Dales High Way - Skipton to Settle (★★★★★)

Today the plan is to walk from Skipton to Settle along the Dales High Way - which follows a very similar route to a walk I have already done, along the Pennine Way from Gargrave to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

The two walks cross each other's path just above Malham Cove - but whilst the Pennine Way route takes a fairly flat path out of Gargrave to Malham (before heading up the steps from the base of Malham Cove) - this route bends much further east (before heading towards Malham Cove via Gordale Scar).

Having reached Malham Cove, the Pennine Way route then heads north, up over Fountains Fell and Pen-y-Ghent, to Horton-in-Ribblesdale - whilst the Dales High Way cuts across to Settle, via Attermire Scar.

Having really enjoyed that previous walk, I'm excited to be back in the area - and step off the train at Skipton excited to get going. From here I plan a very tiny diversion off the official route of the Dales High Way - heading up past the castle, rather than over the fields.

And so having left the station, I head out along another route I have previously walked - the Liverpool & Leeds Canal - following this canal round, until a diversion heads off up Eller Beck to Skipton Woods.

Here I turn off past both the castle and High Corn Mill (which dates back to 1310) - and reach a very autumnal scene as I enter Skipton Woods.

Skipton Castle Woods (off the official route)

This woodland stroll lasts for about half a mile or so before I reach the Short Lee Lane entrance/exit, which releases me onto Short Lee Lane - and into the path of the Dales High Way - which has passed out of Skipton along the fields running parallel to the woods I came through. 

Having ended by little off-route detour, my next task is to cross over the A59 - and head north across Skipton Golf Course.

After a successful crossing, I'm soon heading out on a track - and this takes me on to meet up with a minor road.

On the track just past the golf course

Upon reaching this road, I turn left (to head west), and continue along this road until it is time to cross a bigger road, that is heading north out of Skipton. 

Here I cross over, and start heading across slightly boggy fields - before once again rejoining a minor road - which is soon left behind, as I once again resume my westward journey, across sheep fields.

From here we are now walking pretty much in a straight line towards Sharp Haw - through rural countryside - with a very clear path ahead, winding up to a very visible raised peak.

There's about two hundred meters of climbing to tick off on the way up to that peak, but the going is never very steep - and the climb is more memorable for the volume of water on the ground, than for any actual climbing. 

And before long, I find myself nearing the top, and here the climb steepens a bit, as we head up to the trig point.

Looking towards Rough Haw

Looking back from the gate

Looking back from the trig point

Having reached the top of Sharp Haw, this hard earned elevation gain must be given up - as we drop down on a path heading north, running by Rough Haw, on it's way to Flasby.

The onward path heads to the left of Rough Haw (the big rock ahead)

Dropping down on the path

Initially the going is good on this path, but eventually it gets very wet as the path heads over a number of streams that are emptying into Eshton Beck (to the south).

This makes for slow progress as I strategically assess each stream in order to find a way across that won't get me too wet. And eventually I make it past the worst of these stream - and from here the walking becomes much drier, and easier, as we start to get closer towards Flasby.

Here the path meets up with a farm track, but the path only follows this track for a short spell, before heading through the trees on a new footpath, that runs into Flasby (which turns out to be a a pretty little village).

Here we join up with a road and cross over Flasby Beck - and here we turn off the road to follow this Beck northwards, walking against the follow of the water, and away from the village.

Flasby Beck

This section offers brief respite from any ascent or descent - and for the next mile or so the going is very easy, following this beck up to the village of Hetton, to the north.

Looking out across the beck to the hills beyond

Upon reaching the village of Hetton, the route joins up with the road as we head through the village, but before we get past the last of the houses, the onward path appears via a track that heads north-west out of the village - heading out towards Winterburn Reservoir.

Looking back on the track out of Hetton

Here I can give a demonstration of the odd weather we're facing today - as whilst there is a sunny scene behind (as can be seen in the above photo), up ahead I have some heavy rain clouds (as can be seen in the lower picture).

Rain and a rainbow ahead

Forgetting about the risk of rain for now, this track continues on across the fields, and then turns into a footpath, as it starts to drop down towards the very northern end of Winterburn Reservoir - where we cross over via a pretty stone bridge.

From here the climbing resumes once again - and we have a long, but once again fairly gradual, climb ahead - as we head up to The Weets.

Looking back towards the reservoir (and our bridge)

Looking back from further up the hill

I have now met up with the rain clouds, but we've been lucky - as whilst I can see heavy rain the valley below (where I had just been), up here I'm only encountering a light drizzle.

But in any case, with it being October, this drizzle is enough to have me back into all my winter layers - and long gone is that lovely refreshing rain you get in June and July - this is the nasty cold sort that freezes your bones.

But I can't complain too much, having just about missed the worst of it - and by the time I reach the trig point at The Weets, the drizzle has completely subsided.

And the change in the weather has come at a good time, for we are about to head over this ridge - and down the next hill - to pass by Gordale Scar.

The view on the way down (the camera doesn't do it justice)

I think the one on the right is Great Knott

After a long descent down Hawthorns Lanes, I eventually pass by Gordale House, and get a view out towards Gordale Scar.

Gordale Scar

I don't have a huge amount of spare time today - and so on my way down I'm debating the merits of cutting over to Gordale Scar, or waiting to visit on another day - but in any case, the whole section around Gordale Scar is closed off today, as they are doing filming for the new Harry Potter TV series.

This filming does puzzle me somewhat, as they should be filming the first series - and I can't really see how Gordale Scar can in anyway be related to that series.

