Dales Walk

Heughscar Hill and Bonscale Pike via High Street ridge

Challenging

9.4 miles | 15.2 km | 421 m Ascent | 11.5 Naismith miles | Ed Badley
Part of the reason that so many of our group live in Bentham is easy access to the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland: We really love these areas.
However, recent walks at The Old Man of Coniston and Askham reminded us just how spectacular the walking in the Lake District can be, so for this challenging route, right at the edge of our “patch”, we start just outside Helton and climb Heughscar Hill to get spectacular views of Ullswater. We then take the High Street (Roman road) down to an atmospheric stone circle before scaling Arthurs Pike and then Bonscale Pike where the scenery is just jaw-dropping. Our return route runs along the edge of the ridge at Barton Fell giving us even more great views. Finally, we return to the cars via the Pulpit Holes at Moor Divock.

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Malham Tarn and the Monks Road

Challenging

9.3 miles | 15.0 km | 392 m Ascent | 11.3 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
Malham is one of the great attractions of the Yorkshire Dales, and with good reason: Malham Cove is a spectacular sight – as are Goredale Scar, and Janet’s Foss. Slightly further north, and less crowded, is Malham Tarn – one of a very small number of bodies of water in the Dales, and it is from the car park at the Tarn that we set out on this walk.
We head up Great Close Hill for views of the Tarn and as far afield as Pendle Hill before picking up the Monk’s Road near Middle House Farm. We then head north toward Arncliffe passing a wonderfully atmospheric ruined farmhouse before pausing to look at some of the best limestone pavement in the Dales. From there we follow the Monks Road along the edge of the steep Yew Cogar Scar until we have a spectacular view over Arncliffe and the Littondale Valley. We take in the views over lunch then return along much of the same route but come back to the Tarn via a different path with a pleasant lakeside end to the walk.

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Ingleborough from Clapham

Challenging

9.6 miles | 15.4 km | 751 m Ascent | 13.3 Naismith miles | Bernie & Sheila Garrett
One of the (many) advantages of living in Bentham is easy access to the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The group has taken various routes up each, and in this excellent walk we tackle Ingleborough again. Why? – because it’s still there as Mallory might say.
Most walkers start at Ingleton, but we take the slightly less common starting point at Clapham and approach the peak via a route that passes Clapdale Wood and Ingleborough Cave. We then take an optional short diversion to look at Trow Gill, before continuing slightly further north to find an easier route uphill across Clapham Bottoms and on to the famous Gaping Gill. After that there’s a steep climb up Little Ingleborough before we finally reach the peak, where we enjoy fine views and note bronze age remains and a demolished hospice. The diversions just tipped us over the 15km limit that we use to mark a walk as challenging but leave those out and it would be moderate – though still steep.

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Yarnbury Lead Mines and Mossdale

Challenging

9.9miles | 16.0 km | 333 m Ascent | 11.6 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
This walk can be considered to connect with at least two other Bentham Footpath Group walks: It physically shares part of the route of our Copplestone Gate and Conistone Pie walk, and although in a different part of the Yorkshire Dales, it shares much of the industrial heritage of the Gunnerside and Old Gang Smelt Mill walk.
The first half of the walk heads across Downs Pasture to the top of the Dib at Conistone, with great views of the Wharfe Valley and as far South as Pendle Hill. From there we head up the Bycliffe Road to Kelber Gate and then on to Mossdale Scar. The return journey takes us over Grassington Moor and through increasingly bleak, but strangely beautiful lead mining spoils back to the mines at Yarnbury where we spend a while exploring the remnants of this once vast industry.
We rate this walk as Challenging mainly because it’s quite long. There are no particularly steep climbs and there are options to shorten the route if needed.

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Ullswater and Place Fell

Challenging

10.0 miles | 16.1 km | 921 m Ascent | 14.6 Naismith miles | Ed Badley
In July 2022, Bentham Footpath Group undertook a challenging linear walk on the Northern side of Ullswater. During that walk we had great views across Ullswater to Place Fell, and this time we return to explore the South side of the lake.
We start from Deepdale Bridge, and initially take a gentle route by contouring around the lake until we get to Scalehow Force. We then head steeply uphill to High Knott, then on to High Dodd, from where we get a good view of the cairn on Place Fell. The strenuous climb to that cairn is rewarded by excellent views across Ullswater to Glenridding, Patterdale and the Kirkstone Pass, before we head downhill – again quite steeply – to Boredale Hause. The final leg of the walk continues downhill to meet the path we used at the start of the walk at the base of Dubhow Crag, before we head back to the cars. This is a strenuous walk, with the more difficult terrain later in the day – so prepare well and make sure you have enough water.

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