8 Mile Circular Walk - Barden Bridge | The Strid | The Valley of Desolation | Simon's Seat | Howgill

Distance: 8 miles

Ascent: 1600 ft

Walking: Andrew, Tim & Mark

Weather: Overcast.

OS Map: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western Areas

Pork pies: B&M Collins & Sons butchers, Cleckheaton

Starting point: Barden Bridge (free parking in a limited number of spaces by the river).

Photography: Andrew using Nikon D750 / Nikon 24-70 f2.8 mm

Our first walk together in nearly a year so we thought we'd head for the Yorkshire Dales and make it a good one.

Barden Bridge crosses the River Wharfe just below the ruin of Barden Tower, a 16th century hunting lodge, and dates back to 1659

Walking along the eastern bank or the River Wharfe, there are a number of points where the trees have been cut back to reveal views of the river.

The thunders through a narrow gap in the rocks at the Strid. A number of people have been killed here over the years attempting to cross the gap

Posforth Gill Waterfall from a distance.

Crossing Posforth Gill in the Valley of Desolation. The valley gets its name from the aftermath of a violent storm in 1826 caused a landslide and uprooted trees. 

Looking up Barden Fell from close to Great Agill Bottom.

Looking back the way we'd just come.

Tim passes Truckle Crags. The summit of Simon's Seat is now in view ahead

Mark's contractual obligation selfie.

Looking back down towards the Valley of Desolation.

Hen Stones.

Small conifers are popping up all over the place up here, spreading from plantations further down the hill.

The view to the SW with Barden Lower Reservoir in the distance.

Considering it was early(wish) on a Monday morning, I was surprised how many other people there were at the summit.

The view NW over Skyreholme .

The trig point is perched on top of the pile of boulders.

Quite a few grouse around today, both the red and black varieties.

Some impressive large Yorkshire flag stones have been dropped by helicopter ready to be used to improve the path and reduce soil erosion. Looks like a mammoth task if you ask me.

Looking up Wharfedale to Appletreewick.

The path starts to get quite steep here alongside a plantation of huge conifers.

The view up Wharfedale from Howgill.

An old barn at Howgill.

The return leg follows the Dales Way along the River Wharfe.

4.5 Mile Circular Walk - Malham | Malham Cove | Gordale | Janets Foss

 

Distance: 5.5 miles

Walking: Andrew & Gaynor

Weather: Sunny spells

OS Map: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western Areas

Parking: The Yorkshire Dales National Park car park in Balham (£4.80 all day)

Photography: Andrew using Nikon D750 / Nikon 24 - 70mm f2.8 

Another of our favourite walks from Malham, up the steps at the side of Malham Cove, across the limestone pavement, down to Gordale and Janet's Foss and back along Gordale Beck. This time we were treated to an aerobatic display by three peregrine falcons.

Yellow loosestrife on Cove road, Malham

A maze of dry stone walls near Malham Cove

An inquisitive local on the path to Malham Cove

Clapper bridge over Malham Beck

The curved limestone cliff face of Malham Cove is around 260 ft high and almost 1000 ft wide.

There are 400 steps to the top so not even half way yet

We were overtaken by some younger, fitter legs

The view starts to emerge above the tree line so that was a good excuse for a well-earned rest

Not quite at the top yet but look at that view

That's the last of the steps. These guys were enjoying the view as much as we were.

Looking back towards Malham across the huge limestone pavement at the top of the cove

The deep cracks between the stones are known as grykes and each one contains its own microclimate, supporting a range of rare wildflowers such as wood sorrel, green spleenwort and wall rue.

Don't quote me but I think that's wild thyme

Two of the cove's resident peregrine falcons put on an impressive display for us and they were soon joined by another

There was certainly some money's worth of camera equipment on display

Pendle Hill in the distance. The cows don't look impressed

Gordale Farm

Janet's Foss. Foss is a norse word for waterfall, often changed tase days to Force. The Queen of the Fairies is supposed to live behind the waterfall. Local farmers used to bathe their sheep in the water here on the way to market many years ago,

Gordale Beck

Mantley Field Laithe

Looking back up the path

New Laithe

They think it's all clover - It is now!

The old clapper bridge behind Malham Smithy