing can compare with watching the sunset from a mountain summit as dusk settles over the land, and the stars appear. The following morning’s sunrise may be spectacular, the valleys below filled with mist, gradually dissolving to reveal a lake or perhaps a patchwork of fields and homes.

Wild camping is usually tolerated in the higher fells of the Lakes, and opposite is guidance from the National Park website. In other areas you must use your discretion, but the best advice is to arrive late and leave early, remain invisible and leave no trace. Light no fires. For the ultimate lightweight experience, invest in an adventure ‘tarp’ or a ‘bivvy bag’, which allows you to see the stars and is less likely to offend the early-rising farmer. Places that might be suitably remote are marked with a *. If you want to avoid shivering all night, bring a sleeping bag designed for lower temperatures, and an insulating ground mat. There are also some Scottish-style bothies, very basic and remote, but open for anyone to use g.

Scales Tarn & Souther Fell, p41 Green Crag and Dubs Hut, quarry bothies, pp54 & 57 Cam Crag secret cave and fellside, p64 Angle Tarn, Bannerdale, p74 Priest’s Hole cave, Dove Crag, p78 Mosedale Cottage bothy, p82 Sprinkling Tarn, Rosthwaite, p92 Moss Dam, Ivelet Moor, p181 Mastiles Lane & Roman Camp, p232 Blea Beck dams & mine ruins, p242 Millers House millstones, p264

34

Be responsible 1 Camp above the highest fell wall, well away from towns and villages.

2 Leave no litter, remove other people’s, and don’t bury litter.

3 Do not light any fires, even if there’s evidence that fires may have been lit by others.

4 Stay for only one night.

5 Keep groups very small – only one or two tents.

6 Camp as unobtrusively as possible, with inconspicuous tents that blend into the landscape.

7 Take away tampons and sanitary towels; burying them doesn’t work, as animals dig them up again.

8 Perform toilet duties at least 30m (100ft) from water, and bury the results with a trowel.

9 At all times, help protect the environment.

35

XX 33

ullswater Our perfect weekend ,,Canoe along the shore from Side Farm campsite to Norfolk Island, Lingy Holme and Silver Bay ,,Jump from Kailpot Crag, swim from Sandwick Bay and then climb Hallin Fell to watch the sun go down ,,Cave-camp in the legendary Priest’s Hole rock shelter on Dove Crag ,,Swim below the Swindale waterfalls and spend the night in the remote Mosedale Bothy ,,Feast on La Case Verde kitchen salads, followed

by Abbot Lodge home-made ice-cream ,,Explore the remote ruins of Shap Abbey and Lowther Castle, before enjoying a kitchengarden lunch at Askham Hall ,,Seek out Cockpit stone circle on the High Street Roman road with views over Ullswater ,,Knit a hat with mohair wool harvested from the happy goats at Crookabeck Farm ,,Visit Sleddale Hall, the home of Uncle Monty in Withnail and I

Ullswater, second only to Windermere in size, is one of the loveliest of lakes. Home to Wordsworth’s daffodils, it’s perfect for gentle island canoeing and beach picnics. By contrast, adjacent Haweswater and Swindale are filled with dramatic waterfalls and true remoteness, and are perhaps the Lake District’s best-kept secrets.

With beauty and accessibility come the crowds, of course, and Ullswater’s Pooley Bridge, in the north-east corner, seems to attract most of the M6 on a summer’s afternoon. But wander along the tiny lane that bounds the eastern shore and you’re quickly in another world, and an afternoon of wild swimming from Howtown jetty or Kailpot Crag until the sun goes down is what summers are all about. If you continue even further along to secret Sandwick Bay, or up Hallin Fell for sunset, you might even find a spot to wild camp discreetly.

XX 2

For the best of southern Ullswater, all paths lead via Side Farm campsite, a small, sublimely located site with its own beach. From here explore old caverns, paddle via Lingy Holm and Norfolk islands to Silver Bay or enjoy the sunset from Silver Crag. Opposite Helvellyn rears up, its Striding Edge ridge one of the most popular scrambles in Cumbria. On the way home visit Crookabeck Farm to meet the goats and buy mohair jumpers.

XX 3

A world away, to the south, are Haweswater, Swindale and Sleddale.

Reached by back-tracking to the motorway, or via an altitudinous Roman road called High Street (reaching 828m and once the location for summer horse-racing), these valleys receive very few visitors. Sleddale was the location for Withnail and I and you can swim in the lake or visit the nowrefurbished home of Monty. Swinside has some of the best waterfalls in Lakeland and wilderness-lovers can trek up to the remote cottage bothy of Mosedale. Haweswater, despite being flooded by a reservoir, retains great charm and is home to England’s only wild golden eagle, as well as the drowned village and corpse road of Mardale.

XX 4

On the way you’ll find delightful Askham, with two village swimming pools or a river to swim in and a good pub. Or visit Askham Hall’s walled gardens and eat wood-fired pizzas at its excellent kitchen garden cafe or enjoy the.

The haunting and remote ruins of Shap Abbey are also worth seeking out, as is the extraordinary facade of Lowther Castle – via our hidden path.

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Ullswater

XX 1

rivers & lakes 1 KAILPOT CRAG, HOWTOWN This high, craggy cliff beneath Hallin Fell plummets into deep water. Great for jumps and snorkelling. Wood behind, beach alongside; it’s a great spot.

Take the ferry to Howtown and follow the ,, shore path a mile SW. Or take Howtown road from Pooley Bridge at N end of Ullswater; you will pass several beaches en route and Park Foot camping (CA10 2NA, 0176 84 86309) has lakeshore pitches. Follow 4 miles to Howtown pier (tricky parking) or approach from Sandwick Bay (see 2 below).

20 mins, 54.5763, -2.8734 1T3o 2 SANDWICK BAY, ULLSWATER This is a beautiful, tree-backed bay on the edge of Hallinhag Wood, hidden away on the remoter S shores of Ullswater.

There’s some parking at Sandwick (turning ,, 1½ miles SW of Howtown, before CA10 2NF).

Follow the footpath through the far right gate, over the stream, and continue to the shore.

10 mins, 54.5716, -2.8886 1o* 3 SILVER BAY & LINGY HOLM ISLAND Juniper and heather hug the crags and a little

path leads down through the bracken to this secluded silver shingle beach. If approaching along the lovely path from Side Farm/ Patterdale you‘ll pass offshore islets and rocky outcrops, and you might like to swim out to Lingy Holm islets, about 50m from the shore. There’s oak woodland here and Silver Crag (271m) makes a great mini climb, returning on the upper path.

If you plan to enjoy the refreshment at ,, the Side Farm tea shop (CA11 0NL, 0176 84 82337) you can park here (signed on R coming down into Patterdale, before the church). The path goes along the back of the campsite and continues for 1¼ miles. Look out for the path to Silver Bay after you’ve rounded Silver Point on the R. 40 mins, 54.5573, -2.9340 13`o 4 MOSSDALE BAY & NORFOLK ISLAND This is a fun and very easily accessible stretch of shore, right by the road with a mossy knoll.

If you have a canoe, you can paddle out to Norfolk Island – it’s very small but has some fun boulders to jump from (take care).

Park at one of the layby parking areas at ,, 54.5526, -2.9489 (CA11 0NQ).

2 mins, 54.5545, -2.9493 q12`

5 WITHNAIL AND I, WET SLEDDALE There’s an easily accessible reservoir and lake here, but your real interest might be to view ‘Crow Crag’, or Sleddale Hall – Uncle Monty’s remote residence in Withnail and I. Ruinous until recently, it is now undergoing restoration and is in private hands.

From J39 of the M6 it’s less than 2 miles W to ,, the car park by the dam, past CA10 3NE. Walk along the S shore of the lake (maybe take a dip, if fishermen aren’t there) to reach the Hall, at the head of the lake up on the opposite valley side, after a mile.

20 mins, 54.4955, ­-2.7117 17 6 SWINDALE BECK WATERFALLS Brilliant series of high falls and deep pools in this remote and less-visited valley. Perfect for secluded swimming, but quite a walk in.

From M6 at J39 head to Shap, then L ,, following signs for Rosgill. 500m after Rosgill and crossing the river, take hairpin L signed Swindale. Park at road end CA10 2QT, walk up to farmhouse (or someone can do a drop-off there – but no parking), then follow beck up for a mile. The main waterfall pools are on the L but there are many good deep slab pools higher too.

40 mins, 54.4956, -2.7591 =A*

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XX 6

10 XX 7 AIRA BECK WATERFALLS A beautiful series of waterfalls above Aira Force. First are some enchanting small falls and plunge pools in the trees. Continue downstream to a wooden bridge, High Force, with ledges great for jumping. Continue further downstream and finally you come to a stone bridge at Aira Force itself.

The best approach is actually from above. ,, Take the Dockray (CA11 0JY) road off the A592 along Ullswater. After a mile, and beyond the NT Aira Force car park R, find large double layby (54.5815, -2.9344). Park and walk down across the meadow to find the first pools.

30 mins, 54.5793, -2.9289 T=3z

XX 8

8 THE RIGG & CORPSE ROAD, HAWESWATER This distinctive wooded peninsula drops steeply into Haweswater – in dry weather and at low water large beaches appear. From here you can swim out to Wood Howe islet over the flooded village of Mardale (occasionally exposed at very low water). On the opposite shore the Old Corpse Road rises, on its way to Shap Abbey.

From Bampton follow the Haweswater road ,, (via CA10 2RP turn) to Mardale Head parking (often overspills up road) at 54.4891, -2.8218.

Take the main path, heading for the mountain,

XX 7

74

Ullswater

but turn R immediately, along the wall, round to the wooded Rigg and its steep shore. Easier, you can stop at one of the wider stretches near gates and drop down to the shore.

