Yorkshire 2000s - Birks Fell

This map was created using GPS Visualizer's do-it-yourself geographic utilities.

Please wait while the map data loads...

Route: Arncliffe, Brayshaw Scar, Old Cote Moor, Old Cote Moor Top, Birks Fell, High Combe Stoop, Moss Top, Middle Moor, Litton, East Garth, Roselber Wood, Guildersbank, New Barn, Arncliffe

Date: 02/07/2017
From: Arncliffe

Parking: Arncliffe
Start Point: Arncliffe
Region: Yorkshire Dales - Southern Fells

Route length: 9.6 miles (15.4 km)
Time taken: 03:50
Average speed: 2.5 mph
Ascent: 501m
Descent: 502m

Yorkshire 2000s: Birks Fell (610m)

Other points of interest: Littondale

Continuing my recent trail of Yorkshire Nuttalls I turned my attention to an area I've looked at many times but never got round to doing - Birks Fell. The fell forms a long ridge with divides Littondale and Wharfedale and, if looking at a map, forms the distinctive sweep of hills in the centre of the National Park.

The fell can be climbed from numerous locations, Kettlewell often being the favoured starting point. I, however, chose Arncliffe for two reasons - the first is that parking in the village is free and secondly, I've walked along the Dales Way in Wharfedale many times so it was time for something new. The route would climb Birks Fell by Old Cote Moor, cross the top and descend back into Littondale via Access Land on Middle Moor before returning to Arncliffe along the valley.

It was a warm day, though still a bit cloudy and breezy day though things were due to improve as the day wore on. The first task is the climb up to the main ridge from the valley, a vertical distance of around 300m which begins steeply but soon reaches an easier gradient after passing Grayshaw Scar.

The River Skirfare in Arncliffe

Arncliffe with West Moor behind

The first steep climb out of the village

Climbing out of Littondale

Arncliffe

Yew Cogar Scar

The ridge top is broad but does have a good view of the distant Great Whernside and Buckden Pike. A wall runs along the top of the ridge - the perfect navigational aid if the weather is poor. The climb towards the summit is certainly one of the easiest I've come across - gaining just 100m over a couple of kilometres.

A wall runs along the top of the ridge

Looking down the ridge towards Wharfedale

Great Whernside

Buckden Pike

A trig pillar marks a vantage point, however, this is not the highest point of the fell - that lies a little further on. A path crosses the top here connecting Buckden to Litton and, moving towards the east a little, provides a fine view of the village of Buckden, Buckden Pike and Wharfedale.

The trig pillar on Birks Fell

Buckden Pike

Buckden

The route to the high point of the fell begins a little off-piste before a faint path begins to appear. It passes a Birks Tarn, something of a rarity in the Yorkshire Dales, which seemed to be attracting the attention of the local bird-life. The summit of the fell sits atop a grassy rise a short distance further.

Heading for the summit

Looking towards Cray

Yockenthwaite Moor

Birks Tarn

Birks Tarn

Birks Fell's summit

The fell continues on to Horse Head Moor, which was once thought to be higher and had the status of Marilyn, however, a recent survey of Birks Fell found it to be higher than the 608m originally thought. Measuring in at 610m meant that the fell became a Marilyn in place of Horse Head Moor and elevated it to Nuttall status also.

Open moor looking towards Pen-y-Ghent

I wasn't going to be heading as far as Horse Head Moor, instead, following the head of the valley of Crystal Beck to Moss Top and making a pathless descent through the heather to Middle Moor. Eventually, a track appears which leads down to the small village of Litton. Middle Moor has a superb view of Littondale.

Peat hags at High Combe Stoop

High Combe Stoop

It was turning into an excellent afternoon

Birks Fell from Moss Top

Middle Moor and Littondale

Pen-y-Ghent at the head of the valley

Cow Close and Pen-y-Ghent

Darnbrook Fell and Litton

Littondale

The return to Arncliffe is along the banks of the River Skirfare, a tributary of the River Wharfe. It's an easy stroll through fields and woodland which eventually arrives at Arncliffe. It passes through Scoska Wood, a strip of ash woodland that is designated as a National Nature Reserve and the largest area of ash woodland in the Yorkshire Dales.

Litton

The River Skirfare

The River Skirfare

Scoska Wood

Guildersbank

Littondale

Sink Hill Barn

New Barn

Yew Cogar Scar

Lindley Moor, Almscliff Crag & Stainburn Moor

This map was created using GPS Visualizer's do-it-yourself geographic utilities.

Please wait while the map data loads...

