A Circuit from Chapel-le-Dale.

Start. Chapel-le-Dale.

Route. Chapel-le-Dale - Gill Head - Blake Bank Moss - Hard Rigg - Scales Moor - Rantree Moss - Ewes Top Moss - Ewes Top - Twisleton Scar End - Twisleton Hall - Oddie's Lane (Roman Road) - Twisleton Dale House - Springcote - Chapel-le-Dale.

Notes. This was an easy walk through classic limestone country, the route followed an old packhorse trail linking Ingleton to Dent known as Craven Old Way. Over Scales Moor there are numerous sink holes, perched boulders and limestone pavements all backed by stunning vistas, just watch where your putting your feet.

Our day started in a small wooded valley in the hamlet of Chapel-le-Dale, seventeenth century St Leonard’s Church made a good starting point. Next to said church a tarmac lane climbed out of the hamlet, we climbed with it, the lane soon became a rough track. Passed Gill Head we walked then out onto the open moor heading in the direction of Ellerbeck, just before reaching the farm a finger-post marked a parting of the ways, it was Scar End for us.

Now in the shadow of Whernside’s long westerly ridge we continued passing a large number of sink holes and evil looking slits in the moorland, a few wet gutters had to be crossed but nothing that couldn't be vaulted. We traversed Scales Moor and Ewes Top before descending Twisleton Scar End to join a track passing Twisleton Hall, the track soon gave way to a path descending to a narrow tarmac lane. The lane follows the route of a Roman Road, it would have been far better if the original surface still existed, but alas it was now tarmac.

Unfortunately tarmac guided us all the way back, the road was quiet the views stunning, we stopped regularly to soak them in. Passed spooky looking Twisleton Dale House we wandered followed by an earthly looking Springcote B&B, a little further on what remained of an Iron Age Settlement was passed, a few humps and mounds. Suddenly the little Church at Chapel-le-Dale unexpectedly tilted into view, journeys end and a pleasant journey it had been.

view route map.

home.

Dating back to around the 17th century St Leonard's Church sits in a small wooded valley in the hamlet of Chapel-le-Dale.

The Statue at Chapel-le-Dale created by the late Charles I'Anson.

Whernside above Ellerbeck.

Ingleborough seen from the track across Four Stones Rigg.

The route ahead....

....that's more like it, en route across Black Bank Moss.

Viewing the White Scar slopes of Ingleborough from somewhere on Twisleton.

Looking back along a path just walked.

Seen beyond Scales Moor mighty Ingleborough.

Dark across the horizon, Gragareth.

Adventures through an extraordinary landscape, viewing the West Fell slopes of Whernside.

Sometimes you feel like you're walking through some kind of netherworld, this is one of those moments, we're heading for that tiny nick on the horizon.

The great monster of Ingleborough.

Fearsome looking pot hole on Scales Moor.

Limestone pavements, Ingleborough and Sue awestruck by the depth of that hole.

Looking over a huge eerie landscape, laid down on the bed of a warm tropical ocean over 350,000000 years ago, scoured by ice, sculptured by weather, rare and beautiful and here for us to enjoy.

Descending from Ewes Top viewing North End Scar across Kingsdale.

From Ewes Top views to Twisleton Scar End with the hills of Bowland across the Horizon.

Lone tree with views over the valley of the River Wenning.

North End Scar with Ireby Fell rising out of shot.

Twisleton Scars seen from the road once used by Roman legions.

Over the lush green fields of Twisleton Dale the edge of Raven Scar with Ingleborough rising behind.

Rivers of stone and cliffs of petrified rock, Twisleton Scars.

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