20 mins, 54.4973, -2.8114 1o8 9 SMALL WATER & ROCK SHELTERS It’s a good hike up to Small Water but it makes a beautiful swim in crystal waters. There are numerous strange rock shelters on the far bank in case you decide to camp. From here you can climb up to High Street (see 20).

As for the Rigg peninsula (see 8), but take ,, the main track up the mountain, keeping R. 60 mins, 54.4835, -2.8411 17*h 10 ANGLE TARN, BANNERDALE One of the most enticing spots in the Lake District, with three rocky islands, ledges and places to dive. Fabulous views. Few visitors.

A fun gill scramble up Angletarn beck from ,, Hartsop (CA11 0NY) near Patterdale.

90 mins, 54.5214, -2.9015 1A*Th`E 11 RIVER LOWTHER, ASKHAM A scramble down to a wooded, rocky gorge with deep pools. A little shady but good fun.

This is a pretty village with two pubs, two

XX 11 community-run heated outdoor swimming pools and Askham Hall with its fabulous kitchen-garden restaurant.

Park near the bridge and follow the path ,, upstream 150m, on the opposite bank to the church. The swimming pool is next door to the Queen’s Head Pub and shares facilities with Askham Village Hall (CA10 2PN, 01931 712292). It’s also fun to cycle/walk through the Lowther parkland along the footpath to Low Gardens Bridge (two bridges in fact, 54.6181, -2.7431).

5 mins, 54.6064, -2.7467 1qas5c

caverns & ruins 12 CAUDALE MOOR SLATE MINE High and remote. You can find old tunnel entrances, the foundations of a compressor, the run for ‘sledding’ the dressed slate down to the valley floor and the remains of narrowgauge wagons in and alongside the beck.

Park in the layby at Caudale Bridge at the ,, bottom of the Kirkstone Pass (A592, 1 mile S of Hartsop CA11 0NZ and 300m beyond Brotherswater Inn). The footpath up to the Moor is 100m N of layby.

45 mins, 54.4894, -2.9143 9hw

13 HARTSOP HALL MINE In oak woodland behind Hartsop Hall you might find tunnels into the hillside, the remains of this silver and zinc mine.

Park at the Brotherswater Inn (1 mile S of ,, CA11 0NZ). Follow the footpath track through Sykeside camping to Hartsop Hall, then bear L. After 150m, after the barns, take the mining track up R towards the tailings, woods and fell, and continue 300m.

20 mins, 54.4990, -2.9365 9q 14 SHAP ABBEY & KELD CHAPEL Nestled in this quiet corner of the Lakes is the impressive 15th­-century tower and other riverside remains of this remote abbey of the White Canons. A walk across fields leads to tiny Keld chapel – the key hangs from the doorway of the house opposite.

Well-signed off the A6 at Shap. Head for ,, CA10 3NB but turn L at the sharp R bend (signed). The car park is before the river.

5 mins, 54.5309, -2.7012 89q 15 LOWTHER CASTLE RUINS To see the huge, roofless shell of the oncegreat Lowther Castle without joining the crowds visiting the gardens, find the footpath and walk past for free.

XX 10

XX 12

75

33 XX

XX 3

XX 33

76

Ullswater

XX 4

77

XX 14 Park at Newtown Home Farm at CA10 2HG ,, (signed Lowther ¾ mile from the A6). The ladder stile into the parkland is 100m S along the fence, beyond the white-topped gate.

20 mins, 54.6077, -2.7422 z9q 16 PRIEST’S HOLE CAVE, DOVE CRAG Amazing views out towards Place Fell from this ancient rock shelter set into Dove Crag.

This is a well-used bivouac complete with visitors’ book in a plastic box so you can read about other people’s adventures. It has a bit of drystone walling in front of it, but can be a bit damp, though you may find someone has left some groundsheet. It’s at 700m so expect it to be cold!

Set off from the car park on A592 at Cow ,, Bridge, just NW of Hartsop. Follow path S past Brothers Water to Hartsop Hall, then bear R above the wall line following Dovedale Beck right up to its source, about 2–3 miles, past a ruined building. The cave is about 100m below the summit of Dove Crag, up on the L in the crag face. There’s a good goat track up to it.

90 mins, 54.4905, -2.9652 h*z9

XX 15

17 GREENSIDE MINE, GLENRIDDING One of the most successful mines in the Lake District, operating until 1962. It produced

16 XX

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Ullswater

2.4m tons of lead and 2m ounces of silver.

There are various ruins, dams, an old tramway and the remains of high-pressure pipeworks.

Scramble up Swart Beck above YHA ,, Helvellyn (CA11 0QR, see 35) to reach the old dam and mine levels (10 mins). You can drive up to the YHA if you’re staying there, otherwise park in Glenridding village and walk up Greenside (1½ miles). Or combine with a return via Red Tarn Beck from Helvellyn Striding Edge.

35 mins, 54.5518, -2.9869 79wE

rocks, tops & scrambles 18 HALLIN FELL By far the best view of Ullswater, perfect for sunset. Go for a dip at Kailpot Crag or Sandwick Bay afterwards.

As for Kailpot Crag swim (see 1) and walk ,, to summit, or find loop path around summit opposite church ½ mile S from Howtown.

60 mins, 54.5704, -2.8765 6z 19 STRIDING EDGE SCRAMBLE, HELVELLYN One of the best Grade 1 scrambles in the Lakes, and very popular too. Ascend via Striding Edge to Helvellyn (950m) and then descend via the other side of Red Tarn on Swirral Edge. You need a head for heights,

XX 19 however there is an easier alternative side path along most of it.

Start at the big car park in Glenridding CA11 ,, 0PZ. Head up Greenside Road but turn L for Gillside Farm campsite. Pass this and take the very good but steep path up Mires Beck to Birkhouse Moor (worth bagging for the views) and you are then on the ridge. The return brings you down the other side of Hellvellyn, to Red Tarn shores, via Swirral Edge (its worth detouring to Catstye for the views too).

6 hrs, 54.5268, -3.0169 Ez6

sacred & ancient 20 HIGH STREET ROMAN ROAD With gentle slopes and a flat summit plateau, the Roman road builders took the high route from Ambleside to Brougham rather than the densely forested, marshy valleys below.

The flat summit was also used as a venue for summer fairs until 1835, as a place to return stray sheep, wrestle and race horses.

For access, see entries for Small Water (see ,, 9) and Haweswater Golden eagles (see 23).

Also Cockpit Stone Circle (see 21) for High Street’s N end.

120 mins, 54.4915, -2.8665 6h

21 COCKPIT STONE CIRCLE Occupying a lonely spot on Askham Fell, overlooking Ullswater, is Moor Divock – one of the largest concentrations of Bronze Age remains in the Lakes. There are three stone circles, several cairns, a burial chamber and remains of a settlement. The Cockpit is the largest and most impressive circle, and lies ½ mile W of the others. The Roman road of High Street passes right by and leads to Brougham Castle.

Take the Howtown road from the B5320 ,, roundabout in Pooley Bridge, but then go straight over crossroads (signed Hill Croft camping) and park at the road end (Roehead, beyond CA10 2LT). Follow the trackway up on the fell. Turn R after ½ mile, onto the Roman road/High Street, to find the circle after 500m.

30 mins, 54.5927, -2.8020 8hz*

XX 21

wildlife & forests 22 MARTINDALE OLD CHURCH & YEW The yew is least 800 years old – there has been a church here for that long – and perhaps much more. Nominated for 2015 ‘tree of the year’ by the Woodland Trust, and on the final shortlist of 10 trees across the UK. Head down the S side of Ullswater, past ,,

22 XX

79

XX 30 CA10 2ND, Howtown and church with parking opposite, then bear L for Martindale (not Sandwick) to find old church ½ mile on the L. 2 mins, 54.5577, -2.8761 38 23 HAWESWATER GOLDEN EAGLE In the spring and summer England’s only resident golden eagle can be watched through a telescope at the viewpoint. Reached from the SW end of Haweswater, 1¼ miles along an uneven path. Other upland and woodland birds can be seen in the area. The free RSPB car park fills quickly in summer: be early if you can.

As for the Rigg (see 8) but keep going to find ,, path up beside Riggindale Beck. If you’re feeling fit, you could walk the horseshoe from Mardale Head car park, up to Kidsty Pike, along High Street and back down via either the Nan Bield or the Gatesgarth pass.

20 mins, 54.4980, -2.8291 4h

XX 23

24 GLENCOYNE BAY WILD DAFFODILS This is where William and Dorothy Wordsworth came across a host of golden daffodils. Busy, easy, roadside beach.

Large NT pay car park on roadside, ½ mile N ,, beyond Mossdale Bay (see 4).

1 min, 54.5608, -2.9489 5q12K

XX 24

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Ullswater

slow food 25 ABBEY COFFEE SHOP, SHAP Perfect wet-weather refuge on Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast. Serves home-made cakes and meals, with ingredients sourced from Shap gardeners and local producers.

Main St, Shap, CA10 3NQ, 01931 716238. ,, Opens 8.30-4.30pm, closed Mondays.

54.5307, -2.6773 s 26 CROWN & MITRE, BAMPTON GRANGE Friendly village inn serving very good food – Cumbrian meats, fresh fish and veggie specials, alongside cask ales and local beers.

Main Street, Bampton Grange, CA10 2QR, ,, 01931 713225.

54.5555, -2.7412 sa 27 KITCHEN GARDEN CAFE, ASKHAM HALL Listed barn serving pizzas from a wood-fired oven, made with estate’s own produce. Has an outside play area and Grade II listed gardens.

