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.