Hawes Sedbusk Bainbridge Semer Marsett Bardale Dodd Fell Gayle Hawes
1st May 2009
A Yorkshire Lake and two lovely valleys
Who went: DS
Weather:: Forecast indicated that it would be fine all day with the chance of rain in the afternoon. When I arrived at Hawes it was raining but within 20mins it had stopped and for the remainder of the morning it was sunny periods. I wished I'd worn shorts.But by 13.00 it was raining and the cloud dropped. It was still raining at 17.00 when we got back to Hawes. But on the journey home it had stopped raining at Bainbridge, was dry at Asygarth and was sunny at West Witton. We had the worst of the weather!
Parking: At the visitors centre car park on the right as you enter Hawes by the Rope Factory. Cost is £3.20 for the day BUT the toilets don't open until 10.00 and shut at 17.00, because of vandalism! Luckily the cleaners let me in. The authorities appear to be learning the same tricks as DCC.
The Walk
:
From the entrance of the car park turn right and immediately right along Brunt Acres Road to Hardraw; alternatively walk towards the parked train and on the left a stepped path takes you up to Brunt Acres Road. Turn right on the road and walk away from Hawes
Within 100m turn left down an access road to a small industrial estate, then take a path immediately right (FP Hayland Bridge). The path rejoins the road after 200m.
Walk down the road, cross the bridge and in 200m take a path off right (FP Sedbusk).
The path crosses a field diagonally right to a footbridge over a stream to the rhs of a small wood.
The path climbs diagonally right to a stile in a wall.
Then keeps diagonally right past the top of a wall to a stile at the top right hand corner of a field, that gives you access to the back road between Hardraw and Bainbridge.
Cross the road and through a stile you have a choice of 2 paths (FP Sedbusk).
Take the right hand path which goes off at a shallow angel to a stile in a wall (FP).
From here the path continues diagonally right by the corner of a field then on to the top left hand corner of the next field where a stile gives access to the road to Sedbusk.
Turn right and walk up the road into Sedbusk. Ignore the first footpath on the right but turn turn right and walk along the drive in front of the first row houses in the village (FP Litherskew).
These houses have a fantastic view across the valley to Wether Fell.
Half way along the drive bear right to a pedestrian gate that gives access to a field. Walk along the right hand side of a wall at the top of a field towards a small wood.
Over a stile you then walk along the top of the wood and at the far end a pedestrian gate gives you access to a field.
You then carry on straight ahead to a gap between two small woods. You then carry on straight across three more fields towards the farm buildings at Litherskew
. Go through a pedestrian gate by the side on the house and walk in front of the building, that was being renovated.
On the far side of the farm and turn right along the access road.
In 10m as the track turns right go straight through a pedestrian gate into a field. As you walk down the valley the views open up of Addleborough beyond Bainbridge. What a magnificent fell.
Carry on straight crossing four fields, then cross Nicholl Gill via stone plinth and at the far corner of the field go over a stile by a 5 bar gate and gain access to a track.
The track shortly goes up the valley side but keep ahead with a wall on your right.
Shortly ahead is a farm; a permissive path takes you left through a series of pedestrian gates above the farm. The farmer has planted a small broadleaf plantation West Shaw Cote Wood as part of a plan to reintroduce broadleaf trees.
At the far side of the farm go through a pedestrian gate in the wall on your right and immediately turn left through a 5 bar gate and follow the line of a wall on its left hand side.
The path goes to the left of 2 empty converted farm buildings
Eventually the track turns left (way marker) away from the the wall.
It climbs to a further wall where it meets a track at a T junction.
Turn right (FP Newstead) and walk down a good track on the rhs of a wall.
The track drops down and bends sharp right with a building on your left. 100m after the bend take a path off to the left (FP Newstead & Bainbridge).
The path goes diagonally left to a gate in a wall. Continue straight to a second gate in a wall then climb to to the corner of a wall.
Here turn left and follow the wall along (on your left) crossing 2 walls using pedestrian gates.
The path then drops down (FP with a notice to keep to the way marked paths) straight to a wall, where you turn right and track along the wall, through a pedestrian gate but no wall (!) to a track.
Here you turn right and walk to the top corner of a field where a stile(FP) gives you access to the Sedbusk/Bainbridge road.
Turn left and walk along the road to the farm at Yorescott.