Askham, CA10 2PF, 01931 712350. Open ,, Sun–Fri Easter through October, and some weekends Nov and Feb. £4 entry fee to gardens.

54.6073, -2.7510 sq5

XX 36

36 XX

XX 33 28 ABBOT LODGE JERSEY ICE CREAM Working dairy farm with a play area and tearoom serving 16 flavours of home-made ice cream. Kids can see the farm’s pedigree Jersey cows.

Clifton, CA10 2HD, 01931 712720. Open ,, daily 11am–5pm.

54.6151, -2.7080 sq 29 LA CASA VERDE CAFE & NURSERIES Restaurant and terrace within beautiful gardens. The Mediterranean-style menu uses seasonal and organic ingredients from the kitchen garden. There’s also an art gallery and jewellery shop.

Larch Cottage, Melkinthorpe, CA10 2DR, ,, 01931 712404 (signed off the A6). 9am–4pm.

54.6197, -2.6887 s5

sleep wild 30 CROOKABECK FARM, PATTERDALE Sells traditional mohair and wool products made from own Angora goats and Herdwick sheep, and has a B&B available.

Patterdale, CA11 0NP, 0176 84 82742 ,, 54.5316, -2.9259 S

31 DUKE OF PORTLAND BOATHOUSE Hailed as one of the UK’s best waterside retreats, this pretty boathouse has a jetty and terrace that extend over Ullswater lake.

Romantic hideaway for two.

Pooley Bridge, northern end of Ullswater, ,, A592 (potential for road noise). Book through lakescottageholiday.co.uk 017687 74060.

54.6101, -2.8350 S 32 YHA PATTERDALE Retro, Scandinavian-style hostel with dorms, private rooms and camping.

Patterdale, CA11 0NW, 0845 371 9337. ,, 54.5325, -2.9308 Ssd 33 SIDE FARM CAMPSITE, PATTERDALE Spectacularly scenic site at the southern end of Ullswater, with views of the Helvellyn fells.

Basic toilets and shower facilities, plus an on-site tearoom for cuppas and cake. Bring a canoe for watery adventures on the lake.

There’s also an interesting mine and cavern just above the campsite, above the scree/ tailings slope.

Patterdale, CA11 0NP, 0176 84 82337 ,, 54.5431, -2.9357 129

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39

81

Highgate Cottages

Trout Beck Greenbank Farm

Spring Bank 537

Rookin House Farm

Thackthwaite

Great Mell Fell Greening House

Mell Fell Wood Rookin House Farm

Caral Beck

Little Mell Fell

505 Lowthwaite Beck

Cooper Beck

M C

Greaves Beck

Foxhill Farm

Racy Ghyll Farm Rushmire

Croft Head Far

Grove Foot Farm

High Birchclose

Thackthwaite Beck Brownrigg Farm

A5091

Threlkeld Knotts

S

Sparket Farm

Low Birchclose

Kitto Beck

Redsike Gill

Ne w Ro ad

Mosedale 34 GILLSIDE FARM, GLENRIDDING Beck Middle Birkett High Row Farm Farm Field Highgateclose Low-key camping inRow the shadow of Helvellyn, ThrelkeldGuardhouse Hall Carlhowe 26 up on with roaming sheep and rabbits.

Stock Rigghead Ings Beck eggs and milk at the farmhouse or getThrelkeld a full Lobbs Wescoebreakfast van.

Newsham English from the weekend 14 Threlkeld Low Burns Farm Glenridding, CA11 A66 0QQ, 0176 84 82346. ,, Common Open March–Nov. Mire House 54.5440, -2.9589 d Near Birkett Bank

Denton Hill

38

Longthwaite

Goosegreen Old Park

Moorend Farm

W

Tongue Farm House

424

35 GLENRIDDING HOSTELS Barbaryrigg Moss Little Hollows 404 277 Low Rigg Meldrum At 293m up Helvellyn, with hiking,B5322 biking andClough Head Cockley Moor Pencilmil Lowthwaite Farm Ulcat Row 437 Great Meldrum Thorneythwaite Cottage Silver Sykes Farm winter skiing on the doorstep, YHA Helvellyn Birch Bank Farm Cottage Hagg Wood 23 and dorms. If has private rooms, camping 481 Whams Moss 274 Knotts 482 Gowbarrow Fell Bruts Moss 319 there’s a large group of you, why not consider Dockray Aira Beck Low How 343 High Rigg 575 High Bram Cragg Knotts Brown Bury Jubilee Outdoor Centre Pursuits Centre.

Brow Beck Farm Randerside 443 Green Hill Dowthwaitehead 371 Bracken How It’s basic but cheap and can be exclusivelyCalfhow Pike Matterdale Common 387 Round How Fornside Farm 7 booked by groups of up to 28.

Dobbin Wood Lakefield Great Dodd Lyulph's 30 Common Fell Lunthwaite 1 Glenridding, CA11 0QR. YHA 0845 371 Tower ,, Little Dodd U l l s w a t e r 311 Wren Crag Watermillock Common Howtow 9742. For the JubileeShoulthwaite CentreMoss call Chris Mills, Mill Gill Rigghause Wood Birkett 2 Smaithwaite Sandwick 18 Waternook 553 Swineside 0161 652 7025. £330 per weekend, much less 339 Castle Fell Rock Middle Knott Tongue Doe Green 550 Brown Hills for a midweek booking. early.

446 TheBook Benn St John's Common 377 Green Side Ormathwaite Barn Low Birk Fell 378 54.5479, -2.9811 402 Ssh 843 Martinda Legburthwaite Lower Greathow or White 24 461 Fus Cottage Martindale Wood Yew Tree Farm

Wanthwaite Farm

Deepd al

e

hn's in St Jo a le the V

Stones

17

442

35

22

Howsteadbrow Nettleslack

Knicklethorns

The Knight

Place Fell

33

A592

718

High Dodd

Blowick

34 Birkhouse Moor

Bleaberry Knott or Birk Fell

555

Glenridding Dodd

Glenridding

Mires Beck

511

509

Beda Fell or Beda Head

Boredale Head Deerstalkers Bungalow

Beda Fell

Patterdale Common

Patterdale

Rooking

Ba

nne

Birkhouse Moor Grisedale Beck 14 Catstye Cam 37 WATERSIDE HOUSE CAMPING Thornhow 32 30 Hag Beck Braesteads Lower Man Lakeside campsiteLaunchy at the foot of Barton Fell.

Goldrill Gill Red Tarn Cruck Barn Beck 19 A bit busy and not very wild, but great access 433 Arnison Crag Patterdale Common Beckstones Striding Edge to the water and good kids’ facilities, plus Bridgend 463 Brown Rigg boat hire. If full, Park Foot next door also has 891 Birks some lakeshore pitches called Aikbeck Field. Wh elpside Nethermost Pike Gill Grisedale Forest Gavel Moss Howtown Road, Pooley Bridge, CA10 2NA, High Crag ,, Deepdale 841 Ruthwaite 0176 84 86332. ParkWythburn Foot is 0176 84 86309.

Fells Common Lodge 858 Hartsop 54.5996, -2.8324 1f2qK Dollywaggon Pike Ullscarf Gill

576 560

567

10 Brock Crags

561

Rest Dodd

De

ep

da

The Nab

Heck Crag Deer Forest

565

le

890

4

High Ben Green

Place Fell

le

Thirlmere

4

Sheffield Pike

Birkfell Earth

3

Glencoyne Wood

rda

36 THE BOATHOUSE AT KNOTTS END 19th-century stone boathouse on the western Thirlspot Farm Dalehead shore of Ullswater with private stretch of 610 Cottage Brown Crag waterfront. Has slate floors, woodburner and Raise a great terrace for stargazing. Sleeps two.

Glenridding Ullswater, 0117 9467072 (i-escape.com) A591 Common ,, p69 White Side 54.5857, -2.8613 S422 Fisher Crag

Wythburn

Brothers Water

Willie

508 Wife Moor 38 THE QUIET SITE, ULLSWATER Mossydale Grisedale Tarn Secluded site set in the fells overlooking 582 Cofa Pike Ullswater with glamping pods, pre-erected Fairfield Seat Sandal tents, and underground ‘Hobbit Holes’.

553 Steel Fell or Hart Crag Adventure playground and bar in an oldDead barn.

Pike 16 Nr Watermillock, CA11 0LS, 07768 727016. ,, Greenburn Bottom 537 Great Tongue Raise Beck 54.6048, -2.8833 qCalf Crag Dove Crag Great Rigg 420

Gibson Knott

Tongue Gill

39 MOSEDALE COTTAGE BOTHY Broadrayne Farm Isolated bothy at the of the Shap fells.

550 edge Tarn Crag 13 503 High Easedale Accessible by foot or mountain bike only.

Has 8 chairs, a stove and several rooms, a table and Blindtarn sleeping platforms.

Easedale Cottage Easedale Beck From the farm at Swindale Head (54.5059, ,, B5287 541 Blea Rigg -2.7663) follow signposted bridleway for 500 Great Castle How 31 Mosedale 2¼ miles.