But these filming companies do like to find some way to fit in these beauty spots - and in the final Deathly Hallow's film, we did indeed have the bizarre scene where Harry and Hermione had decided that the top of Malham Cove (visited by about 100,000 people each year) would be the ideal spot to use as a quiet hideout.

This presumably was based upon Voldemort (and his fellow Death Eaters) known hatred for hiking and the general outdoors - but I guess these series will do anything to add in a pretty section of countryside.

But in any case, this makes up my mind - and I continue on along the route of the Dales High Way - which turns off the road to follow a busy footpath. And here I leave behind the prior solitude of my walk, to now walk among the crowds that tend to gather around Malham Cove.

The footpath from Gordale Scar to Malham Cove (I'm very good at finding gaps in the crowds)

From here we will head round towards Malham Cove, but do suffer a few further (but admittedly very minor) diversions, as we pass more filming crews (also filming for the Harry Potter TV series).

And then, as we cross over one more road, we begin the final stretch round to the top of Malham Cove, where we find (you guessed it!), more film crews.

Top of Malham Cove (filming tents on the right)

Here the cove itself is closed for filming - but since our route bends round to the right and up Ing Scar anyway, this isn't a huge disruption - and we are soon heading on up that cut, with the last of the film crews now behind us.

Passing Ing Scar

Whilst much of the attention goes to Malham Cove and Gordale Scar - Ing Scar should not be overlooked and is interesting both as a geographical feature and for it's history - and just above here on the right lies the ruins of a Bronze Age settlement (marked on the map as 'Hut Circle').

And having made it through this very pretty cut - we reach the top, where the Pennine Way (which joined us from Malham Cove) turns right, whilst we turn left.

Looking back from Langscar Gate

Crossing over a minor road at Langscar Gate, the path starts to climb ever upwards, turning left to pass through Grizedales, as it joins up with the Pennine Bridleway route.

Malham Tarn in the distance as we meet up with the route of the Pennine Bridleway

From here the path then kinks right again as it passes Kirkby Fell, and ahead lie Scars galore, in the form of Great Scar, Settle Scar - and in the distance Attermire Scar.

On this stretch we also pass close to the site of Pikedaw Calamine Caverns. Underneath these hills are natural caverns that are believed to pre-date the formation of Malham Cove - and these were mined for calamine (a zinc ore, used in the brass industry).

Not too far from the path there is a 25 meter mine shaft - that can still be accessed from the surface (although I wouldn't recommend a visit) - which gives access to these underground caverns. And if you have a bit of a Google, you'll be able to find pictures from cavers who have been down into those caverns.

As well as zinc ores, these caverns also contain copper and lead mineral deposits - some of which can be found in colourful forms in some of the spoil heads around these mines (don't fall down any mines looking for them).

Scars to the right and fells to the left

But from here our main focus is now on the pretty route that lies ahead on the way down towards Settle - heading past Stockdale Farm, and then turning off to the right to pass underneath the hugely overlooked Attermire Scar.

Whilst Malham Cove and Gordale Scar have literal coach loads of visitors, the remarkable stretch of path ahead passing underneath Attermire Scar is pretty deserted.

But for me, this section is the highlight of the entire day.

Leaving behind the Pennine Bridleway - which takes a slightly gentler route into Settle

Closer up view

Further round

I think this is Warrendale Knotts

As we pass by you will notice a load more caves indicated on the map - and the largest of these lies to the north at Victoria Cave (a footpath heads up from our path).

The clay deposits within this cave were excavated by scientists, and was they primarily found in these caves were human and animal bones.

But not just any bones, for the oldest of theses (about 130,000 years old) include hippo bones, rhino bones, elephant bones and hyena bones.

And whilst the history of these landscapes are often focused around glacial periods - when the land here was far colder than it is now - these bones date to a period of time when the climate was much warmer.

And so as we walk along this path, we walk on a site where hippos, rhinos, elephants and hyenas will have roamed - and indeed the indications are that the hyenas were using Victoria cave as a den, and dragging scavenged bones back to it.

Once glaciers returned (about 120,000 to 12,000 years ago) the cave filled up with layers of clay deposits, during periods of glacier melt. 

Above the deposits of the ice age, it appears that brown bears hibernated in the cave - whilst the cave also contained an 11,000 year old antler harpoon point (a human tool).

Finally in the highest deposits, collections of Roman bronze and bone artifacts were found, including brooches and coins.

And so here, we not only pass through an incredible landscape, but also past an incredible gateway into the history of this area.

As a way to end the day this has been pretty good - and from here it is now only a mile or so to Settle. And now I have one last look back towards Attermire Scar, before heading on, and starting my descent down into Settle.

Final look back

Settle comes into view

My expectations for Settle were based upon what I'd seen on the train through, and without wanting to be too rude, the houses you spot from the train on your way through Settle are a little bit ugly.

But now I have seen it from above, my view of Settle is transformed - as below me sits a mini-Edinburgh, with a lovely model-village sat before me.

Settle closer up

The valley slightly north of Settle

And indeed as I drop down, Settle continues to be a charming little town, full of all the character you would expect from a rural Yorkshire Dales town.

And so it is here that I end a delightful walk - heading round to the station, where I settle myself down to wait for the train (did you see what I did there? 'Settle', eh? eh? I'll get my coat). 

Before long the train has arrived and I begin my journey home after a lovely day in the hills.

Total Distance: 19.5 miles

Total Ascent: 3,314 feet

Enjoyment Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 98 and 103 OS Landranger maps - while there is also a Dales High Way guidebook which includes OS mapping (links redirect to Amazon). The route is in general well way-marked.