ONE of my favourite walks in the Yorkshire Dales is an 11 mile discovery of two beautiful dales; Littondale and Langstrothdale, both offshoots from Wharfedale. The views are particularly striking from the two highest points of the walk, on the grassy ridge of Birks.
I enjoy starting the walk in the small village of Litton, partly because it is an attractive village but mainly because it has a pleasant pub, the Queens Arms. Start by heading directly towards the River Skirfare, cross it at the footbridge and turn right and head north west along the far bank. The path does not keep to the river but on marginally higher ground to the west, this avoids any wet ground and improves the views.
The views consist of a peaceful scene, some lovely Dales barns and an impressive U-shaped valley. It is hard to imagine that it was only 15,000 years ago that large glaciers filled this dale and others around.
The tiny hamlet of Halton Gill is a delight but little more than an extended farm and barns. Enter the village by crossing a footbridge back to the north side and follow the footpath in to this lovely hamlet.
From Halton Gill a farm track zig zags steeply up the fellside for nearly 1,000 ft. The effort is worth it though, with dramatic views opening up over the higher fells of the Dales.
A quick detour to the trig point at Horse Head brings the ‘Dales 30’ mountains of Fountain Fell and Pen y Ghent in to view in the south and a personal favourite, Great Knoutberry Hill further north.
The track is excellent as it descends steeply in to Langstrothdale and the hamlet of Yockenthwaite. One of the delights of many Langstothdale are the names of the hamlets that habit the dale floor; Beckermonds, Raisgill and Hubberholme all join Yockenthwaite to give Langstrothdale its unique character.
Yockenthwaite Farm is a fine example of hill farmers who have diversified, the farm now producing healthy breakfast cereals for a wider market. The path meets the valley floor at Raisgill, turn left for a few metres on the road.
Cross the river next to the red post box and join the Dales Way at Yockenthwaite Farm (featured in Channel 5's All Creatures Great and Small as Helen’s family farm).
Head alongside the embryonic River Wharfe for two miles to Hubberholme before a farm track heads south to signify the start of the second climb of the day. The bridleway (initially a farm track but soon a footpath) climbs steeply for 1,000 ft, crossing the shoulder of Birks (near the trig point this time), before dropping back down to Litton on a good track.
Again the views are superb and the path good. By this stage however it will have been a long day and the thought of a fine pint in the Queens Arms in Litton may be a greater incentive than the changing views.
* Fact Box:
Distance: Roughly 11 miles
Height to Climb: 650m (2,130 feet)
Start: SD 907740. Near the Queens Arms in Litton.
Difficulty: Hard. A long day with two steep climbs but on good tracks/paths throughout.
Refreshments: Start at the Queens Arms in Litton, you will also pass the George Inn at Hubberholme which may also be tempting.
Be Prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer OL2) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass (essential on this walk). You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk.
* Jonathan is the owner of Where2walk, a walking company based in the Yorkshire Dales:
He has written three books on walking in the Dales; ‘The Yorkshire 3 Peaks’, ‘The Dales 30’ mountains and the ‘Walks without Stiles’ book. All these books (and more) are available direct from the Where2walk website.
Book a Navigation (Map and Compass Skills) Training day near Settle or a bespoke day for a private group. The next available course is on Saturday October 12.
Join his Guided Walks in September. Climb Pen-y-Ghent (21), Whernside (22), Ingleborough (23) and join his Dales 30 Weekender based in Sedbergh (24/25).
Where2walk.co.uk also features hundreds of walks across Yorkshire and beyond, from easy strolls to harder climbs. Visit the website for details of the walks, guiding days and navigation courses.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel