Return to Saltaire

Saturday 15th April 2023

After three days spent resting at home I was keen to do some more walking after the weather that had brought me home earlier in the week had cleared and also to make use of my previously booked train ticket, so I caught a train back to Saltaire and got off at exactly the same time as I had seven days earlier. The weather had not looked good during my journey north, but during the short train journey from Leeds I could see some breaks in the clouds that promised better and at least it wasn’t raining. From the railway station I made my way past the enormous, old mill buildings of Saltaire and to the foot of a wooded hillside where I found the Shipley Glen Tramway, which I had learnt about during my previous three days at home. Unfortunately it only runs on a Sunday so instead of riding it I just walked up the path beside it through delightful woodland that was decorated with wood anemones and ramson whose sweet garlic smell filled the air while the leaves covered the floor, including across the tracks of the tramway. At the top of the incline I followed a road to the Old Glen House where I turned steeply downhill to reach the route of the Dales High Way at a point that I must have passed almost exactly seven days earlier. However, I didn’t stay on the Dales High Way for long as I soon veered off to drop down to the bottom of Shipley Glen, which I was keen to explore as I had been frustrated the week before when the Dales High Way began to climb out of the valley.

 

 

I had a lovely stroll up the valley beside the Loadpit Beck over muddy ground with the sun shining overhead through the bare trees and soon I had worked up a sweat that prompted me to strip down to my baselayer. This walk through the woodland was very therapeutic for me, below the crags that I had walked above the week before, and more than justified my effort in coming all this way even if it had only been for this walk through Shipley Glen. I kept to the Loadpit Beck and branched away from the Dales High Way, now following the route of Welcome Way, which is a circular walk in West Yorkshire that links the communities of Baildon, Bingley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Otley. This took me over the hill and back down into a housing estate on the edge of Bingley where I left the Welcome Way and took a muddy path that led me down to the bottom of Airedale where I came upon the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. I had reached the canal just above Five Rise Locks, which is the steepest flight of locks in the country with a gradient of one in five and I couldn’t resist taking some pictures although the area was so popular it was difficult to not have someone in the shot. After resuming my walk along the canal I began to think about lunch so soon I left the canal and climbed up to a road where I went looking for a fish & chip shop.

 

 

After eating my lunch I proceeded through the centre of Bingley and over the River Aire onto a lane that climbed out of the valley. I was now on the route of a walk that I had recently found on Komoot.com called “Ireland Bridge in Bingley – Harden Beck/Beckfoot Lane loop from Saltaire”, which seems to be a rather clumsy title but was an good trail. I had crossed the river over Ireland Bridge and now I was skirting the edge of St. Ives Country Park, though unfortunately the trail didn’t take me inside. I was mindful of the fact that I had a train to catch and so I pondered the necessity of diverting through the park, but ultimately this proved to be unnecessary and I kept to the trail. At Harden Moor I turned south to cross the moor, which wasn’t looking at its best as the skies were now covered in cloud and it was the wrong time of year for the heather to be in flower. Once across Harden Moor I descended all the way down to the Cow House Beck and the Millennium Way. A steep climb through Goitstock Wood brought me to the top of the escarpment where I followed a very muddy path that may not have been great for me but was lined with celandines which provided me with some compensation for the hardship.

 

 

The Millennium Way was a sure guide for me over a road, across a stream, steeply through more woodland and across grassy fields. A steep descent through Ruin Bank Wood brought me to a golf course and the Harden Beck where I found Beckfoot Lane, which provided me with easy walking and helped me maintain a brisk pace so I could catch my train. Soon I came alongside the River Aire and I followed this under Cottingley Viaduct and eventually back onto the canal a short distance from the railway station in Saltaire. This felt like a good walk with good weather where the sun made welcome appearances several times throughout the walk. I couldn’t help thinking that this walk was not how I’d originally planned to end my holiday as I should have been returning from the Yorkshire Dales, but the weather and my own health had intervened. Even though my holiday had not gone to plan, I can’t really say that it had been a bad week. I did benefit from being at home and relaxing for three days and it could be argued that in future I need to tone down my holiday plans and deliberately plan some downtime, as after all, I’m not as young as I once was.

Dales High Way: Craven Way

Tuesday 11th April 2023

My walk the day before this, from Malham to Ingleton in the rain, had knocked all the energy and enthusiasm out of me so that I had no desire to continue and then the weather forecast for the rest of the week sealed my fate. I had decided to go home early from my holiday. Ironically the weather for this walk was quite good, so after a lingering look at the village of Ingleton and the viaduct that dominates the landscape but is tragically disused, I set off up Oddie’s Lane climbing steeply out of the village. The road was lined with primroses, which encouraged me to keep going as I dragged myself up the lane while the sunshine that had greeted me out of the youth hostel was soon smothered by clouds and when I turned off the lane towards Twisleton Hall such a cold wind blew at me that I was prompted to put on my cagoule. At a public bridleway sign I turned onto a path that took me into an area of limestone and scattered boulders. I remember walking this way in 2009 and on that occasion I kept to the drystone wall that runs up the hill all the way to the top of Whernside. I could have done the same again, but the main route for the Dales High Way, which I had been trying to follow on this holiday, does not visit the summit, so instead I followed the path that keeps to the contour, and besides, I really didn’t the energy for such a prolonged climb to the highest point in Yorkshire.

I was following the route of a long distance trail called “A Pennine Journey” that is loosely based on a walking holiday that Wainwright did in 1938, but Wainwright’s actual route involved a lot more road walking than is on the modern trail, for example, at this point he just walked along the road through Kingsdale. Instead I was passing through an area rich in limestone across the eastern flanks of Whernside, which Wainwright dismissed as being “no more than a long high moor”, while Ingleborough, which Wainwright praised as “a mountain, from wherever you see it from”, was looking great in the fleeting sunshine. Eventually the path I was following became indistinct and I suspected that I had lost the main path so I turned left towards the flanks of Whernside and soon I found a wet path that had been churned up by passing bicycles. This muddy path took me back to civilisation and a track where I found the Dales High Way, which since I had last been on it had been over Ingleborough. I followed the trail through farmland while ahead of me were views of the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct with the sun now shining over my head. If it wasn’t for my extreme fatigue I would have questioned my decision to go home as the weather was looking fabulous, though I knew that bad weather was forecast for later in the day.

At the point where the Three Peaks Challenge turns up towards Whernside, the trail “A Pennine Journey” also makes the steep ascent while an option for the Dales High Way follows the crowds up. I was happy to leave them behind and continue on the main route as I was now beginning to flag and it was difficult for me to keep going while my rucksack was feeling very uncomfortable and heavy on my back. Somehow, I managed to drag myself past all the farms and reached the railway line where I turned left onto the clear track that is part of the Three Peaks Challenge as was evident by the vast numbers of people on the path. I followed the track over the railway line and slowly, wearily, climbed up the hill, and when the crowds left to climb Whernside I kept going ahead on the much narrower and rougher path that continues the climb along the Craven Way, an old trail that linked Dentdale with Ribblesdale, and provided me with a beautiful route over the hills. The skies had now cleared and were rewarding me with extensive views both behind me towards Pen-y-ghent and ahead across the Yorkshire Dales. I couldn’t help being amused with the good weather just as I was making my way to the railway station to abort my holiday due to the weather.

The weather was making me seriously doubt my decision to go home, but when I reflected on what I had left to do from my original plan for this holiday, which I was only half way through, it failed to generate any interest in me. With stunning views of Dentdale arrayed spectacularly before me I was still unsure whether to go home or to find accommodation in Dent, but when I reached a footpath on my right I turned off the Craven Way and crossed wet, grassy slopes to Laithbank at the bottom of Dentdale where I joined the route of the Dales Way. I walked through this valley in 2014 and it is very tedious as it is just an endless succession of farm buildings and grassy fields. Eventually I reached Ewegales Bridge where the path comes alongside a beautiful section of the River Dee. I stopped for a rest at this point and took loads of pictures of the river as it rushes over the limestone bedrock. Soon after I finally resumed my walk I reached Lea Yeat Bridge and left the river behind to slowly climb the steep road that led me up to the highest railway station in England, Dent Station, where I waited for a train to take me home. I had plenty of time before the train was due so I was able to relax and recover from the walk, and by the time the train arrived it had started to rain with the forecast bad weather finally beginning, but I was not bothered as I was heading home.

I had spent hours the previous evening deciding what I should do for the rest of my holiday with various options including staying at the Ingleton Youth Hostel for several more days. Then I would have climbed Ingleborough and/or Whernside on this day before riding out the bad weather the following day, perhaps while visiting the waterfalls in the area. By that time I may have recovered from whatever was afflicting me, but I was just fed up with the whole holiday and I wanted to go home. Perhaps, ultimately, that was the best thing to do.