29 28 54.4781, -2.7810 hzg Lang How 410

82

Ullswater

512

Hartsop above How or Gill Crag

Ramps The Knott

Hayeswater Gill

Gale Crag

Hayeswater

13

Hartsop Hall

Caudalebeck Farm

Doveda le

618

Pasture Bottom

Hartsop Dodd

Gray Crag

Caudale Beck Caudale

519

High Hartsop Dodd Caiston Glen

20

710

12 Caudale Moor

Little Hart Crag

The Tongue

763

754

Thornthwaite Crag

Middle Dodd Stone Arthur

Rydal Fell

Groove Beck

Scandale Fell

High Pike

Rydal Fell Heron Pike

Scandale Bottom

Ken

Red Screes 593

1 Nab Scar

2

508

St Raven's Edge

28

Rydal Beck

461

720

Low Pike

Snarker Pike

Froswick

Kentme

Ill Bell

Woundale

The Tongue

The Old Church Hotel Lakefield

1

water

Swarthbeck Cottage 532

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High Rough Hill

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Old Shap Wells Cottage

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Nabs Moor

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Knipescar Common

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Brownthwaite Crag 509

Trantrams

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Loadpot Hill

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High Woodfoot Vaugh Steil Moorahill Farm

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High Howe

Martindale Martindale

Dobson Bottom

Whale Moor Bothy

Stonehill

Strickland Lodge Farm

River Leith Emperor's Lodge

Heltondale Beck Brookside

Butterwick Crag

Swarth Fell Kid Moor

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274

Woodside

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240

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langdales & grasmere Our perfect weekend ,,Peer into the vast void of Cathedral Cavern and explore the mine tunnels. Paddle at Slater Bridge then enjoy lunch at the Three Shires Inn ,,Gorge-walk up Stickle Ghyll or climb up Jack’s Rake, a classic Grade 1 scramble. ,,Admire prehistoric arts and crafts at Copt Howe boulder rock arts or at Pike o’Stickle Neolithic axe factory ,,Climb the easy little peak of Holme Fell for fantastic views of Coniston, then swim in the secret lake on the way back down ,,Explore Penny Rigg quarries at Tilberthwaite, gorge scramble up the canyon and admire the Andy Goldsworthy sheepfold sculpture ,,Descend into Parrock Quarry and trek through the rock and jungle, to arrive at the flooded blue quarry of Hodge Close ,,Camp and swim great views of the Langdale Pikes at Tarn Foot Farm and Loughrigg Tarn ,,Sleep at High Hallgarth – a perfectly preserved ancient stone cottage by Langdale Tarn

When Professor Bill Cummins examined nearly 2,000 Neolithic axes from finds all over England, Ireland and Wales, he found that 27% were made from polished volcanic intrusion of greenstone from Great Langdale.

The whole valley broods with ancientness and extraordinary geology, from the giant caverns of Cathedral Quarry, Hodge Close and Tilberthwaite, to the prehistoric rock art at Copt Howe, and the craggy peaks and scrambles of the Langdale Pikes themselves. The area is a volcanic crucible of geology, and the greenstone that was so prized for the axes comes from the intrusion of a narrow vein of tuff in the rocks. Up on the scree slopes of the Pike o’Stickle, hundreds of reject StoneAge axes have been found – and can still be spotted today.

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This is also a place to find one of Cumbria’s most ancient plants, the juniper, now increasingly rare. Yew, juniper and Scots pine are the only true native conifers of Britain, and they flourished during a mild ‘climate window’ 8,000 years ago, immediately following the last ice age. One of the best stands is at the end of the Langdale valley.

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In sublime contrast, Grasmere and Loughrigg are quiet valley bottoms, with beautiful tarns much loved by poets of the past. Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Thomas De Quincey were visitors to this area and Wordsworth would take them on rambles and boat journeys as they read poems to each other. Wordsworth’s sister records a July day in 1800: “...in the afternoon Coleridge came. Very hot. He brought the second volume of the Anthology.

The men went to bathe, and we afterwards sailed down to Loughrigg.”

She is talking of sailing across Grasmere to below Loughrigg Terrace – a spectacular spot to watch a sunset.

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Across the fell there hides peaceful Loughrigg Tarn, also an idyllic setting, now with a campsite providing the most basic facilities. The tarn itself is a relatively small, warm and shallow lake, set in a grassy dell with rocky bluffs and woody copses under a backdrop of the Pikes. On one summer night I remember the sun setting in great streaks over the Tolkien skyline.

Small groups had gathered. Some stood together whispering, others sat with guitars but one couple had slipped into the water and their bodies were sending perfect ripples across the still lake. Then they turned on their backs and just floated, gazing up at the sky as the clouds turned magenta.

Langdales & Grasmere

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lake & river swimming 1 LOUGHRIGG TARN With the Langdale Pikes rising up behind and gently shelving shores, this is a perfect little lowland tarn without too many people. It’s fun to stay at the little campsite adjacent, but there’s a good footpath around the whole lake to take a dip anywhere.

Some of the lanes are no entry, so take the ,, High Close turning L off the A593 (LA22 9HE), ½ mile E of Skelwith Bridge Hotel. After a mile pass LA22 9HF and then the tarn, to find a footpath R which takes you down to the shore.

5 mins, 54.4314, -3.0102 12qd 2 HOLME FELL LAKE This is one of our favourite little lakes, and a great escape on a sunny day. It’s an old reservoir on the route up Holme Fell, used for the mines below. It’s deep enough to dive in from the old dam wall, and small enough that it warms up nicely in the sunshine.

From the SE corner of Hodge Close quarry ,, (see 14), a path leads up through woods to old mine ruins 300m. Keep climbing on the upward path (don’t bear R along the wall path) and you reach the lake after 300m more.

15 mins, 54.4010, -3.0547 1qA*z

3 SLATER BRIDGE POOL Set beneath an ancient packhorse bridge and stepping stones, this is perfect for kids paddling and is just deep enough for a plunge too. Popular.

Opposite and just uphill from the Three ,, Shire Inn in Little Langdale (LA22 9NZ), take the little lane signed Tilberthwaite and no motor vehicles. After 200m take the footpath on R. 10 mins, 54.4178, -3.0615 qKaz 4 ELTERWATER, RIVER BRATHAY An easily accessible and perfectly picturesque lake shore and river bank, backed by ancient woodland and the Langdale Pikes skyline. Very popular, but find a quiet spot on the lake beach or try swimming down from the lake along the river (get out before the falls!).

There’s a big pay car park on the B5343 ,, about 500m up from Skelwith Bridge Hotel (LA22 9NJ) dir Elterwater. Follow the path to the river. Downstream passes lots of deep river pools and heads to Skelwith Force (with a pool beneath); upstream leads to the lake shore with beach.

20 mins, 54.4295, -3.0244 1o

5 BLEA TARN, LANGDALES A famously picturesque little tarn, but popular too. The Langdale Pikes rise above on the skyline, and the shore is backed by trees and beaches, with a small rock outcrop.

The sediment in the bed of Blea Tarn has not been disturbed since the last ice age.

Follow B5343 up to the end of Great ,, Langdale, past Stickle Barn Tavern. Just after Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, the road turns sharp left and eventually reaches the tarn and car park, 300m after LA22 9PG. 5 mins, 54.4296, -3.0909 12qo 6 GRASMERE BEACH & ISLAND A good albeit popular shale beach by the weir. The small, wooded island in the middle was a favourite of Wordsworth, who would row out here for fishing and picnics with his sister.

Parking on main road between Rydal and ,, Grasmere at White Moss parking (W of LA22 9SE). Cross the road to the path and follow the river upstream for a mile.

20 mins, 54.4443, -3.0145 q2`o

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waterfalls & gills 7 STICKLE GHYLL A well-known gorge walk, with some chutes and deep pools. It’s quite wide, so you can walk around most of the waterfalls. Continue all the way up to the tarn for a final swim, or explore Dungeon Ghyll too.

The walk begins behind the Stickle Barn ,, Tavern (LA22 9JU, 0153 94 37356). It’s about a mile up to Stickle Tarn (good for a dip), and the best waterfalls are halfway up. Join a half day course with riverdeepmountainhigh.co.uk (0153 95 28666).

45 mins, 54.4541, -3.0971 E1waz= 8 EASEDALE TARN AND SOUR MILK GHYLL The cascades were once known as Churn Milk Force, and Dorothy Wordsworth likened them to a ‘broad stream of snow’. A fun wet scramble up to Easdale Tarn – a vast hollow, gouged out by glacial action.

Shortly past LA22 9QJ follow the no ,, through road straight on where the road bends: this becomes the path up to the tarn. NB there is another Sour Milk Ghyll at Seathwaite, Borrowdale.

45 mins, 54.4700, -3.0702 E1wz= 9 TILBERTHWAITE GILL SCRAMBLE A little-visited gorge with fallen trees and huge boulders, many small waterfalls and a couple of deep pools. Wide enough to avoid the water if you wish.

About 3½ miles S of Skelwith Bridge on ,, A593, signed Tilberthwaite. Park by the river bridge just before LA21 8DG. Descend to the river and continue upstream in the stream bed. About 600m long. Return on the N bank via the old mine track.

10 mins, 54.3973, -3.0794 E1w=

hilltops & scrambles 10 HOLME FELL A lovely, low, family-friendly fell (317m) with a heather-clad top and views down over Coniston Water. You’re likely to have it all to yourself.

As for Holme Fell lake (see 2), but follow the ,, main wall path and, after 400m, look for the path cutting sharp L up the fell through the bracken. Or bushwhack straight up from the lake (boggy in parts).

30 mins, 54.3963, -3.0564 q61z* 11 DUNGEON GHYLL Harder to find but worth the effort to see the large double waterfall, which plummets

down a precipitous ravine. Explore the ravine above this for some fun scrambling.

Bear L behind the Stickle Barn Tavern ,, (LA22 9JU, 0153 94 37356), then R after 200m after the wall, to take the path that heads up into the gill.

10 min, 54.4496, -3.0966 wz= 12 JACK’S RAKE SCRAMBLE, STICKLE TARN This is a popular Grade 1 scramble in a spectacular setting, slicing across the face of Pavey Ark. It’s relatively easy to get to and is popular, meaning it can be polished and slippery in rain. Queues can form.

