BrynCraggs

Nidderdale moors and mines

Moderate

8.0 miles | 12.8 km | 396 m Ascent | 9.9 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
Nidderdale is a dale, and it’s in Yorkshire – so it must be in the Yorkshire Dales, right?
No. Nidderdale is one of the 46 National Landscapes, which until recently were simply called Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Legally the designation AONB still applies, but the name National Landscape is being applied across all of them to highlight the national importance of these special places.
Whatever name we use, Nidderdale is well worth visiting, and offers some great walking. This route combines England’s highest artwork, with jaw dropping views into a vast working quarry, an industrial heritage trail with two lead mines, deer, bluebells, and if you are really lucky, red kites.

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Rigmaden Bluebells

Moderate

7.6 miles | 12.3 km | 264 m Ascent | 8.9 Naismith miles | Kate Rowe / Kate Butcher
A walk in the spring that features daffodils or bluebells is a long-standing tradition with the Bentham Footpath Group. Scheduling such a walk months in advance and then getting the spring blooms to cooperate on the chosen date is a challenge though, and one that might daunt lesser leaders than ours.
Having seen bluebells passing their peak elsewhere in the last couple of weeks, there was a little jeopardy – there was no doubt this would be a good walk, because it’s a route that works well at any time of the year – but would there be a good show of bluebells, and would they be at their best?
Yes – of course there were. In fact, we think ours were better than those reported by BBC TV at Rannerdale Knotts. Despite this BFG is not funded by the licence payer.

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Wenning Ways from Low Bentham

Moderate

8.0 miles | 12.9 km | 203 m Ascent | 9.0 Naismith miles | Mary & Kate Taylor
We have enjoyed a number of local walks this spring, and all of them have reminded us just how lucky we are to live here. As the name suggests this excellent walk showcases the Wenning Valley, and visits both Low and High Bentham, making good use of the popular “Heritage Trails”.
How fondly we remember a walk depends to some extent on the weather (perfect on this occasion), and on random events that even the best walk leaders cannot plan. On this walk, it was the chance to watch an otter hunting in the River Wenning near Low Bentham, apparently unconcerned by our presence. You may or may not enjoy that particular treat if you take this walk, but there are lots of other interesting things to see, with industrial archaeology, local history, and great views all included.

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Pen-y-Ghent from Horton in Ribblesdale

Easy

6.2 miles | 10.0 km | 500 m Ascent | 8.7 Naismith miles | Valerie Eccles
When we live in and around the Yorkshire Dales, it’s easy to be blasé about the Yorkshire three peaks, or even to dismiss them as mere tourist attractions. That would be a mistake; all three offer a choice of great walks, and a series of views that changes with the season. On this occasion we tackle Pen-y-Ghent starting near St Oswald’s church, then going via Brackenbottom, to approach the peak from the southern side using the Pennine Way path. That gets the steep climb (and it is somewhat brutal) out of the way early. There is then ample opportunity to recover in the shelters at the peak before we embark on a gentler return to the north – still on the Pennine Way, before diverting to see the spectacular Hull Pot. Finally, we return to Horton by the Pennine Journey path.

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Newton to Dunsop and Hodder Bank

Moderate

8.9 miles | 14.3 km | 333 m Ascent | 10.5 Naismith miles | David Longton
Within the Bentham Footpath Group, we regard the Yorkshire Dales, the South Lakes and the Forest of Bowland as our home patch. Of those three, it’s the latter that offers the best opportunity for quiet walks free from the more popular tourist hotspots.
Does that mean that the Forest of Bowland is remote and inaccessible then? Not in our opinion – in fact this walk passes through the centre of the United Kingdom which, as it turns out is Dunsop Bridge.
We start though in Newton – where there is good parking, then go via Beatrix to Dunsop Bridge with great views of Beatrix and Burn Fells along the way. We then stroll along the banks of the Hodder down to Burholme before returning via Hodder Bank Fell.