Just before the farm entrance turn right (FP Yorebridge) on a path that goes diagonally left across the farm track to a stile by a 5 bar gate. We had to go through the 5 bar gate as the stile was blocked with a milk churn that was attached to the stile gate by rope. Strange. The path goes diagonally right and drops down to a stile in a fence by a tree. Through the stile go diagonally left to a stile to the right of the Yorebridge from where you gain access to the road out of Bainbridge.
The walk down the valley was great. There are good views of Addleborough, lots of wildlife curlews, lapwings and the usual LBJ's and rooks. The spring flowers were out and all the trees were bursting into life. The spring lambs are now growing out of their cuddly appearance and developing into sheep. Spring is a lovely time.
At the road turn right, cross the bridge and walk into Bainbridge. By the bridge is a Hotel Yorebridge House. Funnily the next day it was featured in the Guardian somewhat pricey. Bainbridge is a nice village with a cafe and a couple of pubs.
As you walk into the village and the road bends right drop down left on a track in front of a house then go straight along a grass frontage walk past a playground, the public loos, by the coits pitch and in front of house until you hit the main road. Up to your right on the opposite side of the road is the café. We had teacakes and tea. They were baking their own cakes.
Continue on the main road out of the village and past the village butcher on your right.
You go over the Bain ( the shortest river in Yorkshire and England), then climb out of the village.
As the road bends right take a path off to the right (FP Semer Water 2 m).
The path climbs diagonally right and tracks below a road.
After 300m the path bends right away from the wall and continues to climb on a nice grassy path to a wall.
As you climb the views of Semer Water and Raydale and the surrounding fells open up. A nice surprise in the spring sunshine.
At the wall take the right hand path (FP) which take you to the top of Bracken Hill before you start to descend to the Bain.
The path initially drops down to a wall, which it tracks and then after crossing a wall you then drop down a couple of fields to a wall by the Bain.
Cross the wall and turn right (FP) and track the left hand bank of the river for 1km to Semer Water. It's a pleasant walk up the valley. There were pairs of oyster catchers matting and calling to each other as well as our friends the curlews wonderful birds.
After crossing couple of walls you eventually reach the valley road to the left of a bridge over the Bain.
Turn left and walk up the road for 0.5km to Low Bean Farm. There are car parks on the banks of the Waters but you have to go to low Bean to buy a ticket! Wonderful.
Opposite the farm entrance turn right on a path (FP Stalling Busk 1 ½ m).
A good path tracks above Semer Water.
You cross three fields to the right hand side of a barn Thwaite End House.
The path then drops down to the bank of the Waters before climbing away and leaving the Waters behind.
You are now in Raydale and in the distance ahead right you can pick out Marsett.
A good path takes you into the Semer Water Nature reserve and 1.5km after Thwaite End House you come across the remote remains of a chapel.
It's a lovely surprise in an idyllic spot.
After the chapel go through a pedestrian gate by a 5 bar gate and ahead at a FP (Marsett) turn right on a good path that initially follows a wall (on your right).
The path then crosses a number of fields above 2 barns.
After 0.75km at a third barn you cross a wall then turn right.
The path tracks the lhs side of a wall to a gate in a wall.
This gives you access to a footbridge over a brook.
Across the bridge you then turn right onto Busk Lane.
Shortly the lane fords another Brook , but we go left over a footbridge and rejoin the Lane on the far side of the brook.
The track follows the left hand bank of Marsett Beck into the small village.
As you enter the village keep to the bank
and walk up to and cross the bridge over the Beck.
On the far side of the Beck turn left on a path (FP Bardale Head 3m). We stopped here for lunch in the sunshine but grey clouds were coming onto the horizon at the head of the valley. Oh dear rain and DS will be exposed to the elements.
Marsett is the last village in the Dale. There's no pub and the village is wholly based on farming. As we entered the village a couple came down Busk Lane on a quad bike; the farmer, his dogs and his wife. They presented a strange sight.
From the bridge the path walks up the right hand bank on the river, initially on a road to a house.
As you get to the house the path goes between the house and the river; it's a tight squeeze and if the river level is high you will not be able to get past.
The path follows the bank for just under 1km.
Then you cross a wall turn right and climb up the side of the wall (on your right).
Half way up to a top wall turn left and contour above the river following the line of a wall which is above you.
There is an intermittent path/track which after 0.75km takes you to the corner of a wall coming up from the river and the top wall.
Cross the wall and continue straight across another field tracking a wall on your right.
At the far end of the field cross a wall and go straight climbing up through 2 fields .
