Buckden Pike (Yorkshire Dales)

[colgregg]

Weather sunny and dry all day!!!
I set off from Hubberholme for this walk and followed the Dales way to Buckden Village. The path I took to Buckden Pike started from behind the car park and headed into Buckden Gill. To me this is the most interesting ascent with several waterfalls of varying size encountered along the way. There is the added bonus of a couple of very short scrambles over the cliffs beside the waterfalls.
I emerged from the top of the Gill at the derelict Buckden lead mine. There are remains of ruined buildings and the entrance to the mine itself. The level could be entered by those suitably equipped but I wouldn't recommend it to walkers intent on completing their day's itinery.
From the mine I chose to go straight up to meet the path which more sensibly had contoured the hill in a more gentle gradient. Once on the summit ridge it was over the stile and after 100yds I reached the summit cairn and O.S. column.
The views are outstanding with a 360% panorama with many dales summits in view. Pendle Hill can be seen too as can Wensleydale with it's patchwok of fields and as far as Teesside to the East (not outstanding).
There' nothing else of interest here (note to the Y.D.N.P. please build a wall shelter) so I walked 3/4 mile south, following the wall to the memorial commemorating the deaths of 5 polish airmen who died in 1942 when their plane crashed on the hill with only one survivor.
Returning to the summit cairn I started my descent towards Cray following a well made path. The path actually cuts across the fellside to return you to Buckden but I'd always wanted to checko out the waterfalls above Cray so I followed Cow Close Gill through a couple of miniature gorges and over several waterfalls. This being limestone country the beck actually disappears and runs dry for a while so one of the "falls" will only become active in flood. The beck starts flowing again from what looks like a spring, whether this is the same water which sunk I don't know.
Cray is a tiny hamlet on the road leading over into Wensleydale. There you will find the White Lion pub and a chance to eat and drink.
The final leg of my walk took me to the path behind the pub to follow Cray Gill with it's waterfalls back to Hubberholme.

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[mountain coward]

Some lovely waterfalls pics there - that's more of less my local area - well, not too far away...

Got into trouble when I did Buckden Pike as I did it one late evening after a meal in the pub at Cray. I told my friend and parents (who I'd been out eating with) that, as it was a nice evening, I was walking along the footpath to the pub at Buckden and I'd see them in there... However, I'd been looking at Buckden Pike all day and hadn't done it yet so decided to detour up there instead. Of course that meant I arrived at Buckden a tad later than expected by which time my friend Richard and my parents were out looking for me and looking rather grumpy. I bumped into Richard first on the path between the 2 pubs not far from Buckden - it was dark by then... He played hell and said where had I been... I just said "Well you know where I was" and he said Buckden Pike... so they did know where I was all along!

[colgregg]

Living in Richmond it's not too far for me either. I'm determined to Scour more local areas that I have overlooked in my desire to head for the Lakeland heights. While some of the dales summits can be rather mundane there are plenty interesting approaches to summits or even low level walks, especially if following a watercourse such as Gunnerside Gill. Or coming across this feature pictured below on a seemingly featureless moor in Teesdale.

[mountain coward]

I like the look of Swaledale but haven't been for donkey's years (since I was a kid I think) but generally I have to say the Dales don't really do it for me (probably 'cos I live in them). I always head for the Lakes unless it's winter and I've just got a half day - then I go for the Ingleton 3 peaks...