Warrendale Knotts and Attermire Scar.

Start. Langcliffe.

Route. Langcliffe - A Pennine Journey (long distant footpath) - Dales High Way (long distant footpath) - Warrendale - Warrendale Knotts - Stockdale - Attermire Scar - Brent Scar - Malham Road - Catrigg Force - Stainforth - B6479 - Craven Lime Works - Langcliffe.

Notes. The Craven Fault, a series of geological fault lines which run along the southern and western edges of the Yorkshire Dales. The fault generally defines the boundary between the limestone uplands of the higher dales and the gentler scenery to the south and west. This walk undoubtedly explores limestone scenery with attitude, limestone scars, cliffs and towers, rivers of scree and caves, perfect waterfall building country, plus a small slice of industrial history.

I parked in the sleepy Dales village of Langcliffe, a small car park in front of the village hall makes the perfect starting point. To the south across a narrow lane a gate allowed access to a small field, the footpath ascending said field is billed A Pennine Journey, a 247 mile yomp starting and finishing in the market town of Settle. Devised by Alfred Wainwright it guided me up the field then along the field boundary in the company of dry stone walls, after passing under Blua Crags I swung left onto the Dales High Way, another long distance footpath this time stretching 90 miles across the glorious high country of the Yorkshire Dales.

The Dales High Way ascended, I ascended with it, the lung buster of an ascent deposited me in the high valley of Warrendale amidst stunning limestone scenery. To the north the cliffs, towers and scars of Warrendale Knotts, directly in front of me the massive wall of limestone that is Attermire Scar. The path descended to the foot of Attermire Scar before swinging left ascending between cliffs and scree, once at the top of the climb things leveled out a little.

Under the cliffs of Attermire Scar I wandered, passed Brent Scar, I ignored Victoria Cave continuing on to Jubilee Cave, opposite which a ladder stile allowed access to cow pastures. I crossed, a green trod now guided me under more scars to a stile, again I crossed before descending to the narrow ribbon of tarmac that is the Malham Road. After negotiating a cattle grid limestone scenery continued, north-east now strolling over tarmac between low cliffs, half a mile of easy walking. At the next cattle grid I turning north onto a stoney farm track, this in turn guided me to a field gate and finger-post inviting me to Catrigg Force, I obliged descending the next field to gain access to the wooded gorge containing a gem of a waterfall. In the cool of the chasm Stainforth Beck takes a 20ft dive, a broken cascade crashing into a plunge pool amidst woodland and dappled light, it’s a spectacular corner of the Yorkshire Dales so gets rather busy, be warned.

From the noise and spray of Catrigg Force I descended a stoney walled lane to the quiet backwater of Stainforth, from here I had intended to follow the River Ribble back visiting another cascade en route but, the first spots of rain had started falling so I changed my plan. Leaving the village I headed along the main road towards Settle, after a few hundred yards a finger-post on the left promised passage to Langcliffe, this path I followed through sheep pastures then into the pages of the industrial history books. This route cuts through the Langcliffe Quarry, home to the Craven Lime Works, and some superb industrial relics, on this occasion I visited just one before exiting via field paths, hoping to get back to Langcliffe before the rain got me.

view route map.

home.

Above Langcliffe viewing the massive scar of the Langcliffe Quarry.

Sunlight on the pastures of Ribblesdale, in the far distance closing the head of the valley Whernside.

Sunlight on the roof tops of Langcliffe with the hills above Stackhouse in shade.

Looking to Faizor Thwaite and In Moor with the flat top of Ingleborough rising behind.

Above the valley of the River Ribble viewing the Ribblesdale face of Giggleswick Scar.

On the Dales High Way, stopping to get my breath back looking over Faizor Thwaite and In Moor to the Ingleborough massif.

Nearly at the end of the lung buster of an ascent of the Dales High Way.

The cliffs and scree of Warrendale.

Warrendale Knotts limestone scenery with attitude.

In dappled light Attermire Scar.

Gully's and scree tumble away from the cliffs of Warrendale Knotts.

Magical views from near Jubilee Cave.

Like the hull of an upturned ship, Pen-y-ghent.

In the pastures above Upper Winskill viewing a sunlit Pot Scar with Smearsett Scar in shade.

A gem in a sylvan gorge the broken cascade of Catrigg Force.

On the steep descent to Stainforth.

Turning the pages in a chapter of Yorkshires industrial history books, one rather large slice of the Craven Lime Works.

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