Introduction
I had been waiting a long time for this. I was planning to complete this National Trail much earlier this year but my walking projects for the season got caught up with the Covid pandemic. Eventually the hotels and b&b’s began to reopen and I could plan a trip to conclude the trail that I had started nearly two years ago. My first decision was to find the optimum method for getting to Settle, where I had finished part 2 of my walk some 18 months ago. Rather than use the train for the entire journey, not the most pleasant form of transport at the moment, I drove one Wednesday morning to Kirkby Stephen Station and risked leaving my car for four days in the station car park. I caught the 11.46am train to Settle and was walking by 12.35pm at the start of my third and final section of the Pennine Bridleway.
Wednesday 16th September 2020 Settle Station - Settle Loop - Settle
Loop the Loop in Settle
I set off from the station, quickly passed the coffee shops and market square to gain the quiet lane to Langcliffe. Here the Malham road climbed steeply up to the start of the Settle Loop, getting some warmth into me on this cloudy and mirky lunchtime. The stony track climbed gently passed a group of shepherds bringing their flocks to lower ground. One young member of the team was controlling a wild horse by throwing stones at it. An older couple emerged from the path from Victoria Cave and, as they showed little enthusiasm for the feature, I was not tempted by a possible detour and I passed quickly on. A good quality track rolled out across bare moorland as the mist cleared and the sun struggled to break through the clouds.
After walking eastwards towards Malham for well over 5 miles, I reached the turning point, a fingerpost pointing south and, rather surprising, pointing uphill. The highpoint of the day was not reached for another mile, at a stage when I felt I should have been well on my way back to Settle. From this view point I could look back over Malham Tarn and then forward to Rye Loaf Hill and the Ribble Valley. As I reached the crest of the steep rocky descent, views down to Stockdale Farm openedup. The track dropped through the limestone layers and on to the farm access road and then on tarmac for a further mile to Lambert Lane. Eventually I came to the point where last year’s route from Long Preston had emerged and I repeated my last year’s finish into the town centre with fine views over Settle as I descended. I went straight through the market square in search of my accommodation which was a few hundred yards to the north. The skies had cleared and I was not to see another cloud for the rest of my trip.
Settle dep. 12.35, Oast Guest House, Settle arr. 16.25
GPS 11.12 miles in 3hrs 50mins 16secs.
I stayed at the Oast Guest House
and ate at the Royal Oak where I enjoyed fish, chips and mushy peas followed by
apple and mixed berry crumble and ice cream. The beer was Yorkshire Blonde (3.9%)
from Ossett Brewery.
Thursday 17th September 2020 Settle – Ribblehead
From Oasts to Ashes
The earliest I could get breakfast
was 8.30am so I had my bags packed and ready to go before I wandered downstairs
for a full English. It was warm and sunny as I set off and I wore only a short-sleeved
shirt and shorts as I walked once again through the market square and up passed
the museum to where I had left the route-sign on the day before. I followed the
signs carefully today as I was now setting out on the official way north. The
rising path led out onto grassy hillsides with great views over the town. After
two miles or so, I came to the road from Langcliffe village that I had climbed
yesterday on my way round the Settle loop. I now continued along the road for
half-a-mile and turned left down a tarmacked lane to Winskill. A bridleway took
me around the farm and down to Stainforth, a quiet village looking lovely in
the sunshine.
The busy road was crossed via a tunnel, the entrance to which was hidden in the corner of a car park. More paths and lanes led to Little Stainforth which I hardly touched as the route turned onto a two-mile section of road passed a large quarry. After an age, a grassy path went off across fields towards Bark Houses Farm where a concrete drive ascended towards Feizor Nick. On the grassy descent views opening out towards Austwick and the hills beyond. But first the hamlet of Feizor: a vital part of the route. Here is one of the best cafes in Yorkshire, Elaine’s Tea Shop. And on this glorious day it was a hive of activity. I found a table outside and daubed myself with sun-cream as I awaited my cappuccino and coffee & walnut cake. All too soon it was time to be on my way again. A narrow, walled lane led through some farmland and then passed a small wood before breaking out into the fields in front of the village of Austwick. The signed route did not enter the village but immediately turned away along a road heading northeast.
It was really getting hot now. Thwaite Lane was a rough track that went gradually uphill in a straight line to Clapham, but just before the village, an acorn crested sign pointed me northwards and uphill above Ingleborough Cave and Trow Gill. The top gate led out onto a magnificent grassy plateau which extended for almost two miles through high ledges between limestone outcrops. It changed in character when I crossed the main track from Ingleborough to Horton. The ill-defined track descended sharply
down cattle-filled meadows to Selside. Crossing the Horton road, I continued under the railway line and down to the River Ribble. A beautiful new footbridge took me over the river and passed Dale Mire Barn on a farm track led up to the tarmac lane from Horton to High Birkwith. This the end of the day on-route but there was however still some way to go the reach my bed & breakfast. I fell into step with Johnny and his mum who were just finishing their three peaks round. We chatted our way through Nether Lodge and Lodge Hall, finally parting company at the entrance to Ashes Farm, my bed for the night. I had a shower and short rest as I still had a good walk to get to the pub.