Route: Little Alms Cliff, Hunter's Stones, Lindley Moor, Norwood Edge Plantation, Prospecthouse Farm, Beckborrom Farm, Robins Hill, Braythorn, Stainburn, Banks Farm, Merrybank Lane, Almscliff Crag, Greenmires Lane, Staniston Hill, Highfield Farm, Lanshaw Farm, Stainburn Moor

Date: 21/02/2017
From: Stainburn Forest

Parking: Stainburn Forest
Start Point: Stainburn Forest
Region: Yorkshire

Route length: 10.7 miles (17.2 km)
Time taken: 03:56
Average speed: 2.7 mph
Ascent: 464m
Descent: 475m

Summits:
Lindley Moor (291m), Almscliff Crag (213m), Stainburn Moor (245m)

Other points of interest: Little Alms Cliff, Hunter's Stones, Almscliff Crag

With rain threatening to stop play, I set my sights a little closer to home for this walk, turning my attention to the northern side of Wharfedale which is a mere 10 miles from All the Gear HQ. Firstly, that means a lie in for me and, secondly, meant I could beat the rain that was forecast to arrive mid-afternoon.

I have wanted to visit Almscliff Crag for a while, ever since spying it from atop Otley Chevin. It's an attractive pile of rocks located just west of Harrogate. Creating a walk of substantial length that includes it was a minor challenge but, using one I found online, adapted it to take in the summits of Lindley Moor and Stainburn Moor, two modest hills in the vicinity.

Starting from a Forestry Commission car park at Stainburn Wood, the first task was to walk the short distance to Little Alms Cliff (also Almias Cliff), a small collection of rocks that bears some resemblance to the larger Almscliff Crag, located some 3 miles away. Views extend across Nidderdale towards Menwith Hill. It's pleasant enough but having just started walking and with a chilly wind blowing, I didn't hang around.

The view north across Nidderdale

Little Alms Cliff

The view from Little Alms Cliff towards Menwith Hill

Little Alms Cliff

Lindley Moor

The path along the ridge of Lindley Moor was very boggy and I eventually reached the summit after passing around Hunter's Stones, a collection of gritstone boulders. There's a trig pillar atop Lindley Moor, standing proudly atop an outcrop of its very own, one which presents a minor challenge to get on top of. The reward is a commanding view across lower Wharfedale.

Looking back to Little Alms Cliff

Stainburn Forest

Stainburn Forest

The path runs in a straight line across the top of the moor

The path at Hunter's Stones

Hunter's Stones

Lindley Moor's summit

Looking across Wharfedale

Leaving Lindley Moor, I followed a track out of the woods and onto an exceptionally muddy Right of Way that heads around Prospecthouse Farm to Norwood Lane. Heading east, further Rights of Way (not very well marked on the ground) head across open fields towards Beckbottom Farm. Instead of heading right to the farm, I turned south to reach Otley Road (B6161) where a short section on the road leads back to the relative sanctuary of the lanes at Robins Hill cottage.

The track leading out of the woods

Wharfedale

Prospecthouse Farm

Napes Hill

Lindley Moor

A distant Almscliff Crag

The lane at Robins Hill

A narrow lane (handily signed for motorists to avoid thanks to a satnav error) crosses West Beck where I encountered a very curious pheasant - curious enough not to run away at my initial presence and enough to start following me along the lane. I eventually gave it the slip at Braythorn, a small hamlet hidden among tall hedgerows.

A handy warning for motorists

A short distance away is Stainburn, a hamlet of equally modest size, from which you can see Almscliff Crag, seemingly closer than ever yet still elusive. From Stainburn, you have the option to head directly to the crag along Low Lane or to extend it slightly (as I did) by following the bridleway to Bank Farm and approaching from Merrybank Lane to the south.

Heading for Braythorn

One of the locals

Braythorn

Otley Chevin on the horizon

The church at Stainburn

Idyllic Yorkshire scenery

Almscliff Crag

East Beck

Banks Farm

Almscliff Crag is a large millstone outcrop, formed due to the softer shale and mudstone eroding at a faster rate than the hard-wearing millstone. It's an understandably popular area for climbers - it was even mentioned in an early book about the Peak District since it shares many similarities to its illustrious cousin. Interestingly, the crag is on privately owned land and is not designated as open access.

Wharfedale Viaduct

Almscliff Crag

Showers approaching

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

Almscliff Crag

From Almscliff Crag, more lanes lead to a long bridleway that runs in a straight line up to Highfield Farm and a large gas terminal. It's marked on the map as a 'Gas Offlake Station' - I can only assume this is a rarely spelling mistake?

Almscliff Crag

Staniston Hill

Looking back towards Almscliff Crag

The gas terminal at Highfield Farm

The bridleway continues past the station, crossing Otley Road once again to the access road to Lanshaw Farm. After passing the farm, a gate is reached on the edge of the Stainburn plantation with another trig pillar marking the high point of the moor.

Entering Stainburn Wood

The top of Stainburn Moor

The return to the car park is along a wide, tree-lined avenue through the woods, boggy at times but providing welcome shelter from the rain, which had arrived right on cue. It comes as a surprise to learn that the woods of Stainburn are home to one of the UK's most technically challenging mountain bike trails - the Warren Boulder Trail. The wide avenue emerges back at the car park where I started from earlier in the day.

Stainburn Wood

Stainburn Wood

Stainburn Wood

While enjoyable, I doubt I will repeat this walk. The individual features are interesting but separated by fairly uninteresting farmland. A selection of shorter walks might ultimately be more rewarding. That said, it's amazing that this countryside is just a short drive from All the Gear HQ and richly deserves further investigation.