free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I was working Saturday morning but pretty much had the whole of the afternoon and evening free so was keen to get out on the hills. All week long the forecast had looked terrible with heavy showers and strong winds and this was very much the case when I finished just after 1pm.
I was still keen to get out but the thought did cross my mind to maybe do a shorter walk in my local Trough of Bowland so as not to be out in it too long. However these hills appeared to be covered in dense fog so I took the decision to drive past them and head East into Yorkshire in the hope of marginally better weather.
Arriving at Gearstones Outdoor Centre just past Ribblehead at 2.30 the weather looked ok to the East although there were obviously heavy showers going on above Whernside and Ingleborough behind me.
I had toyed with the idea of doing this walk from Hawes as described by others on this site but the slight gap in the weather had made me stop on the Southern side of these hills in an effort to get as much done as possible while the weather held. This would add a few miles but would still offer me mostly easy walking on good tracks and minor roads.
It's initially a steady ascent on the Dales Way over a well made bridge over Gayle Beck up towards Cam End (with the Pennine Way joining) and past the 500m mark where I'd remain for most the walk.
- Dales Way
- Weather holding so far on the Dales Way
- The Pennine Way joins from the right
- Great Knoutberry Hill from the Dales Way
Although the weather had been good so far it didn't last and soon enough I was engulfed by the first heavy shower of the day which thankfully passed quite quickly.
The track at this point is excellent....so good it eventually turns into a road for a good stretch which makes for fast progress.
Eventually I came to a junction with the Pennine Way going left and the Cam End Road going right. Dodd Fell Hill was right in front of me at this point but access is barred by walls so it was necessary to follow the Pennine Way until I got to the other side of the wall.
- First shower arrives
- The good track becomes a road!
- Stay left with the Pennine Way for access to Dodd Fell Hill
It was now a case of heading left into the mist and following my nose to the highest point of Dodd Fell Hill. There are odd tracks you can follow but nothing too obvious and generally it's just a case of heading for the higher ground until you reach the flooded Trig Point area.
At this point a huge storm came over as I made my way East hopefully towards a wall which would guide me back to the Cam End Road. The terrain at this point was difficult with many wet areas made far worse with the heavy rain coming from above and leaving me soaked to the skin with pretty wet boots.
Luckily it was only a short stretch before I found the wall which guided me through some more peat hags and boggy patches back to the road where all the rough walking was pretty much done.
The weather cleared here and I could see my next objective - Drumaldrace - ahead of me. Just a case of following the road to it's end, joining the road coming up from Hawes before branching off to the left on the Roman Road track.
Once at the top of Roman Road, the cairn on Drumaldrace is just a quick, easy detour away to the left. It may have been because the weather had improved but I was quite impressed with Drumaldrace and could imagine it would make a nice short walk from the Hawes area.
- Into the mist on Dodd Fell Hill
- Trig Point on Dodd Fell Hill
- Back on the Cam End Road looking ahead to Drumaldrace
- Top of Drumaldrace
I was now a long way from where I started and I knew that most of the return walk would be made into the wind. On the flip side the weather had improved and I could now see a little more around me and if the rain held off the wind was sure to help dry me off before I got back to the car.
- Looking down a brightening up Sleddale
- Looking back at the Roman Road and Drumaldrace
- Dodd Fell Hill now clear
- The guiding wall I followed off Dodd Fell Hill earlier
- You go past a lot of gates on the Cam End Road and I couldn't decide whether to shut them or leave them open. This sign cleared up the confusion!
As it turned out the weather did hold and I eventually got back to the car in a much drier condition (except my boots) for 6.45pm, pleased with my afternoon's work.
This is a good route for a bad weather day with good paths and roads throughout (apart from the one rough section over Dodd Fell Hill) and although the miles are long, they are pretty easy. I really felt like I'd stolen one from the weather Gods when I'd finished!
- Ribblehead comes back into view
- Good bridge over Gayle Beck
- Back at Gearstones