Climb up via Stickle Ghyll (see 7) and Tarn ,, Crag. Once at the top a loop goes up Pavey’s far E ridge, down Easy Gully and back up Jack’s Rake. You could also scramble up the S or E ridges of Harrison Stickle to the summit.

2 hrs, 54.4616, -3.1037 EKazw 13 HELM CRAG This is a classic low fell (405m) with views to Helvellyn and the Langdales.

From Ghyll Foot Farm (LA22 9RS, parking ,, pull-off on the A591 near turning) head up the Green Burn on its R bank (through wooden gate, open access land) ½ mile to the Green Burn waterfall and a deep, narrow pool, then bear L up the fell to the top. Also possible from Easedale (see 8, but follow the road all the way past LA22 9QL for path).

25 mins, 54.4748, -3.0409 1=z6w

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caverns & ruins 14 HODGE CLOSE/PARROCK QUARRIES An exciting flooded quarry in a deep, seemingly inaccessible amphitheatre, reached by an extraordinary descent into a jungle quarry. Truly awe-inspiring as the waterfall cascades down over the double caves. If the sky is blue, the water turns a deep indigo mauve. It’s popular with divers, and you can get to the water’s edge where you see the cave opening and the remains of a railway track and winch. Two adit tunnels also lead out to the W side. The reflection, when looked at sideways, can resemble a skull.

3½ miles S of Skelwith Bridge on A593 turn ,, R signed ‘Hodge Close only’. Follow to parking about 300m before LA21 8DJ. Continue on foot past Hodge Close cottages (200m) to find a public path on the R. After 50m you’ll see the lip of a massive overgrown Parrock Quarry on R (54.4076, -3.0517). Descend carefully on the path and after 200m, after picking your way through the other-worldly woodland, you arrive at a huge cavern and the link to the

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XX 15 the third level is a quarry tunnel, on S face of mountain at 54.3967, -3.0725.

15 mins, 54.3983, -3.0713 69q

XX 15 water’s edge. On the opposite shore the adit tunnels connect to the old open quarry area just to the W, below the parking.

15 mins, 54.4062, -3.0538 1w97 15 PENNY RIGG QUARRY, TILBERTHWAITE A dramatic series of four quarry amphitheatres stepped up the ridge of Horse Crag in succession above the Yewdale Beck stream. Enter via the archway and ravine.

As for Tilberthwaite Gill (see 9), but take ,, the path straight up the slope to find the first quarry on the L after 20m. Work your way up through them. Just around to the L and back of

16 CATHEDRAL CAVERN This is the most dramatic quarry in the Lakes (although flooded Hodge Close challenges it – see 14). A huge open cavern with chambers, skylights and platforms. Continue on through and up to the higher level to find a long adit tunnel on L (bring a torch) all the way through to E entrance where the tailings were dumped. Well done NT for allowing access. It does attract quite a few visitors.

From Slater Bridge pool (see 3), cross the ,, river and turn L onto large track. After 250m look for the trackway up to the R which leads to the entrance tunnel. If you climb up higher to the R, by the ruin, you can explore to the edge of one of the raised platforms, which looks down on the cavern from above.

25 mins, 54.4157, -3.0586 9qw7 17 ELTERWATER QUARRY There’s lots of old machinery and interest here. The area is part of the adjacent Burlington Slate Co., which still operates today, close to the village centre. A public footpath runs through the old working

though, and there’s an excellent viewing area of the modern operations. For overgrown workings in the woods, visit Banks Quarry next door (see 19).

Take the ‘no through road’ just by the main ,, bridge in Elterwater (towards LA22 9JA) and find the layby and path on the R after 300m.

10 mins, 54.4368, -3.0432 9z

forests & art 18 BLEA MOSS JUNIPERS, LANGDALE This wild, open valley is filled with ancient and increasingly rare juniper trees. They look at first like large gorse bushes, but they are fragrant and twisted and many hundreds of years old. Take time to climb little Castle Howe crag too, it’s good fun with kids.

Stop and explore anywhere off the Little ,, Langdale to Great Langdale lane, about 300m S of Blea Tarn. Castle Howe crag is right by the Wrynose Pass road, just past Fell Foot Farm (near LA22 9PE).

20 mins, 54.4222, -3.0854 3q6 19 BANKS QUARRY, BAYSBROWN WOOD Extensive areas of old slate mine ruins, quarries and tunnels in ancient woodland.

Take the no through road (blue cycle ,,

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sign) from opposite the Eltermere Inn (good gastropub food LA22 9HY, 0153 94 37207) through Sawrey’s Wood to Baysbrown Wood.

25 mins, 54.4303, -3.0559 396zc 20 TOUCHSTONE FOLD, TILBERTHWAITE The four limestone walls of this sheepfold orchestrated by Andy Goldsworthy each have a slate section with an inset circle laid at an angle to catch the light differently.

As for Tilberthwaite Gill (see 9). The fold is ,, opposite the car park, by the stream.

1 min, 54.3997, -3.0692

sacred & ancient 21 STONE AGE AXE FACTORY High in the Langdale Pikes, at the head of a vertiginous scree slope, is one of the most important sources of Stone Age axe heads in Britain. Finds from all over the country can be traced back to here. The peak may have had a ceremonial as much as a practical value. Heads can still be found in the scree but resist any urge to take a souvenir!

Ascend from the back of Stickle Barn ,, Tavern (LA22 9JU, 0153 94 37356) to Loft Crag and then bear L for Pike of Stickle. You will pass a cave, and just 100m before the peak you’ll find a huge scree gulley. Many of the pieces of rock are the discarded waste of axe-making, but spotting them among the naturally broken stone is an art.

90 mins, 54.4563, -3.1200 8z6 22 COPT HOWE ROCK ART Great Langdale is the oldest inhabited place in the Lake District, and endowed with some impressive examples of prehistoric rock art.

The best are on the ‘Langdale Boulders’ at Copt Howe near Chapel Stile.

Heading out from Chapel Stile up the valley ,, (300m after the speed limit sign beyond LA22 9JN) you will see boulders in the field right

XX 27 by the road on the L, straddling a wall with a tree. A gate leads to them and there is some parking just beyond on the R. If you continue to park at Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (LA22 9JY) you can search for cupped stones behind Langdale campsite in the woodland copse (54.4408, -3.1017).

1 min, 54.4432, -3.0591 8q

slow food 23 THREE SHIRES INN, LITTLE LANGDALE Bustling walkers’ pub serving Cumbrian ales and hearty food. In summer, sit in the garden by the little beck and gaze up at the Tilberthwaite Fells. Has en-suite rooms.

Little Langdale, Ambleside, LA22 9NZ, 0153 ,, 94 37215.

54.4213, -3.0547 sa 24 CHESTERS, SKELWITH BRIDGE Tuck into home-made fare at this light-filled café and bakery, or buy artisan breads and pastries for a picnic. Decking area by the river.

Skelwith Bridge, nr Ambleside, LA22 9NJ, ,, 0153 94 34711.

54.4219, -3.0121 s

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25 THE BRITANNIA INN, ELTERWATER Nestled in the Langdale Valley, this scenic pub serves seasonal food and Cumberland classics at breakfast, lunch and supper. An

open fire and cosy nooks inside, with a beer garden outside for summer. Accommodation available.

Elterwater, Ambleside, LA22 9HP, 0153 94 ,, 37210.

54.4344, -3.0378 saS 26 OLD DUNGEON GHYLL – HIKERS BAR This property was run as a farm and an inn together for perhaps 300 years, until in 1949 the farming stopped. The livestock ‘shippon’ is now the rustic Hikers Bar, which serves meals, and there’s a garden outside. Hotel rooms are vintage styled.

Great Langdale, Ambleside, LA22 9JY, 0153 ,, 94 37272.

54.4453,­ -3.1029 aS 27 STICKLEBARN TAVERN, GT LANGDALE The NT’s only pub, Sticklebarn has incredible views. Serves local ales and hearty food to hungry hikers. A short walk to the NT’s Great Langdale campsite (see 37).

Great Langdale, nr Ambleside, LA22 9JU, ,, 0153 94 37356.

54.4486, -3.0894 sa 28 THE GRASMERE GINGERBREAD SHOP This shop is the original cottage where Victorian cook Sarah Nelson created her famous Grasmere Gingerbread, still sold today

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alongside rum butter, sweets, conserves and gifts. Open daily.

Church Cottage, Grasmere, nr Ambleside, ,, LA22 9SW, 0153 94 35428.

54.4579, -3.0235 s

a tin bath, earth closet and open fireplace.

Sleeps seven. Managed by NT. Little Langdale, nr Coniston, LA22 9PF, 0344 ,, 800 2070.

54.4160, -3.0670 S

29 TWEEDIES BAR, GRASMERE Award-winning pub with log fires, stone floors, seasonal food and live music at weekends.

On Broadgate, but part of Dale Lodge Hotel, ,, Red Bank Road, Grasmere, LA22 9SW, 0153 94 35300.

54.4580, -3.0258 saS

35 YHA LANGDALE Sprawling Victorian mansion steeped in history, with a three-tier arboretum, labyrinthine corridors, ornate grandeur, grand social areas and captivating views. Beds are in dorms or private rooms. Meals served.

High Close, Loughrigg, Ambleside, LA22 9HJ, ,, 0153 94 37579.

54.4385, -3.0215 S

30 THE JUMBLE ROOM, GRASMERE Bohemian village restaurant with colourful décor. Renowned for its welcoming, eccentric vibe and local, organic food. Open for weekend lunches and Weds–Sun evening meals.

Broadgate, Grasmere, nr Ambleside, LA22 ,, 9SU, 0153 94 35188.

54.4584, -3.0259 s

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31 GREENS CAFE & BISTRO, GRASMERE Licensed eatery with all food (breakfasts, lunches, cakes and pastries) made freshly on the premises. Focus on seasonal ingredients and local suppliers. Also caters for specific diets, including gluten-free, dairy­-free, vegan and veggie.

