In the Hills above Settle.

Start. Langsliffe.

Route. Langcliffe - Dicks Ground - Winskill - Catrigg Force - Winskill - Malham Road - Warrendale - Victoria Cave - Brent Scar - Attermire Scar - Warrendale Knotts - Dales High Way (long distance footpath) - Pennine Bridleway (long distance footpath for horses) - Langcliffe.

Notes. You don’t have to aim for the summits in this part of England, the scenery is there to be enjoyed, marveled at. From the tops they're just limestone hills, but from the valleys you get to see the really impressive bits. Warrendale Knotts and Attermire Scar a breathtaking series of scars, bright white limestone sparkling in the sun. This blistered landscape marks the line of the Mid Craven Fault, a distinctive fault line cutting east west across the Dales, this impressive gash marks the point the high Dales abruptly give way to a friendlier landscape of small villages and towns, of rolling pastures and industry.

From the small car park at Langcliffe one of Yorkshire’s many green lanes guided me out of the village, between limestone walls I wandered. At Dicks Ground the lane vanished to be replaced be a narrow path, this climbed the hill to access Winskill, a plateau high above the massive scar of the Langcliffe Quarry. After traversing a small field I stepped onto the farm lane that accesses Lower Winskill, I turned away from the white washed farm house, strolled passed Upper Winskill to be greeted by a finger-post pointing in a number of directions, this gave me an idea, but for now Catrigg Force would do. This hidden gem deep within a wooded gorge is billed as the most beautiful waterfall in the Yorkshire Dales, in a place that boasts many stunning waterfalls that’s a hell of a claim to make.

From Catrigg Force I re-traced my steps to the sign at Upper Winskill, the Pennine Bridleway cuts along the edge of Winskill Stones a large pasture of high moorland, limestone scars and erratic boulders, my normal route would be east of Winskill Stones, this way avoided a section of road walking. So the bridleway I followed which turned out to be a tarmac drive covered in cow pats, it guided me to a narrow fell road depositing me next to a cattle grid, after crossing said cattle grid I turned left immediately ascending into Warrendale, a high valley bordered by limestone cliffs and high moorland.

I wandered south into stunning limestone scenery, after visiting Victoria Cave the path passed under Brent Scar and Attermire Scar before turning right to join the Dales High Way (long distance path). With towers of limestone, sheer cliffs and rivers of scree to my right I wandered on, slowly ascending out of the valley, on reaching a wide coll the path plunged into Ribblesdale. The steep descent deposited me at a dry stone wall, a path shadowed said wall, I turned north letting the path and wall guide me into pastures above Langcliffe. When the path turned uphill a faint trod descended the field, this in turn guided me to a field gate allowing access to a small paddock, the descent continued before the final gate ejected me onto a narrow ribbon of tarmac, directly across the road, the small car park and patiently waiting car.

view route map.

home.

The flat top of Ingleborough seen from Winskill.

Seen from sunlit fields at Winskill Pen-y-ghent. Just out of interest I've just read Wikipedia's translation of the hills name, don't take any notice of it, Pen-y-ghent translates to Hill of Winds.

Lit by the sun today with cloud shadows dappling the fields of Catrigg, across the horizon Fountains Fell.

Falling into a sylvan gorge the twenty foot broken cascade of Catrigg Force.

Heading back to Upper Winskill to pick up the Pennine Bridleway.

Seen over the Ribble valley two of Ribblesdales delectable lesser heights, Pot Scar and Smearsett Scar.

Sunlight paints the eastern, user friendly slopes of Giggleswick Scar.

Lower Winskill backed by Pot and Smearsett Scars.

From Warrendale stunning views to the shadowed flat top of Ingleborough.

The original entrance to Victoria Cave, unknown until 1837 when a tinsmith Michael Horner wormed his way inside searching for his dog, inside he found bones, coins and other metal objects. Later excavations found everything from Romano-British artifacts to the fossilized bones of hippo and elephant over 120.000 years old.

Wonderful views from Victoria Cave.

Victoria Cave today.

Stretching to the north the jagged edge where Langcliffe Scar gives way to the high pastures of Warrendale.

Rivers of petrified rock and petrified stone, the Mid Craven Fault.

Warrendale Knotts.

Dropping in from Langcliffe Scar the limestone cliffs and shattered rock of Attermire Scar.

The Ribble valley in sunlight and shade.

Pen-y-ghent above Langcliffe Quarry.

Looking down on the picturesque village of Langcliffe.

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