Memorial Hall

Horsehouse to Carlton in Coverdale

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.

Horsehouse to Carlton in Coverdale Read More »

Dentdale

5.6 miles | 9.1 km | 302 m Ascent | 7.1 Naismith miles | Rick Clapham
Dentdale is one of the more popular gems of the Yorkshire Dales, and so not surprisingly, Bentham Footpath Group visit regularly. Every time we come here there is something different to see, and this time we start from the Church Bridge and take a riverside path downstream for a short distance before coming back to the centre of the village via the picnic area. We then head up the enchanting Flintergill, visiting an open air museum and enjoying a viewpoint, before climbing to the Occupation Road overlooked by the Megger Stones.
After following the Occupation Road for about a mile we head back downhill along a green lane to High Nun House, then cross the minor road and head down to Deepdale Beck which we follow downstream back to the Dee, which we then follow back to our starting point.

Dentdale Read More »