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Aughton and the River Lune

Easy

7.1 miles | 11.4 km | 288 m Ascent | 8.5 Naismith miles | Mary Pickstone & Valerie Eccles
Our last three walks have been further afield – great for exploring areas we might be less familiar with, but not so convenient when we need a walk on the spur of the moment. This week’s route is much closer to home and is in an area that we are all very familiar with – the Lune Valley.
As well as being convenient, this walk has much to offer: We start at a wildflower meadow within the grounds of the Hermitage Estate, and head toward Halton Green before diverting through Higher Wood to get to Halton Park. A path through the edge of Wham Wood takes us to Hawkshead and a path along the top of the ridge to Aughton. This lovely village offers a good place to enjoy lunch, before we press on back down to the riverside at Aughton Barns. From there a riverside path takes us through Aughton Woods Nature Reserve before passing the spectacular waterworks bridge as we head back to our starting point.

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Windermere to Ambleside – bus back

Moderate

9.0 miles | 14.5 km | 472m Ascent | 11.4 Naismith miles | Rick Clapham
Last week we walked in Coverdale and noted how remarkably few visitors it had. This week, we walk from Windermere to Ambleside – and find that the same description does not apply. In fact, if you ask Google (other search engines are available) where the busiest places in the Lake District are, the answer is Windermere and Ambleside.
So, did we fall into a tourist hell hole? Not at all: Skilful route selection meant that for much of the walk we were free from crowds, and even the ever popular Orrest Head was approached by the less well known Common Wood route. From the Head we take the Dubbs Road to Dubbs Reservoir and then down to Limefitt where we cross the Trout Beck, and then the A592. After a quick look at Jesus Church, we climb to Troutbeck village before taking Robin Lane through Skelghyll Wood and then down to Waterhead in Ambleside. A convenient bus back to Windermere ends the trip.

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Horsehouse to Carlton in Coverdale

Easy

7.1 miles | 11.4 km | 232 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Glyn Barnes
How many Dales are there in the Yorkshire Dales? It sounds like it ought to be an easy question, but it’s not. There is ambiguity about the area covered – is it just the National Park, or the wider area? There is also ambiguity about what a Dale is – is it anywhere where the name ends in Dale or is it a reference to the typical river valley geography? And what do we do where one valley has more than one name along its length – does that count twice?
When we start to list them, some are top of all our lists; Ribblesdale, Wensleydale, and Swaledale for example. Others are rarely mentioned, and Coverdale falls into that category.
In order to find out whether Coverdale’s lack of recognition is simply because it’s dull, we went for a walk from Horsehouse to Carlton and back exploring Swineside Moor and the meadows along the side of the River Cover. What we found was a lovely unspoiled area that is much quieter than the better known dales. So, let’s keep it that way – don’t tell anyone about this under-explored gem.

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Brougham History

Moderate

9.1 miles | 14.7 km | 109 m Ascent | 9.7 Naismith miles | Terri Kwiecinska
Our last five walks have been categorised as easy – a good idea when the days are short, and the weather may be poor. Spring is here now though, and the length of the daylight is much less of an issue: So, we scheduled a longer walk at Brougham near Penrith.
In order to justify such a long drive, the walk needs to deliver lots of interest and our walk leader really has delivered on this one. We have the Countess Pillar on the Lady Anne Way, the site of a Roman camp, the remains of Brocavum fort, Brougham Castle, an outdoor swimming pool, an old mill, a Tudor road bridge, a henge, the Eden Millenium monument, King Arthur’s Round Table (another henge) , the entrance to the Lowther Bridge estate, Brougham Hall, the village where the last battle on English soil took place, a partially restored Pele tower, and a church where the body of St Cuthbert rested, and more.

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Train to Wennington – walk back to Bentham

Easy

5.4 miles | 8.8 km | 219 m Ascent | 6.5 Naismith miles | Kate Rowe / Kate Butcher
All of the towns and villages in our area are attractive places to live, and just about all of them make a good starting point for a walk. One of the ways in which Bentham stands head and shoulders above the others however is that it has a railway station, making walks based on a combination of rail travel and walking between stations particularly attractive.
This excellent walk draws on that strength: We take the train from Bentham just one stop to Wennington, then take a route back that gives us great views of Ingleborough and Tatham Fells along the way.
Being lucky with the weather always helps make a walk seem particularly attractive, and as the pictures show, we were indeed fortuitous this time, enjoying bright sunshine and early signs of spring.

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