Moughton Limestone.
Start. Austwick.
Route. Austwick - Crummack Lane - Dear Bought Plantation - Norber - Thwaite - Long Scar - Sulber Gate - Thieves Moss - Moughton Scars - Studrigg Scar - Wash Dub Field - Crummack Lane - Austwick.
Notes. I'm in the company of Kirsten today, she feels the need to take photo's of limestone pavements and what grows between them, the best limestone pavements in the Dales have got to be Moughton, so with a bag full of cameras, macro lens included, on a glorious sunny morning we made our way to Austwick in the western Dales, a circuit of Crummack Dale should take us across some stunning limestone pavements.
We parked on the roadside in the village, our route took us up Townhead Lane to enter the fields at the junction with Thwaite Lane and Crummack Lane, after a short walk through lush green pastures we found ourselves scrambling onto the Norber Boulder Fields, always something to photograph here. North from Norber over a ladder stile to access the scars of Thwaite, still heading north with green paths under foot, some rock hopping over limestone scars we soon reached the ancient cairn on Long Scar, on an exquisite bridleway we strode out to reach Sulber Gate, here we descended onto Moughton Scars. We crossed the scars camera shutters clicking, she had one in each hand at one point, on reaching the east side we headed south traversing above Hunterstye, the dry waterfall on Studrigg Scar would be our descent route, down the cliffs across fields to enter one of Yorkshires many green lanes. Striding out between dry stone walls we reached and crossed the delightful clapper bridge at Wash Dub Field, leaving the green lane behind we made our way through several fields fording Norber Sike to reach and cross Thwaite Lane, down hill now all the way to Austwick and the waiting car.
Passing a blaze of colour as we ascended Townhead Lane.
The limestone cliffs of Robin Proctor's Scar.
Looking to Nappa Scar from the path through Dear Bought Plantation.
Erratic boulders litter the fields below Robin Proctor's Scar.
Above Nappa Scar with the hills of Bowland fading into the distance.
Smearsett Scar as seen from Norber.
Erratic boulders deposited by the retreating Crummack Dale glacier over 12,000 years ago.
The high ground of Moughton Scars seen across Crummack Dale.
Views across the field of boulders.
A short step from the dawn of time, the limestone pavements at the head of Crummack Dale.
Pen-y-ghent rises above an extraordinary landscape.
The impressive limestone pavements of Moughton, our route follows the edge of the cliffs.
The stunning view to Pen-y-ghent with Fountains Fell rising on the right.
Dramatic rock scenery.
On the limestone pavements looking to the flat top of Ingleborough..
The scene over the green pastures of Crummack Dale.
Don't look down, Kirsten above Capple Bank.
Above Capple Bank with views to Birkwith Moor.
Views to Capple Bank.
The Clapper Bridge at Wash Dub Field.
A final view to Studrigg Scar and Moughton.