In the middle of the third field you begin to drop down into Blind Gill. Before you do this look back down the valley and the view of Semer water with Addleborough as the backdrop. By now it had started to rain hard so on came the water proofs. The rain stayed for the remainder of the day.
You cross the Gill and climb up the left hand bank to a wall. After crossing the wall carry on straight heading for the corner of another wall by a single tree.
Cross the wall and immediately turn left and track the right hand side of the wall for 0.75km until you reach the top side of a wood Bardale Head Plantation. Follow the wall as it bends right on a good track. After 200m the wall goes off left and the track goes straight through some old mine workings until you hit a road (FP). We were now in cloud.
Turn right on the road (ahead is Dodd Fell) and in 150m at a T junction turn left (FP) heading for Lidhow Gate. As we walked down the road a couple of grey heads came up the road telling us they wished they had listened to the weather forecast (which was correct). After 1km you hit a gate and in a further 1km you hit the line of another wall coming up the valley and crossing the track. Keep an eye out for it because its in a state of disrepair. Turn right off the track and follow the line of the wall. After 200m of climbing you hit a wall at a T junction. You need to cross the wall to the far side. The wall is high and is topped with wire netting. There are places where the earth is banked to make the crossing easier. Turn left and track the wall for 0.5km climbing until you reach the high point.
Now turn right and head North climbing across partly grassed and partly peaty groughed moorland towards the trig point of Dodd Fell. Its relatively easy going. Don't get too diverted as there are a number of paths' and tracks which go to the east of the trig point. We were in mist and kept heading north, always climbing and heading towards the highest point. The summit of Dodd Fell is flat so care is needed when the visibility is low; as it was today. We were heading in the right direction when suddenly the cloud lifted and visibility extended to 100m; there was the trig point. I was looking forward to the views but as usual saw nothing but cloud.
From the trig point turn left and head west. Initially you are on the flat top but as the gradient begins to drop away you pick up and follow the line of a grough (stream). 400m from the trig point you drop down steeply to a good track that marks the Pennine Way.
Below you is Snaizeholme and across the valley Snaizeholme Fell and beyond it Great Knoutberry and Widdale Fell. A supper sight without the mist.
Turn right and walk along a good track for just over 2km and Ten End.
Here turn right (FP Pennine Way) on a good track that initially climbs, then contours, tracking a wall on your left for 200m before descending and crossing a wet reedy area to a track which follows the left hand side of a wall,
After 0.75km the wall turns sharp right and shortly after leaving the wall the track bends left and picks up the line of a further wall on your right.
After crossing a wall you then follow the right hand side of the wall to Gaudy Lane (FP).
Turn right and walk down the Lane In 0.5km you get to T junction. Turn right and in 20m turn left on a footpath (FP PW Gayle). Cross 2 fields an in the third field you have a choice. We turned diagonally left and headed for the corner of a wall where we continued straight dropping down to a kissing gate giving access to a lane and the houses of Gayle.
Turn right and walk down the lane and into the village. Keep to the main lane and eventually you hit the main road. Don't cross Gayle Beck and turn left down the main road towards Hawes with the Beck on your right. It's worth looking at the Beck from the road bridge over the Beck. To your right (downstream ) is Gayle Mill which was restored after the Restoration program. It's now a working saw mill.
300m down the road turn right above the Cheese factory through a kissing gate and walk on a paved path through a field dropping down to the top side of a church. The path splits, take the left hand path and drop down the left hand side of the church and through an alleyway between houses to the top end of the one way system. Choose this way because the ally you go through used to feature in a the opening sequence of Cloughie a program set in the Dales. Cross the road and turn right walking down the one way system (on the pavement) to the car park.
I told KS we would be back by 17.00 and we were. But she wasn't although her car was. The Dog was decidedly unhappy as we spent 15mins waiting in the rain eating the remainder of our food. Just as we decided to drive into Hawes to find Kate she arrived; and the Dog vented his spleen. With the councils new policy, the toilets were closed. Wonderful.
Summary
A route I'd been promising to do for nearly a year. But the weather had been against me a couple of times. It's a nice route with good paths except for the section up and over Dodd Fell.
There were lots of spring flowers out and all over the fells young spring lambs; some of which looked decidedly unwell.
Home Start Point Dales Books Related Sites Text Only Map&Summary
Home Start Point Dales Books Related Sites Text Only Map&Summary
Limited photos because of the weather
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