Pikedaw and Nappa Cross

Monday, 11th July
5.5 miles (8.9 km) - 3hrs 02
Map : OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western Areas

Pikedaw from Malham

A warm day and (eventually) a stiff walk with plenty of climbing involved!  Malham is, perhaps, best visited at this time of year, on a weekday when both parking and the crowds are diminshed and this was true for this walk.  At 11:00 a.m. on a Monday morning when everyone else was beavering away at their desks I ws able to park on the verge of the road as it enters Malham itself.
The walk commences along a track behind the National Park Car Park which runs parallel with the main street of Malham but, at the first opportunity, turns left and away from the village rapidly gaining height until it branches again by the Water Treatment Works and head straight for the first highpoint of the walk - Pikedaw.
Leaving the track you find yourself on lush pasture before the ascent begins. Whilst the main track skirts the side of Pikedaw, my goal was the cairn at the top, so from Hoober Edge I did just that and set my sights on the cairn and went straight up the side of the hill. This was about 100 metres of straight ascent and it really got the lungs and legs screaming for mercy !! The scramble was accompanied by increasing and more frequent stops but I determined and achieved the summit (surprisingly the Ordnance Survey does not give an actual height to Pikedaw itslef but is is around 430 mtrs).
As with all effort their was a reward and the most stunning views down Malhamdale itself were utterly spectacular and the photograph cannot and does not do it justice.

Here, believe it or not, I did my first bit of Geocaching of the day.  The clue read "Nobby's cross - which will make sense when you see it". Never was a truer word written.  In true Ronseal style the clue did what it said on the tin.
From the cairn and it wonderful views the walk then heads unerringly upwards to a gate at GR SD 874639.
Through the gate the map marks the location of Nappa Cross - a "waymark" on a monk's trail. Sadly, I did not find this, although I did bag my second cache of the day !
The next stretch of the walk descends gently, with views of Malham Tarn to a crossroads which again allows you to descend to the very top of Watlowes - the "dry valley". Instead of dropping into the valley the route tracks along the top side -with views of the limestone pavement on the top of the Cove until reaching a road. A few steps up the road and a gate leads across the field to a lane which eventually meets your outward track by the Water Treatment Works.  Malham is soon regained and the end of a thoroughly enjoyable walk and a well earned rest !!
As usual I attach a selection of photographs