Catrigg Force and Warrendale Knotts.

Start. Langcliffe.

Route. Langcliffe - Dicks Ground Plantation - Lower Winskill - Catrigg Force - Malham Road - Victoria Cave - Brent Scar - Attermire Scar - Warrendale - Blua Crags - Langcliffe.

Notes. This was a walk through waterfall building country, between dry stone walls over rolling green hillsides, through a landscape of limestone scars and beautiful views all typical of the Yorkshire Dales. I visited a gem in the form of Catrigg Force, a hidden waterfall plunging into a wooded gorge, I also visited a breathtaking series of scarps, limestone towers glowing bright white in the sunlight. All this in just under six miles of walking in the hills above Settle.

Langcliffe marked my starting point, from the small car park a walled lane guided me north, between dry stone walls I walked into the farmland of Ribblesdale. When the lane ended the climbing started, steep but not to taxing, the path soon leveled off before depositing me on the access lane to Lower Winskill, a white washed farm house high above the Langcliffe Quarry. The lane then guided me to Upper Winskill and a finger-post promising passage to a number of destinations, it was the Pennine Bridleway to Stainforth for me.

Guided by a well trod path and dry stone wall I wandered on to a field gate, passed through then descended to a walled lane, at the head of the lane a small gate allowed access to Catrigg Force. Catrigg Force a hidden gem laying deep within a sylvan gorge, a noisy spot where Stainforth Beck plunges from higher pastures, after heavy weather a spectacular sight.

Visit to the waterfall over I re-traced my steps to the gate then headed south-east a stoney track under foot, along the edge of a large high limestone pasture I walked (Winskill Stones) to be deposited on a narrow tarmac road next to a cattle grid, I turned right then let the tarmac surface guide me between limestone scars to the next cattle grid. I left the road here a green trod guided me into high limestone pastures, stiles aided my crossing of dry stone walls, when the path swung left it emerged opposite the entrance to the not so interesting twin mouthed Jubilee Cave.

I was now walking south in the shadow of massive limestone scars, passed Victoria Cave (worth a visit if you’ve never been here before) I walked, under the massive cliffs and scree of Brent Scar and Attermire Scar, when the path started descending I swung right into Warrendale. Limestone cliffs and towers reached for the sky, rivers of scree flowed to the valley floor, this was Warrendale Knotts, a stunning place it is.

Now heading west my route ascended a green trod through this impressive corner of the Yorkshire Dales, walking against a strong icy wind the ascent was hard, when I reached the coll with stunning views over the market town of Settle in the Ribble Valley the descent started. It was down hill from here on, steep, most peoples knees aren’t designed for walking down hill, mine included, I zigzagged to ease the gradient until my way was blocked by a dry stone wall.

A wide trod linking Settle and Langcliffe runs parallel to this wall, I turned to head for Langcliffe. Gates allowed passage between field boundaries, when the path started climbing to a small cops I descended to a small paddock, after descending through this field I stepped into the streets of Langcliffe right next to the car park.

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home.

Seen from Dicks Ground Plantation Langcliffe Quarry.

Above the fields of Ribblesdale viewing the tiny village of Stackhouse and the hills of Feizor Thwaite.

Views towards Settle, across the horizon the hills of Bowland.

Perched high above the Langcliffe Quarry Lower Winskill.

Catrigg Force a broken cascade falling into a sylvan gorge.

From the fields above Catrigg Force views to Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar.

Rising in the distance Pen-y-ghent.

View taken over Lower Winskill with the Ingleborough massif across the horizon.

In high pastures near Jubilee Cave looking to Feizor Thwaite with the hills of Bowland across the horizon.

Ingleborough, grey in the distance with Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar in the middle distance.

Under the cliffs and scree of Brent Scar looking towards Victoria Cave.

First view of Warrendale Knotts.

A curtain of limestone rock, Attermire Scar.

Attermire Scar seen from a little further up the hill.

Warrendale Knotts and Attermire Scar mark part of the Craven Fault, a line where the high limestone dales take a plunge to lower pastures and industrial villages of a gentler Yorkshire.

A birds eye view of Giggleswick Quarry, closed over ten years ago, destined to become an industrial site.

Settle backed by a spectacular sweeping panorama across the hills of Bowland.

Echoes of an industrial past, Langcliffe Quarry with Pen-y-ghent grey behind.

Descending to Langcliffe with views over the rolling landscape of the Ribble Valley.

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