Yorkshire 2000s - Birks Fell

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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

The Chevin & Chevin Forest Park

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Route: Otley, East Chevin Road, Birdcage Walk, Johnny Lane, White House, East Chevin Quarry, Chevin Forest Park, Ebor Way, Caley Crags, Caley Deer Park, Dales Way, Miller Lane, The Chevin (Surprise View), Yorkgate Quarry, West Chevin Road, Burras Lane, Otley

Date: 24/04/2016
From: Otley

Parking: Otley
Start Point: Otley
Region: Yorkshire

Route length: 6.3 miles (10.1 km)
Time taken: 02:41
Average speed: 2.3 mph
Ascent: 460m
Descent: 464m

Summits:
The Chevin (282m)

Other points of interest: White House, East Chevin Quarry, Caley Crags

We kept things local this week; there's plenty of fine walking to be found within a few miles of the city centre of Leeds. A mere 2km from Leeds International Airport you can find The Chevin, a ridge of high round above Wharfedale which overlooks the market town of Otley, a short half-hour drive from All the Gear HQ.

The Chevin has an interesting history, which I'll touch on later, first we had to get there. Leaving the car in the town, we made our way through the streets to Johnny Lane which leads directly to the foot of the Chevin. Ahead is a fairly steep climb up to White House, currently the base from which the Chevin Forest Park is managed. At various times in its history, it has also offered refreshments to passing visitors. In recent times it housed a Visitor Centre for Chevin Forest Park, a role now provided from the adjacent café building.

Old mill on Johnny Lane

The paved lane leading towards White House

The White House through the trees

Looking back down the paved path

The path climbs directly towards the top of The Chevin but we were intent on saving that for later. Instead, we turned southeast to cut across the hillside through Ritchies Wood to the crags of the disused East Chevin Quarry. The millstone rocks could have been lifted straight from Stanage Edge and it's certainly a surprise to find something so dramatic so close to Leeds. The track follows the line of crags to reach one of many free car parks that are dotted around the Forest Park.

Chevin Forest Park

Otley

East Chevin Quarry

East Chevin Quarry

The Chevin Forest Park consists of 180ha of woodland, designated as a Local Nature Reserve. The park (formerly the Danefield Estate) was gifted to the public by the Fawkes family after the Second World War. Prior to the war, most of the trees in the area had been felled to provide timber for the war effort. In August 1944 Major Legender G.W. Horton-Fawkes of Farnley Hall decided to give the Danefield Estate to the people of Otley. In a letter to Otley Urban District Council he said:

 “Your Council may even now be considering alternative forms of war memorials. It occurs to me that an open space which can be beautified by trees and preserved in a natural state might offer an opportunity as a memorial to all who fought and furthered the war of Freedom on all fronts.”

This act of generosity saw the Danefield Estate become open to the public for the first time since the Land Enclosure Acts of the 1780s, and the first steps were taken to create the Chevin Forest Park that is known today.

A bench with a view

A millstone marks the entrance to the Chevin Forest Park

The Chevin Forest Park

Numerous paths criss-cross the Forest Park, ours leading us to the Ebor Way, a long-distance path that joins Helmsley to York and Ilkley as well as providing a bridge between the Dales Way and the Cleveland Way. The Ebor way leads to Caley Crags, a world-class venue for rock climbing, with sweeping views right along Wharfedale.

With a bit of imagination, this is the site of an Iron Age settlement

A small stream runs through the park

Caley Crags

Caley Crags

Caley Crags

Caley Crags

View over Wharfedale

Almscliff Crag

Wharfedale

Arthington Viaduct

We turned, heading west now along the Dales Way that passes through the woods. After a short walk along the main road, we took Miller Lane which climbs up to Suprise View; the top of The Chevin. This point has a superlative view of Otley and Wharfedale as well as Leeds in Airedale. It is the site of a beacon, and a cross has been erected every Easter since 1969. The name comes from the Brythonic cefyn, cefn or cefu meaning a "ridge", or "ridge of high land".

Woods along the Dales Way

The Dales Way at Miller Lane

Heading towards Surprise View

Rotary Club toposcope

The toposcope at Surprise View

The summit of The Chevin

Wharfedale panorama from The Chevin

Looking west

After savouring the views from Surprise View we pressed on, passing the old Yorkgate Quarry and entering the woods on the western side of The Chevin. A path leads straight back down the hillside to West Chevin Road and back into the town and the car. This was a very pleasant afternoon out, made all the better by the fact that it's only a short distance from home. I really think we're spoilt for choice here in Yorkshire and it's amazing what you can find on your doorstep.

Yorkgate Quarry

Woods at Great Dib

Otley