Little Whernside

Sunday, July 15th 2012
13.9 km (8.6 miles) - 3hr 39 mins
Map : OL30 - Yorkshire Dales (Northern & Central)

A reasonable day, although the wind was pretty strong and probably our toughest walk of the year so far. The guide (from www.walkingworld.com) reckoned on a height gain of 330 metres but it was a fairly gentle ascent despite the pretty stiff breeze which we headed into for the outward stretch of this walk.

I have to admit I'd never heard of Little Whernside until I found this walk but it turned into a delightful Sunday afternoon and that added bit of exertion made me feel a little virtuous at the end !!

The walk starts from the car park for Scar House Reservoir  (GR : SE 070766) right ot the very top of Nidderdale.  I have to say it is a pretty popular spot and not what I expected at all.  The first section of the walk is very straightforward as you follow the road that runs along the side of the reservoir until the dam of Angram Reservoir is reached (GR :  SE 044762).  The dam takes you across to the foot of the delightfully named Pudding Hill and it is a pretty straightforward uphill pull moving in the direction of Little Whernside to gain a reasonable amount of height in a fairly short time about 100 metres in just short or a kilometre).  However, instead of dragging all the way to the top a (fairly) faint path is encountered (GR : SE034769)  which heads off to the left and contours around High Pasture and Angram Pasture whilst, at the same time, gently pushing you uphill.

It was on this section that we discovered two geocaches, the first a traditional cache (left a snowman who came from who know where ?) the second containing just a log book - but well done to those who hacked all the way out there just to place a cache ! 

The next section of the walk is pretty easy as the trek around the two pastures mentioned above meets a wall which descends from Great Whernside (GR : SE012768) - turn your back on the "big hill" and follow the wall up Little Whernside. As height was gained so the peat hag got deeper, although to be fair and given the amount of rain that has fallen it wasn't that bad !

Anyway here's a first for this blog !  A video taken opposite the cairn at the top of Little Whernside. I hope it gives you an idea of the scenery and fantastic views available - sorry, about the wind noise, nothing I can do about the howling gale !

From the top of the hill the only way was down ! Again, through peat hag and moss bog to begin with but the going got easier until we met a path (GR SE043782) which dropped back down to Scar House Reservoir and, eventually, the dam and a short stroll back to the car park !

A fanstastic day - some glorious views and whilst my bones are aching it was worth the effort.

As usual a collection of photos taken on the walk.

Let's hope the weather keeps up and that I can keep up with this blog !!

Grassington & Hebden Gill

Sunday, 1st July
10.6 km (6.5 miles) - 2hrs 48min.

Wet, windy and misty ..... yes, you've guessed it July has just arrived !!

Once again this week has seen torrential rain and, on leaving the house, it looked as though we would be on the receiving end of more.  Thankfully, the rain was never really that bad, but the wind howled (especially as we reached higher ground) and the views were patrially obscured due to the low hanging cloud that seemed to envelop everything.

However, as Gill said, if it had been November or February we wouldn't have complained, so I'm not going to and instead will comment only on the positive which was that we got out into the countryside and had a thoroughly enjoyable walk.

The start point was the National Park car park in Grassington and the first section dropped down to Linton Falls which sounded spectacular even though we didn't actually see them. Just before reaching the footbridge across the Falls we turned left and headed off downstream until just past the fish farm (GR SE 007 630) where we turned away from the river and headed uphill passing Halfway House Farm (GR SE 011 630) and across a series of fields and stiles before arriving in the hamlet of Hebden.

Across the main road (just below the Clarendon Hotel) the route then heads up Hebden Gill past a row of delightful houses before taking on a much wilder and ragged look (especially in this weather).  The route is fairly direct following the beck before turning and going straight up to Scar Top House (GR SE 027 639). Whilst only gaining some 60-80 metres in height this is pretty tough going as it literally does go straight up and, at the top, it was time to find some shelter from the wind and some well earned lunch !

The next stretch of the walk proved just how much rain we have had as the well-defined path was, in places, ankle deep in mud.  I'm sure that on a clear day the views will be spectacular, but today the surrounding hills were sheathed in mist.

Eventually the path drops back down to the head of the Gill  (GR SE 026 653) and the opportunity for a hop and a skip across the swollen beck. From here the scenery takes on a eerie feel as the path winds it's way through disused lead mine workings and spoil heaps that are only just beginning to green over.

At last Moor Lane (GR SE 011 653) is attained and the descent back into Grassington can begin, although a delightful detour dropped us down through pastures to Bank Laithe and into the town itself.

Opportunities for walking seem limited this year.  My social calendar and the weather (why does it always seem to rain at the weekends) have also mitigated against us claiming the kind of mileage we did last year. My records show that by the beginning of July 2011 we had accrued 180 miles; this year a measly 50 is all we can boast (although, and in my defence, my record keeping has not been as diligent).  However, I don't want to be seen as a "mileage bagger", and it is good to get out even if not as regularly as last year.

As usual, a selection of picture is available from the link