Category: Yorkshire Dales
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Arkengarthdale in the Yorkshire Dales
On the last day of November twenty years ago, an iconic piece of legislation, The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, came into force. Since then we have enjoyed being able to legally enjoy a walk or run across open access land: up and down hills and mountains and across moorland. There are many…
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Upper Swaledale
The upper reaches of Swaledale feel remote, and no doubt in the depths of winter, Keld, the last village before the road begins the climb over Lamp Moss pass to Kirby Stephen must be a contender for the remotest village in England. But at the height of summer Keld is a busy place. A stopover…
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Bolton Castle
A 14th-century castle in Wensleydale and built by Richard le Scrope, the 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton. Perhaps its most famous resident was Mary, Queen of Scots who was imprisoned there for six months in 1568. Mary has had such a bad press. She certainly upset Elizabeth I who, of course, had her beheaded but during…
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Blakethwaite Smelt Mill
The name Gunnerside, in the Yorkshire Dales, derives from two elements: ‘Gunnarr‘ a Norse personal name and ‘saetr‘ meaning a summer pasture. Through the village flows Gunnerside Gill which was once a hive of industrial activity with several leads mines operating along the narrow dale. The Blakethwaite Mine began in 1806 operated by Thomas Chippindale…
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Grinton Lead Smelting Mill
Arguably the best-preserved and most visited lead ore smelting mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Located by Cogden Beck, south of Grinton village, it probably dates from about 1820 and was saved from becoming a derelict ruin by being reused as an agricultural barn soon after smelting ceased. The two ranges remaining are the mill itself…
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Webder Wood
A magical place. The lush green was spellbinding. Goredale Beck sprawls out over the dale bottom. Ash dominates its steep, verdant sides. Apparently home to two rare molluscs. A potential site for John Lambert’s mill which smelted lead ore mined high on Malham Moor in the 17th-century. Lambert lived with his family in Janet’s Cave,…
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Malham Cove
To Malham for the night. Not much sign of folks self-isolating; with the car park and roadside parking full, a farmer had opened up a field to capitalise on the tourists. And it’s only March. In the village, the Buck and several cafes all seemed to be doing a busy trade. In fact, the only…
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Aysgarth High Falls
The River Ure tumbling over Aysgarth Falls, perhaps Wensleydale’s most famous beauty spot. Tumbling swiftly, it could be said. The name, Ure, is toponymically very old, coming from the Celtic language ‘isura’ means swift-flowing. That’s the Celts, before the Danes, before the Anglo-Saxons, who put up with the Roman occupiers. The written records that survive…
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Tan Hill Inn
The famous Tan Hill Inn, highest in Britain at 1,732 feet above sea level. A relentless climb up Arkengarthdale. On reaching the watershed there is still another 2 to 3 km of rolling moorland to go. Into the westerly wind. I didn’t stop, so no chance to inspect the double glazing. You have to be…
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Faggergill, Near Whaw
A disturbing day yesterday. I was in Arkengarthdale helping the local authority assess the immediate needs and deliver food and supplies to the more vulnerable residents of the dale following the flooding last Tuesday night. Roads and tracks washed out prevented many, especially those living in the remote parts of the dale, from getting out.…