Dales High Way: Kirkby Fell

Monday 10th April 2023

The overnight rain had cleared by the time I got up, though the skies were still heavy and dark, which forebode more rain to come. I set up from the village of Malham where I spent the night and soon reached Malham Cove, the awesome rock face that is a stunning sight and rightly draws the crowds, but at this early hour I fortunately had the area to myself. Rather than walking right up to the foot of the tall cliff face, I branched left onto the steps that climb tiringly up the side of the cove until thankfully I reached the top and beheld the fabulous limestone pavement that covers the ground above the cove. The grikes, narrow fissures where water has eroded the limestone, contain a wondrous microclimate filled with small plants that are sheltered from the harsh wind. It is tragic that the only time of the year that I have ever come to this area is at Easter so I have never seen these grikes at their best, in the summer. It was great to have the top of Malham Cove to myself as this area is normally teeming with people as I saw the previous day at Gordale Scar and Janet’s Foss.

I lingered over the limestone pavement and enjoyed hopping over the rocks until eventually I turned left and headed up Watlowes, a dry valley that would once have channelled the water from Malham Tarn to the vast waterfall into Malham Cove. I walked this way in 2009 while on the Pennine Way and I was reminded of that while passing the tremendous crags that line the valley. Slowly I made my way to head of the valley past the awesome rock scenery before climbing out of the valley and, after parting company with the Pennine Way, I headed west along the route of the Dales High Way soon passing Langscar Gate. The stunning scenery was now left behind me as I climbed relatively flat hills with the views opening out behind me that included Malham Tarn, but with the increased height came a cold, brisk wind and soon it started to rain. Near the summit of Kirkby Fell I put on my waterproofs and now wrapped up against the wind and rain I soon came to the top of Stockdale. Slowly I made my way down the track and as the rain began to ease I was reminded of the previous time I had walked through here, in 2014, when I explored some of the caves in Attermire Scar, but now I stuck to the path and passed below them.

I think I must have missed a turning as the path I was on became little more than a sheep trod and climbed across the crags below Warrendale Knotts. It was a great little path on the steepest section but I could see the correct route lower down so after passing the highest point I quickly made my way back onto the correct path. The descent into Ribblesdale was down a steep grassy slope that was very slippery in the wet weather and left me wary about my footing and with a muddy backside. Eventually I reached the town of Settle where I had to consider the rest of the day as the rain resumed with no sign of it ending. From this point, the Dales High Way heads over the high hill of Ingleborough, which would not be a good idea in poor weather, so I tried to catch a bus to Ingleton, but since it was a Bank Holiday Monday there were no buses running. When I realised this, I was so frustrated with the weather that I set off along the road little realising that Ingleton was more than ten miles away. I was feeling very tired by this point in the holiday so I wasn’t thinking clearly. With hindsight I should have stayed on the Dales High Way, which initially follows the River Ribble north out of Settle before heading west. Instead I marched off through the rain, over the river where I should have turned right, and followed the road as it turned left and then swung right past the village of Giggleswick.

Slowly I walked along the side of the B6480 road and eventually, as the rain eased, I began to regret my decision. After two miles, at the top of Buck Haw Brow, I came across a sign for a footpath and followed this onto the misty lands across several grassy fields until I came to a junction of paths with a signpost that pointed towards the tiny hamlet of Feizor. I had never heard of this place before so, thinking I had gone the wrong way, I headed in another direction, which turned out to be the wrong direction. Eventually, I came across another signpost that proclaimed that I was now on the Dales High Way. Astonished, I finally checked my map and realised that the Dales High Way actually goes through Feizor, so as I followed the trail again I slowly began to come to my senses and decided on a more rational course. Once in Feizor I joined the route of the Pennine Bridleway and a trail called “A Pennine Journey” based on a walking holiday that Wainwright did in 1938. I was happy to be following in his footsteps, even though he probably didn’t take this actual route. I had a pleasant walk along Hale Lane that took me into the village of Austwick and then Thwaite Lane took me into the village of Clapham where I said goodbye to my accompanying trails and, after a brief stop to look at the waterfalls, I set off along Old Road.

The rain had now stopped and the sun tried to make an appearance while across the shallow Wenning Valley I could see the hills of the Forest of Bowland encouraging me to keep going even though I was now very weary and struggling. This was a difficult day with poor weather, but with my biggest problem being with my health and a reoccurrence of the problems that had afflicted me over the winter and left me lacking in energy or the motivation to do anything, which ruined the second half of this walk. Eventually I dragged myself into the village of Ingleton where I found the youth hostel, but I was thinking about the rest of the holiday and whether I could or should keep going. When I saw the weather forecast for the rest of the week, especially Wednesday, my decision was made.