College Street, Grasmere, LA22 9SZ, ,, 0153 94 35790.

54.4589, -3.0239 s

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32 ELTERMERE INN, AMBLESIDE Smart rural inn with views of the local lakes.

Food sourced from the surrounding gardens, markets and coast. The garden terrace is a lovely place for afternoon teas in summer, and there are 12 contemporary guest rooms.

Elterwater, Ambleside, LA22 9HY, ,, 0153 94 37207.

54.4311, -3.0379 sS

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36 BAYSBROWN FARM CAMPING Large simple campsite with no set pitches in its three large fields, which sit beneath impressive crags. There’s a stream and solarpowered showers. No groups over four people (unless families), no booking, but always room.

Great Langdale, Ambleside, LA22 9JZ (but ,, use LA22 9JR for satnav), 0153 94 37150 54.4386, -3.0568 d 37 GREAT LANGDALE NT CAMPSITE Situated in a wooded glen, surrounded by peaks and fells. Efficiently run with first­class local walks, including the Langdale Pikes.

Three local pubs within a 10-minute walk.

Open year-round.

Great Langdale, Ambleside, LA22 9JU, 0153 ,, 94 63862.

54.4431, -3.0986 d 38 FELL FOOT FARM B&B AND COTTAGE Grade II listed property and former coaching inn, reputedly used by smugglers. The selfcatering cottage sleeps four, or the farmhouse B&B includes locally sourced breakfasts.

Little Langdale, Ambleside, LA22 9PE, 0153 ,, 94 37149.

54.4192, -3.0821 S

33 TARN FOOT FARM, LOUGHRIGG Basic but scenic campsite near Loughrigg Tarn (see 1), set against the backdrop of the Langdale Pikes. Lovely sunsets.

Loughrigg, Ambleside, LA22 9HF, ,, 0153 94 32596.

54.4282, -3.0080 df 34 HIGH HALLGARTH, LITTLE LANGDALE Remote stone & slate cottage overlooking Langdale Tarn, with adjacent field that tumbles to the river. Original features include

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High Raise or High White Stones

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Codale Head

547

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503

8

541

da

Blea Rigg

ad

500

Grasmere31 30

Great Castle How

2928

Harrison Stickle Loft Thorn Crag Crag

7

410 414

410

Langdale Fell

27

Brigstone Moss

Nab Cottage

B5343

d

22

B

le

361 361

Side Pike

469

Long Crag or Wrynose Fell

543

1 4

Blake Rigg

Fletcher's Wood

Busk House

3

Bridge End

34

16

Skelwith

Skelwith Fold 211

Park Fell

Little Fell

Tilberthwaite Fells

408

The Old Forge

423

Tilberthwaite High Fells

Great Carrs

Black Sails

Swirl How

423 Dry Cove Bottom

423

Haystack Blake Rigg

9

Tilberthwaite Cottages

10

13

B

Holmes Head Pullscar Cottage

Black Fell

B52

Pull Beck

22

283 283

269 Yew Tree Tarn

Arnside Intake

158 158

Iron Keld Plantation

Harry Guards Wood

269

Tom Heights

Renny Pa Coppic

Hog House Beck

24

2

20 15

Bull Close

Arnside Cottage

Holme Ground Cottages

441

Dam's Bull Close Beck Coppice

Black Fell

High Oxen Fell

14

Birk Fell Man or Birk Fell

284

A593

Great Intake or Low Fell

The Brow

Park Fell

284 408

an e Bo g L

River Brathay

211

Little Carrs

216

24 Bridge

Elterwater Park Farm

Low Fell

Greenburn Beck

529

216

Little Loughrigg

Carr Howes

23

Little Langdale Tarn

38

Hell Gill Pike

265

33

Ivy Crag

High Hacket

18

529

Pine 265

Loughrigg Fold

Elter Water

e

p121

Loughrigg Fell Brookside

32

19

Lingmoor Fell

14

Scroggs Cottage

Walthwaite Bottom

Elterwater 25

Baysbrown Wood

Lingmoor Fell or Brown How

Blea Tarn

5

35 17

Baysbrown Farm

Hagg Wood

Bleatarn House

543

High Close Bungalow

36

p99

Wrynose Fell

k an

Chapel Stile

Rydal Water

3 19

6

Re

Great Langdale Beck Oak Howe

Wall End

a end Ox

Grasmere

Great Langdale

37

Stool End

Silver How

Robinson Place

26

Middle Fell Farm

Nab Scar

461

Lang How

395

The New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel

461

B5287

395

11

l

Ro

541

500

Pike of Blisco

612

Heron Pike e

12

Rydal Fell

Easedale

Easedale Ea Beck se

Stickle Tarn

21

Stone Arthur

A591

Martcrag Moor

Thunacar Knott

503

e

Blindtarn Cottage

Martcrag Moor

Broadrayne Farm

13

Ea

High Easedale

Sergeant Man

547

Fa r

Grasmere Common

Tarn Crag

550

High Crag

Sunny Brow

Crook Beck Coniston Moor Sam Bottom

Great How Crags

The Tarns Yew Tree Farm

Red Dell Red D ell Beck

Brackeny Crag

Coniston Fells

Knipe Fold

Outgate

Tarn Hows Cottage

Yewdale Fells Levers Water

Tock H

Rose Castle

High Yewdale

Syke

Tarn Hows Wood

Low Wythow

p141

High Loanthwaite

Hill Fell Hall Beck

111

XX 6

stainforth & malham Our perfect weekend ,,Descend into giant Gordale Scar from above – climbing down into the gorge then scrambling down the waterfall ,,Dare yourself to jump into the black cauldron at Stainforth Force on the Ribble ,,Paddle and watch for fairies at Janet’s Foss ,,Sleep as ancient hyenas and cavemen did, with fantastic sunset views, from Victoria, Jubilee or Attermire Caves ,,Gaze down 80m from the top of Malham Cove, then walk up the old river route to find more dry waterfalls and caves ,,Ponder at the meaning of the mysterious Celtic Wall and Dead Man’s Cave ,,Explore the massive 22-chamber ruins of the Hoffman kilns at Craven ,,Stay at the oldest Friends’ Meeting House in the world, and gorge on a supper of fine meats and cheeses delivered from Town End farm shop

Nowhere shows the power and history of glaciation better than Malham Cove and Gordale Scar – the dramatic highlights of a sublime limestone landscape that has rightly attracted visitors for centuries.

After the last Ice Age, 15,000 years ago, huge glaciers scoured back the soil to reveal bare limestone pavement. As the ice began to melt, vast rivers flowed through Watlowes Valley and over what was once an 80m high, curved waterfall with the power of Niagara. This cliff can still be seen, stained grey and overgrown with ferns and shrubs. At neighbouring Gordale Scar another torrent was carving a gorge and great underground cavern, which eventually collapsed to produce the open chasm waterfall we have today. Several miles upstream, the mile-wide Malham Tarn was then just a depression in the great river bed that once fed it. It’s now a wildlife reserve with possibilities for discreet swimming among the curlews, mallards and greater crested grebe that live there.

XX 1

About 10,000 years ago humans moved into the area, and on the flanks of the Ribble Valley to the west they inhabited a series of large caverns in the hillside. The earliest remains, however, at 130,000 years old, included those of hippos, narrow-nosed rhinos, elephants and spotted hyenas. Most likely the hyenas were using the caves as dens and dragging scavenged bones back to them. Our favourite caves are Attermire, Horseshoe, Jubilee and Victoria Caves.

XX 3

In the valley below, the River Ribble flows merrily along, creating some superb and popular waterfalls at Stainforth Force or ‘Foss’. It’s always busy through the summer, and deservedly so. There’s a series of shallow rapids by an old packhorse bridge, where children fish and paddle. The water then tumbles down a waterfall into a deep, black, smooth-sided plunge pot with an old iron ladder. On any day in summer you can sit and watch the antics of children and parents alike testing their nerve by jumping into the cauldron from higher and higher vantage points. Downriver, fields open out in a wash of peace and buttercups, and further large pools provide a place for longer swims. Catrigg Force is just a mile’s walk from Stainforth but much more secret. Water squeezes through a slot in the tall rock structure via an upper pool and down into the lower pool. It’s only large enough for a quick plunge, but the cathedral-like setting deep in this wooded glade more than makes up for that in awe and wonder.

2 1 XX

230

Stainforth & Malham

XX 4

waterfalls & lakes 1 STAINFORTH FORCE A series of river pools and falls set beneath an old packhorse bridge. Grassy banks, good paddling and a deep cauldron into which the brave jump. Set below a caravan park, but peaceful stretches in the field downstream.

Peaty water.

Stainforth is 3 miles N of Settle (B6479). ,, Park in village and carry on up main road 200m on foot. Turn L down Dog Hill Brow dir BD24 0DP, and descend 400m to bridge (where there’s some limited parking in the off season).

Main fall is 200m downstream. Continue down to find further deep river pools and more open countryside.

10 mins, 54.0997, -2.2791 1=Td 2 CATRIGG FORCE One of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Dales. Set in a wooded chasm on the moor edge, with a small pool and double fall beneath towering rocks.

From the green in Stainforth (facing BD24 ,, 9PF) walk R (E) up the lane, becoming a track up hillside. After ½ mile take the path down to the woods and falls below L. 20 mins, 54.0994, -2.2580 1=A

3 MALHAM TARN A large, windswept natural lake – a remnant puddle of the vast river that once flowed over Malham Cove (see 7). The water from Malham sinks into the ground and eventually reappears 4 miles S at Aire Head.

