Wharfedale

Copplestone Gate and Conistone Pie 2

Easy

6.9 miles | 11.1 km | 369 m Ascent | 8.8 Naismith miles | Peter Lennard
Offering interesting walks on as frequent a basis as we do within the Bentham Footpath Group is a challenge. One which we compound for ourselves by trying to ensure that everything we do is new to the group. Every now and again though, we complete a walk that is so good we think it’s worth revisiting with a minor variation.
So, this is a slight reworking of our walk from 6th May 2022, taking a different route through the mine workings at Benfoot Brow. This simple change makes the walk sightly shorter and a little easier, making it more suitable for the shorter winter days.
It still includes the wonderful climb up the Dib, along with an alternate gentler route to the fantastic limestone pavement adjacent to the Bycliffe Road. We still walk the Conistone Turf Road, via Copplestone Gate to see the bleak spoil tips from past lead mining, before taking in Swinber Scar, Conistone Pie and St Mary’s church in Conistone. Take the GPS for both versions and you can decide which walk to follow as the day unfolds.

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Kettlewell to Starbotton

Easy

6.4 miles | 10.3 km | 335 m Ascent | 8.1 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs
Kettlewell is one of the “Honey pot” villages in the Yorkshire Dales, and so during the peak of the tourist season, it gets rather crowded – and justifiably so – it’s a lovely place.
However, if you pick a glowering day during February when the weather forecast is gloomy, not only will you have the pick of the parking places, but all the paths will be deserted and if the weather proves to be better than expected you will still get some great views.
This walk takes us from Kettlewell up the Top Mere Road to Cam Head and then down Starbotton Cam Road into Starbotton. We then return along a riverside path enjoying typical Upper Wharfedale views. Although we class this walk as easy, based on the distance and total ascent, be aware that the first section is steep, though there are a couple of benches to take a rest.

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Barden reservoirs

Challenging

11.4 miles | 18.3 km | 469 m Ascent | 13.7 Naismith miles | David Longton
In the summer months, the light allows for walks that are longer, more challenging and which start from points that are farther from sunny Bentham.
This is the case for this varied walk in Wharfedale that covers rough moorland and a pleasant riverside view, with industrial and medieval heritage and wildlife.

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Copplestone Gate and Conistone Pie

Easy

7.3 miles | 11.8 km | 437 m Ascent | 9.5 Naismith miles | Mary & Kate Taylor
Wharfedale is an exceptionally beautiful part of the world, and this walk from Conistone shows us the best of it. The first part of the walk involves some hard walking up the Dib – a steep gorge.
We then take the Bycliffe road up as far as the Conistone Turf Road where we head onto Conistone Moor and Copplestone Gate.
We then head downhill to find the Dales Way again and follow this back to Conistone Pie before returning to Conistone village via Scot Gate Lane.
The modest distance means that this is classed as an easy walk, but the clambering up the Dib means that you need to be fit and appropriately clothed / booted.

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