Settle dep. 09.13, Ashes Farm,
Ribblehead arr. 16.40
GPS 20.61 miles in 7hrs 02mins 30secs
walking with 20mins (11.50 - 12.10) in Elaine’s Tea Shop in Feizor.
I stayed at Ashes Farm near Ribblehead.
It was exactly a mile to the Station Inn where I gorged myself on steak &
ale pie with mashed potatoes, then chocolate & orange sponge with sorbet. The
beer was Jericho Blonde (3.6%) from Settle Brewery. It was becoming truly dark
as I staggered back down the road to the farm.
Friday 18th September 2020 Ribblehead – Garsdale Head
Driving Round Knoutberry
I was invited to an early breakfast so I was ready to don my boots at 9.15am. The day looked similar to yesterday, blue skies and morning sunshine but with a chilling wind that had blown up overnight. I reversed yesterday’s finish, walking against a steady stream of three-peakers who had obviously had a very early start from Horton. Just above High Birkwith, the Pennine Way joined with the Pennine Bridleway and the two national trails ran passed the lovely bridge at Ling Gill and then in conjunction for nearly five miles. At Cam End, the Dales Way came in and there was a one-mile stretch with three major trails used the same track. Soon after reaching tarmac, the Bridleway took a sharp left turn and dropped westwards towards the main road at Newby Head. I had a twenty-minute break on this descent and then proceeded down to the road and beyond to Newby Head Gate.
The wind was becoming stronger as the day went on and I donned a pullover for the climb over Wold
Fell. From the grassy summit plateau, I could see that little height was lost in traversing the headwaters of Artengill Beck. A short ascent up the flanks of Great Knoutberry Hill brought me to a contouring track once called the Driving Road. Magnificent views opened up over Dentdale and its station as I rounded the hill towards the Coal Road which climbed up from the station. I then faced 2½ miles of tarmac, white vans and cyclists along Galloway Gate to the station at Garsdale. From there, a path ran parallel to the railway and under a viaduct to emerge opposite the car park of the Moorcock Inn, my shelter for the night. A classic high-level day of walking.
Settle dep. 09.19, Moorcock Inn arr.15.40
GPS 17.43 in 6hrs 08mins 01secs
walking time with a 20min break near Newby Head.
I stayed in the Moorcock Inn near Garsdale Head and had a meal
of game pie & chips and Bakewell tart and custard. I forced down two pints
of exceptional Semer Water (4.1%) from Wensleydale Brewery in Leyburn.
Saturday 19th September 2020 Moorcock Inn –
Kirkby Stephen Station
Two Big Climbs to Finish
I was back in the bar for another full English breakfast. An early start was the order of the day, my last of the trip. The sky was still cloudless but a chilling east wind induced me to wrap up as I crossed farmland and a stream to reach the steep climb to High Dyke. Here I joined the Lady Ann Highway, a route I had done several years before. Then followed five miles of delightful high-level walking, gradually descending into the valley whilst passing Hell Gill and the ‘Water Cut’ sculpture. The biggest surprise was watching a group of vehicles climbing up the track towards me. This turned out to be an off-road safari for 4x4 enthusiasts.
I gained the valley road at the Thrang and turned south for half a mile before embarking on my last
big climb, through Hazelgill Farm and up the flanks of Wild Boar Fell. This topped out at High Dolphinsty where I stood chatting for a few minutes with a couple from Stoke. Then a long winding descent on a stony path led down to the official finish of the Pennine Bridleway. It could not have been less inspiring. After 205 miles of wonderful hill country, the route fizzled out into a tarmac farm track and a single lonely weather-beaten fingerpost on the A683. With no feeling of elation or completion, I turned northwards on a four-mile tramp down the main road passing the Fat Lamb and on to Kirkby Stephen Station and my car.
Moorcock Inn dep. 08.59, Kirkby
Stephen Station arr. 14.00
GPS 14.37miles in 5hrs 01mins 54secs.
Conclusion
My car was safe. I jumped straight
in and started for home, stopping briefly for diesel in Sedburgh and at
Killington Lake services. I was home in 2½ hours and was soon enjoying a cup of
tea with my wife, sitting in the afternoon sunshine. My 16th national trail was completed. I had been very lucky squeezing this in during a
spell of perfect late-summer weather in between Covid lockdowns. Goodness knows
when I will get onto my next long-distance path.