Take the Arncliffe road from Malham (past ,, BD23 4DH) and turn hard R after 2½ miles at the crossroads. There’s a large car park off the lane, a mile on the L. Tarn is 300m up footpath on L, access from E bank or near the boathouses on the N bank.

5 mins, 54.0922, -2.1625 14 4 JANET’S FOSS Small but beautiful clear plunge pool and waterfall, perfect for families and set in a wooded glen just off the lane near Gordale Scar. Cave up to the R, allegedly home of Jennet, a fairy queen. Sadly it’s a bit busy, so expect spectators if you swim.

From Malham village, head E towards ,, Gordale Scar. Take the path on the R about 300m before the campsite (BD23 4DL); parking tricky, there’s a layby between the path and the campsite, or it’s less than a mile from Malham.

2 mins, 54.0657, -2.1365 1q

geology wonders 5 SAMSON’S TOE A number of glacial erratic boulders rest on the stony landscape of Winskill, including the huge Samson’s Toe. It stands upon a limestone plinth and it’s said you can rock it, but this would take several people.

According to legend, Samson lost his toe jumping across from Langcliffe Scar; it probably comes from the Lake District, dumped 12,000 years ago. This area became a nature reserve after a campaign spearheaded by television gardener Geoff Hamilton, who campaigned tirelessly to stop quarrying of limestone paving for garden stone.

From B6479 at Langcliffe, take lane signed ,, ‘Malham 7 miles’ through village. After a mile, cross the cattle grid and park at the layby for the dead-end turning for Winskill, BD24 9PZ. Walk down the Winskill road for 400m and the boulder is on the R. 3 mins, 54.0916, -2.2587 68 6 GORDALE SCAR, FROM ABOVE This is a stunning waterfall from one gorge down into another. Similar to Malham Cove (see 7), the water eroded the edge of the

231

XX 7

XX 6

7 XX

232

Stainforth & Malham

cliff far back to form a huge ravine. Most people approach from the bottom, and it’s always busy, but a much wilder route is from the top, over the high meadows and down the path to the top of the waterfall, to look out and down on the great chamber. This also gives access to the pretty beck upstream.

Head E out of Malham village, past BD23 ,, 4DB, but turn L as you climb the hill, signed ‘Malham 3’. After 1¼ miles find a small stone sheepfold by the side of the road on the R, and some parking space. Backtrack to the gate in the wall. The path heads off across the grassy field, R of a lone tree on the ridge, and arrives at Gordale Beck gorge after ¾ mile. From here a steep path leads down to the head of the waterfall. In low water it’s possible to scramble down the waterfall, to the amazement of those who will probably be watching you from below!

25 mins, 54.0729, -2.1308 9=

became England’s highest waterfall. It’s a very busy walk in along the lower path, so why not approach along the top of the falls via the much more impressive scenery of Watlowes ‘dry’ valley and Ing and Comb Scars. There’s a cave here, another dry waterfall and a giant gorge carved by the once-formidable river and glacier, and it brings you to the lip of the old waterfall, with limestone pavement and superb views.

Take the Arncliffe road from Malham ,, village (past BD23 4DH). After 1¾ miles, at the cattle grid, go through the wooden gate R along the wall, and down into the valley. To approach from the other side, as for Gordale Scar (see 6), but stop after ½ mile, where there is limited parking on the steep hill and a footpath heads off to the L. 25 mins, 54.0730, -2.1583 z=9

7 MALHAM COVE & WATLOWES This dried-up 80m waterfall has carved a huge ‘cove’ into the hillside and would once have been on the same scale as Niagara Falls. On 7th December 2015 it was brought back to life by Storm Desmond, it’s thought for the first time in centuries, and briefly

8 MASTILES LANE & ROMAN CAMP Mastiles Lane is an impressive ancient green lane that rolls for miles across the high pasture and moor, walled on both sides and now closed to motor vehicles, allowing the meadow grasses to recover. It’s best to the E of the large Roman camp, little of which

sacred & ancient

XX 8 is visible today. After marching, Roman soldiers could build a camp like this in a few hours, digging a trench, building a rampart with the soil, and topping it with a pallisade of posts carried on the march.

From Malham Tarn parking (see 3) head E for ,, a mile. Go straight over the rough crossroads to reach a gate in a wall and a signboard for the Roman camp. Climb the gate and continue on the path E for a mile through the large rectangle of the camp, over a stream ford. Mastiles Lane continues E from here. It can also be approached from the byway at Smearbottoms Lane (BD23 4DN), 2 miles E of Malham past Gordale Scar campsite (B23 4DL).

30 mins, 54.0845, -2.1131 z79* 9 WATERY GRAVE, KIRKBY MALHAM A tall, ornate cross by the stone wall and stream in a graveyard. Water separated Colonel John Harrison from his wife Helen so often during his career that she decided it would also do so in death. When Helen died she was buried on one side of the small stream, and John should have been buried on the other. However, when he died the gravedigger discovered immovable rock, so the colonel was buried close to his wife after all. The church’s other claim to fame is that

its bells are heard by Tom in Kingsley’s Water Babies.

St Michael’s Church, Kirkby Malham, BD23 ,, 4BS. 2 mins, 54.0450, -2.1631 8 10 CELTIC WALL & DEAD MAN’S CAVE Difficult to find, and a bit of a mystery, this substantial limestone wall length sits alone, away from any of the field walls in the vicinity, and of quite different construction, apparently much older. It has no obvious agricultural purpose; Alfred Wainwright suggested it may have been either defensive or some form of barrow, but historians say it is more likely medieval, and was a marker in a boundary settlement. In the same field to the south is a large, well-hidden cavern under a rock which you can climb down into.

The wall is 200m S of the footpath from ,, Feizor (LA2 8DF) to Little Stainforth (BD24 0DP), after the spring on L and just above an escarpment on R. The cave is in the same field, 400m S of the wall, at ­54.0989, -2.3064.

25 mins, 54.1023, -2.3061 79z9

XX 6

XX 8

233

XX 11

caves & caverns 11 VICTORIA CAVE Victoria Cave is one of the best of a series of wild caves in the Langcliffe Scar, overlooking Stainforth. Discovered by chance in 1837 (the year of Queen Victoria’s coronation) and since then completely excavated. It’s the largest cave entrance in Yorkshire – about 9m tall and 12m wide – though the original entrance on the top L was much smaller before the excavation. Remains included 130,000-year-old hippos, narrow-nosed rhino, elephants and spotted hyenas, ancient harpoon heads and mysterious Roman ‘spoons’.

Take the Malham lane E from Langcliffe, ,, direction BD24 9PZ. After ½ mile, at a L corner on the hill, turn R onto the byway and park (though you can actually drive all the way up if you wish). Take the track ¾ mile, and at the fourth field wall on R take the footpath hard R, along the wall under the scar. The cave is 200m on, with a big signboard outside.

Jubilee and Attermire caves (see 12 and 13) are close by.

20 mins, 54.0810, -2.2487 79

XX 11

12 XX

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Stainforth & Malham

12 JUBILEE CAVE Similar to Victoria, but with two smaller entrances. Flints and other evidence of human occupation were found when this cave was excavated.

As for Victoria, but continue on along the ,, byway 200m beyond the footpath to find the cave up in the rocks on R. 20 mins, 54.0854, -2.2496 9 13 ATTERMIRE CAVE & OTHERS Also known as Lookout Cave. Roman remains including parts of a chariot were found here, and it has been suggested it may have been a shrine.

Continue on the footpath ¾ mile further S ,, from Victoria Cave, as the path and scar begin to curve to the L, and a footpath joins from the R. The cave is some way above on L. You will find Horseshoe/Keyhole Cave and a third cave 200m and 400m further along on the same level.

35 mins, 54.0734, -2.2437 9h 14 KINSEY CAVE, GIGGLESWICK SCAR One of several caves to be found on Giggleswick Scar, Kinsey is famous for prehistoric finds including animal bones,

XX 16 Paleolithic and Bronze Age tools. It’s a scheduled monument with more material in the floor of its low chamber, so be careful not to disturb it.

On B6480 NW of Giggleswick, some ,, parking opp buildings at BD24 0DJ, by gate where footpath leads up to scar and many caves. Larger laybys 500m and 800m further on. Caves at Giggleswick Scar include Kinsey Cave, Spider Cave and Wall Cave close together; Wet Cave, Cave Ha (Cave Hole on OS maps), Kelcow Cave and Schoolboy Cave.

15 mins, 54.0869, -2.3006 79h

ruins & follies 15 CRAVEN LIME KILNS, LANGCLIFFE This massive 128m oval lime kiln was built in 1873 for the Craven Lime Company.

Hoffmann kilns had a series of chambers, which were filled, fired and emptied in turn to burn stone (or elsewhere to fire bricks) continuously in a circuit. This kiln, one of very few remaining intact, had 22 chambers and the circuit took six weeks. Removing the still-hot quicklime was dangerous, and the kiln closed in the 1930s. The site has information boards and is open to the public; take care on uneven pathways. Look around

for bricks that were stacked to close the doorways when firing, which are vitrified at one end.

Off B6479 between Langcliffe and ,, Stainforth, at BD24 9NU. 5 mins, 54.0923, -2.2710 7

wildlife & woods 16 LOWER WINSKILL MEADOWS A working farm with group visitor facilities set in spectacular and remote limestone scenery. The hay meadows date to the early 16th century. The early purple orchid is one of the first flowers to appear in the spring, alongside the cowslips in the limestone pastures. Rock rose is also on the rise, the sole food for the caterpillars of the rare northern brown argus butterfly which are also increasing.

As for Samson’s Toe (see 5) but continue ,, down track (you can drive down on this byway).

