" Kirkby Malham with Liz ... then home "

Date & start time: Tuesday/Wed  29th/30th Sept 2015.

Location of Start : Beck House Country Hotel, Malham, Uk ( SD 901 630)

Places visited : South out of the village, Hanlith, Kirkby, Accraplatts and back to Malham.

Accommodation : Beck Hall, Yorkshire Dales Hotel & Bistro, Malham

Walk details :   4.5 mls, 600 feet of ascent, 3.5 hours leisurely walking.

Highest point : Accroplats Farm, Kirkby Malham,  958 ft - 294 m.

Walked with : Liz (Lemal), Ann and our dogs, Harry and Dylan.

Weather : Fine and dry, slightly overcast clearing to a bright blue sky . . . again.

On the Tuesday of our stay we were joined by Liz who lives over Silsden direction, some 25 miles away.

A friend of ours since the early days of the OFC she arrived in time for a morning coffee.

She did not have a particular route in mind so it fell to us to find a nice round trip to match the day.

Enter stage left  . . . a Malhamdale walks leaflet.

On our way . . . and we started our walk by walking south through the village of Malham.

Rather than turn at the barn as we did yesterday, we continued on the Pennine way path

heading south once again for the village of Hanlith.    Here we are looking back at a rather featureless Malham Cove,

the limestone hidden by the shadows and general haze of the morning air.

We followed the River Aire down the valley.

The weir on the left of the photo fed water behind the trees and down to the old Skelgill Mill site close to Kirkby Malham.

As we approached Hanlith the scenery included more houses.      This family owned a horse . . . expensive to buy but cheap to run.

It didn't run about much, but then its feet were nailed to the ground !

Colourful gardens . . .	. . . and colourful wild flowers.

The impressive facade of Hanlith Hall.

Across the valley now and we're into Kirkby Malham itself.

The route guide suggested that we might wish to visit the church . . . and the pub if the timing was right.

	We consulted the timepiece . . . The overcast sky gave little indication of true time so we got out a torch . . . and with subtle manouvering found the shadow was cast exactly on beer o'clock.   How 'Old-Peculiar'.   Full marks to the new owners for making us welcome.

After thirst we had a dab of righteousness by visiting the "Cathedral of the Dales",

The Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel, Kirkby in Malhamdale.

In the churchyard the base of a very old cross and these well preserved wooden stocks.

It has a fine strong tower . . . workmen are working on the roof . . .	. . . below, an ornate entrance gate on the porch gate.

Inside it is a large Parish Church . . .

 . . . with ornate stained glass windows behind the altar.

The length of the nave . . .	. . . and outside once again after an interesting visit.

Our circular walk takes us up the hill towards the lower slopes of Kirkby Fell.

The sun came out and cast a lovely light on the limestone cliffs of Malham Cove.

We leave the road and pause before we head down the lane to Accraplatts Farm.

Kirkby Malham was home to the author Bill Bryson for many years.    This is the gate referred to in his book 'Notes from a Small Island'

from which he took his final view of Malhamdale from Accraplatts before he left.

Harry walking the farm track.	Here he is again . . . no sorry . . . it's a sheep.

An un-named tributary of Tranlands Beck serves to cool the dogs on a warm afternoon . . .

 . . . but the track leads down to the Visitor Centre, back in the village of Malham.

It is a short walk through the village, past the Buck Inn and back to our accommodation at Beck Hall.

. . . where a cup of the usual fitted the bill just perfectly . . . pass the biscuits !

We sat with Liz and enjoyed the late afternoon sunshine after our walk.

Dylan notices an extra visitor to the garden . . .

A rather fine grey Heron . . . obviously not phased by the close proximity of man and dog.

- - - o o o - - -

This was our last night at the people-friendly, dog-friendly Beck Hall . . . sadly in the morning it was time to leave.

Morning in the village . . . the majority of visitors are yet to arrive so everything is delightfully quiet.

We take the mountain road from Kirkby Malham over to Settle . . . enjoying the beautiful sunshine as we crossed the high moor.

We remember this road well but it surprised us to note that it was 1981, thirty four years ago, since we were last here.

We stopped by a gate towards the far end of the road	Why ? . . . well this was as far as we reached last time !

It was a snowstorm and a complete whiteout that engulfed us as we drove along this road during a late Easter holiday.

We walked the last mile into Settle and eventually made it back to the caravan at Kirkby Malham, courtesy of a kind local garage.

	This was the car as we found it next morning.

With the aid of a few shovels we dug out the car . . .	. . . and eventually were towed out by a local farmer.

No wonder that journey is still clear in our memory . . . even after this time.

Today, no sign of snow as we drove down into the village of Settle.

Full of the hustle and bustle of a busy market town.

We're heading home but chose the scenic route back through the Dales rather than the motorway.

This was Long Scar and the limestone quarries just outside Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

Behind Studfold, the imposing bulk of Pen-y-Ghent, the first of the 'Three Peaks' of Yorkshire.

Our road took us north towards Ribblehead.

The second of our 'Three Peaks' is the flat-topped Ingleborough.

We are fortunate that the time of our visit coincided with the arrival of a local train.

This is obviously a popular spot for something . . .

It is the closest parking for the Ribblehead viaduct . . . a popular walking area and on the extended route of the 'Three Peaks Challenge'.

In the distance, the 'Third Peak' of Whernside . . . the challenge is to walk all three in twelve hours.

The train we saw at the station has now made it across the famous viaduct on the high level Settle to Carlisle railway line.

	- - - o o o - - -   Our route takes us north, then west, into Dent Dale.   and we meet up with the railway again   as it emerges from the Blea Moor tunnel.   - - - o o o - - -

Looking down on the Dent Head viaduct with Dent Dale beyond.

Time for a quick stop and stretch the legs . . .	. . . all eight of them.

The sunshine continued as we enjoyed our tour of the Dales.

Eventually we met the motorway and travelled north on the M6 past the dramatic Howgill Fells.

Tebay next . . . Penrith beyond, then a turn left onto the A66 and back into the Lakes.

Home to Loweswater once again after a long, ten days away.

Thanks for joining us on our trip to Northumberland and Yorkshire.   We hope you've enjoyed the pictures.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220 or my Canon 1100D Digital SLR Camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . . enough petrol to make our way safely home without hassle . . . which we did !

Email me here # © RmH # Go to Home page

1. The Malham Cove Walk

2. Janet Foss / Goredale Scar

3. Kirby Malham & Home

Previous walk - 28th September - Janet Foss / Goredale Scar

A previous time here - Easter 1981 (see snow pictures in this report )

Next walk - 10th October 2015 - The Wasdale Show