Askrigg

We had soon lost ourselves in the low cloud that was keeping a tight grip on the fell top.

But once we passed the summit and began our descent towards Gayle, the sky brightened. Not a lot admittedly, but it was an improvement. There were patches of light grey dappling the dark wash of the sky, and even occasional hints of watery sun up there somewhere as we followed the road down Wensleydale to Bainbridge and turned northwards towards Askrigg.

However the weather turned out, though, we were expecting a spectacular show from the waterfalls on this outing. It was a route we had followed once before, but on that occasion there hadn't been much rain about for a while and anyway the views of the falls were obscured by leafy trees.

Now, with the trees largely leafless and after weeks of abundant rain, we were anticipating better things.

First challenge in Askrigg was finding a parking spot. There's only limited space for visitors' cars, most of it outside the church, and it fills up early. We had left it rather later than usual and paid the price. Eventually, though, we managed to tuck ourselves in at the roadside without obstructing anyone and set off along the lane above the church to soon leave the houses behind and head across a field via a flagged path to the former saw mill.

There we joined Whitfield Beck (which lower down becomes Paddock Beck on its short journey to join the River Ure) and headed upstream. Across a footbridge, a stile tempted us into a field but we ignored it and instead continued up the beck, with the water tumbling below us. Soon we could hear the roar of Mill Gill Force even before we came upon the signpost to it at a fork of paths.

We took the "Mill Gill Only" direction and were soon rewarded by the splendid sight of the water crashing down spectacularly over a limestone lip to foam into a shale pool below before continuing on its way.

It was another world down here, as it is so often at the foot of enclosed waterfalls. We tore ourselves away eventually and headed back to the junction, following the other fork to the top of the hill then climbing a stile into a field.

Although we had seen countless sheep on our way here, many of them with lambs, there wasn't a single one in the fields we strode through on our way to the hamlet of Helm. This is a collection of attractive houses, one of which provides bed-and-breakfast accommodation with superb views across the broad dale to the flat-topped mound of Addleborough, which was still wearing its misty cap.

We carried on up through the fields to eventually descend to meet the beck again and climb with it to another fork in the path. Just beyond the left-hand one was a sign warning us that the footpath ended in 400 yards. So we went right, down to the footbridge, making the same, silly mistake that we'd made the last time and once again missing out on a treat.

That dead-end path in fact goes right up to Whitfield Gill Force, from where you return to the footbridge which crosses the beck by a modest waterfall and take the climbing path up the other side.

Still, at this time of year it wasn't such a disappointment. The last time we'd done this walk the distant view of the waterfall from the high footpath was blocked by trees in full leaf. On this occasion we could see it in all its glory, from above.

Soon we left the wood and passed through a stile beside a handily-placed seat into Low Straights Lane, the broad, walled track which heads back towards Askrigg.

There were fine views from here as we walked along to the accompaniment of the calls of both curlews and lapwings, with visibility improving all the time. It was going to be one of those upside-down days when the afternoon is better than the morning (so often it's the other way around).

Last leg of the walk was a stroll down through the fields to meet once again the lane that passes to the north of the church and return to the centre of Askrigg.

Step by Step

1. From centre of Askrigg, follow West End lane to north of church past houses to arrive at footpath sign by gate into field on right. Cross field on flagged path to emerge by former mill on to side of beck. Go right here, then left over footbridge.
2. Take path to right up top of wood, with wall on left. At a junction, go right with "Mill Gill only" sign to look at Mill Gill Force waterfall then return to junction. Turn right and continue up path to top of hill.
3. Go over stile and walk ahead, with wall on right, to eventually come to stile into lane near Helm. Turn right and walk up to where road bends sharp left. Go right here, in front of B&B cottages, following footpath to single gate into field. Walk up field, with wall on right, to footpath signpost pointing right through gap in wall.
4. Follow signed route along field, dropping down to signpost near beck side. Turn to walk upstream, clambering up to top of wood again. Where a path heads down to right, to footbridge, instead follow left-hand path to its terminus near Whitfield Gill Force waterfall. Then return to junction again and take path down to bridge.
5. Cross bridge, swing right and then climb leftwards with path, continuing to top of wood with waterfall perhaps visible but certainly audible down to left. Walk up to stile by seat and enter walled lane.
6. Turn right and walk down Low Straights Lane. Immediately before ford, go right through gate, walk up to pass to left of barn, then continue down field following Askrigg Beck initially before veering away from it and passing through a succession of gate stiles on way down fields to gate into West End. Turn left to return to centre of village.

Fact File

• Start: Centre of Askrigg village, Wensleydale
• Time for nearly four-mile walk: Two hours.
• Going: easy with a couple of short, steep pulls
• Map: OS Outdoor Leisure 30, Yorkshire Dales Northern & Central
• Parking: Limited in front of church or by side of main road
• Toilets: in Askrigg and Hawes (near main car park)
• Refreshments: pubs and cafes in Askrigg