Lower Winskill, Langcliffe, BD24 9PZ. There are several footpaths but to arrange a visit please contact Tom Lord (info@lowerwinskill. co.uk).

10 mins, 54.0939, -2.2659 56

XX 15

15 XX

235

Try the traditional breads and cakes, buy sandwiches for a long walk, or tuck into a seasonal lunch in the café.

Market Place, Settle BD24 9ED, 01729 ,, 823230.

54.0687, -2.2773 s

sleep wild 21 GORDALE SCAR CAMPSITE Located within a dramatic gorge, this rugged site has a spectacular setting. The basic showers and loos are in a stone barn. On a footpath, so busy.

Gordale Scar House, Malham, BD23 4DL, ,, 01729 830333.

54.0675, -2.1340 s

XX 21

slow food 17 LISTER ARMS, MALHAM Refurbished coaching inn with original fireplaces and wooden floors. The traditional menu is home-cooked and locally sourced, and ales are from their own craft brewery.

Stylish bedrooms.

Malham, BD23 4DB, 01729 083444 (pub) ,, or 830330 (rooms).

54.0619, -2.1521 saS

XX 17

18 TOWN END FARM SHOP, AIRTON Award-winning shop selling Yorkshire Dales produce, including cured meats, home-reared lamb and speciality cheeses. You can also book in for a butchery course and learn how to make your own salami.

Airton, BD23 4BE, 01729 830902. ,, 54.0323, -2.1530 s 19 COURTYARD CHEESE SHOP & DAIRY Championing independent cheese-makers, this artisan shop sells unpasteurised and specialist cheeses from the British Isles and Europe. Next door, The Brasserie restaurant (01729 892900) uses the dairy’s cheeses and other local products.

A65, Settle, BD24 9JY, 01729 892902. ,, 54.0479, -2.2851 s

19 XX

20 YE OLDE NAKED MAN, SETTLE In the heart of Settle, this unique bakery and café is in a building that dates back to 1663.

XX 22

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Stainforth & Malham

22 HILL TOP FARM, COTTAGE & BUNKBARN Five-person holiday cottage and 32bed bunk barn (available for groups on weekends/individuals on weekdays), surrounded by wildlife-rich farmland and limestone uplands. Buy the farm’s ethically reared beef for your supper.

Back Lane, Malham, BD23 4DJ, 01729 ,, 830320.

54.0641, -2.1552 Ssg 23 BECK HALL HOTEL & BISTRO A former 18th-century yeoman’s cottage, this quaint hotel has 18 rooms and a fairytale location by the beck. Seasonal menu, with candlelit seating by the water.

Cove Road, Malham, BD23 4DJ, 01729 ,, 830729. Bistro open Wed–Sun and bank hols.

54.0634, -2.1532 Ss 24 AIRTON MEETING HOUSE Part of what is possibly the oldest Friends’ Meeting House in the world, this converted stable block sleeps up to 16. Food can be pre-ordered and delivered through Town End Farm Shop (see 18).

Airton, BD23 4AE, 01729 830263. ,, 54.0288, -2.1493 S

XX 20

Fawcett Moor

38 Brackenbottom Horton Beck

Dale Head

Studfold

Silverdale Barn

Higher Bark House Bargh House Barn Tongue Gill

or Wood

Smearsett Scar Hargreaves Barn

37

10

Feizor

th

ne La

Huntworth

High Paley Green

rmitstead

Highrigg Barn

e

13

Green Farm

20

H ig

Upper Settle

l L a

Preston's Barn

Tranlands Beck

B la

Black Gill Beck

Lan

e

Grains Lane

Grains Beck

E dg

Ingle Beck

a e L

New House Bungalow

Wigglesworth

Bendgate Flat L a ne

Otterburn Moor

Sco

s th

r op

Hurries Farm

Otterburn

Hellifield Hull House Cottages

Calton Moor High Field Syke High Close Syke

Goal Lingber

Kendal House

Wenningber Otterburn Beck Crane Field Beck Crane

Reek House

Wh etstone G Jeffreys Gill

Winterburn Moor

Smither Gill

Way

W Moor Gill

Wate Smither Lod Gill Laithe Windros Laithe

18 Airton

Kirk Syke Cottage

Hett Comm

Skellands Farm

La

ne Dowber Laithe

Crook Beck

Hellifield Moor

Little Newton

Waters View House

Captain Moor

High Scarth Barn

ne Newton Moor

Long Preston

Brown Hill

Hanlith Moor

24

Newton Moor

Fern Hill Farm

Wigglesworth Hall Laithe

Ray Gill Laithe Hell Gill

Kirkby Malham

Deepdale Barns

Scosthrop Low Moor

Orms Gill Green

Bookilber Barn

Newton Gill

9

Kirkby Beck

High Barn

Long Preston

Cockley Bank

Park House

The Weets

Scosthrop Moor

Ouskill Barn

West End

L

Mantley Field Laithe

Hanlith

Crakemoor House

Hewitt House

p247

Low Laithe

an

New Close Farm

Bookil Gill Beck

Tommy Hall's Barn

Hard Head Farm

Syke

G il l

New Friars Garth Farm

Long Preston Beck

Far Cappleside Farm

Hill Top

ck

Mearbeck

Skir Beck Skir Beck Farm

22 23 17

Thorny Dale Barn

Acres

High Barn

Riddings Bunglows

Bordley H

21 Haw th orns 4

Malham Beck Butterlands Barn

Scosthrop High Moor

Scaleber Pasture

Settle Junction

New House

6

Cawden Flats Barn

Rye Loaf Hill

Wild Share

7

Kirkby Fell

School Share

Brackenbent

Rotten Edge

Ewe Moor

Stockdale Beck

ne

ne

Cleatop Farm

Rathmell

m

H il

Lodge Farm

ley Hall

Green Hippins

h

Lee Gate Farm

Grey Gill

Sugar Loaf Hill

SETTLE

Runley Bridge Farm

19

Kealc Hil

Cow Gill Cote

Grizedales

Ma lha md ale

Swainstead Hollin Hall Barn

8

Seaty Hill Abbot Hills

B6479

La

Ackworth Long Stream Barn

B6480

Gordale Beck

New Laithe

11

e ll

Giggleswick

Littlebank Bungalow

athmell Beck

ne

Dean Moor

12

Langcliffe

M itc h

ee

Lan

Proctor High Pasture

3 Low Trenhouse

Ro ad

Gr

Rome Farm

Tem s Beck

Tat Pa

Bordley Hall Pasture

Malh am Tarn

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Close House Farm

ey

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Tarn Moss High Trenhouse

Stockdale Farm

P al

p267

Kiln House Capon Hall

d

Black Hill

Tipperthwaite Lodge

rsons se Barn

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Co

Giggleswick

Pro High

Clapham High Mark

Malham Tarn House

s

5

Scar Holme

Croft Closes Farm Craven Ridge Syke

h ou se Lan e S t a ck

m

Hen

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Cowside Beck

Cowside Farm

16

Lan

sid e

R

f or

15

Middle House Farm

Home Farm

Hen

Parson's Pulpit

Back Pasture Out Pasture

Chapel Fell

Dick Close Pasture

2

Stone Dikes Barn

14 Stackhouse

Willow Cottage

Myer's Farm House

Great Catrigg Pasture

Catrigg Beck

Stainforth

1

S t a in

High Barn

at

Stanggill Barn

e

Brunton House

Go

Catrigg Barn

Billinger Barn

High Cote Moor

New Pasture

Knowe Fell

id

Little Stainforth

n La

e

arn

Stangill Fell

Co G

Dew Bottoms

Tennant Gill Farm

p201

Out Fell Rough Lands Neals Ing Rough Sannat Hall Farm Close

Wharfe Wood

Low Cote Moor

Far Fell

Swarth Moor

p227

Hawksw

Cowside Beck

Thoragill Beck House

Middle Fell

Fornah Gill

Combs Thorns Newfield House

d

Darnbrook Farm

Little Fell Studfold High Pasture

Helwith Bridge

Far End House

Field House Barn

Fountains Fell

Studfold Low Pasture

Combs Dike

Holme

Arncliffe

Brootes Barn

West Moor

New Pasture

Dub Cote Scar Pasture

White White Sike Barn Sike

Foredale Cottages

Fountains Fell

Rainscar Pasture

B6479

Cragg Hill

XX 23

River Skirfare Sink Hill Barn

Silverdale

Garth House

26

Darnbrook Fell

Rainscar

Crooks Barn

28

Little Scoska Moor

Blishmire House

e

Beecroft Hall

Calton Calton Gill Syke

River Aire Shoulbreads Laithe

Barson Laithe Well Head Laithe

Winterburn Beck

Cowper Cote

Jubilee Cottage

Winterburn

Hil S

237

Friars Head

Brockabank

270

271

Daniel Start is an award-winning travel writer and photographer. He is author of Wild Swimming, Hidden Beaches and Wild Guide South East.

Tania Pascoe is a naturalist and food writer. She is author of Wild Garden Weekends and Wild Guide South West.

The Wild Guide series was winner of the Travmedia Travel Guidebook of the Year 2015

Inside the Wild Guide water 1 2 Jump or rope swing T land and wildlife Amazing wildlife 4 Sunset views 6 Lost ruin 7 Ancient or sacred 8 Wild swimming

Waterfall

Canoeing or boating

Hidden beach

Cosy inn Campfires

Cave or cavern Ancient forest Magical meadow Scramble or climb

9 3 5 E

sleep

food Locally-sourced food

Secret island

= o ÂŹ

s a f

Wilder campsite

q z c t

Very remote

Bothy or bunk barn Bivvy or wild camp

d g *

general Great for kids Lovely walk Cycling Train nearby

Hazards Secret Busy or popular

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