Fells and falls

Mark Sutcliffe follows a section of the Pennine Way on a scenic circular walk from Hawes Club Campsite

Stretching 20 miles from Garsdale Head to Leyburn, Wensleydale is one of the most scenic of the Yorkshire Dales. The pretty town of Hawes stands near the head of the valley, surrounded on three sides by some of the highest summits in the national park.

There are plenty of opportunities to explore these rugged fells for those with a sense of adventure, but this walk takes a more relaxed route along the valley floor, crossing the River Ure to follow one of its tributaries to the famous Hardraw Force – England’s tallest unbroken, single drop waterfall. After exploring the woodlands above the cascades, this scenic circular route then traverses pastureland to the pretty hamlet of Sedbusk, before recrossing the river to return to the Hawes Club campsite.

In early spring, these fields come alive to the cries of gambolling lambs and woodlands are carpeted with a haze of bluebells and suffused with the heady scent of wild garlic. In summer, the meadows explode in a riot of wildflowers, attracting plenty of tasty titbits for squadrons of swooping swallows, while autumn rains bring out the very best in the waterfalls.

It’s a rewarding walk, whatever time of year you choose to stride out, with a couple of luxurious country inns to enjoy refreshments along the route.

Download this route and others to your smartphone or GPS device from the Club’s OutdoorActive page at: out.ac/IPp3bt

Directions

1. From main gate of the site, walk along the lane and turn right after 50m. Walk along the road with care for 200m, cross the stone bridge and take the first footpath on the left. Continue across the field, skirting the meander in the river and through a gate. Continue straight ahead towards a barn, but before reaching it, head right through a gate in the drystone wall and diagonally across the field to the next gate to join the Pennine Way.

2. 1.3km – Continue along the flagstone path past the barn and through a series of gates into Hardraw. At the lane, cross the road and look for a footpath immediately to the right of a pub car park gate (the sign is often obscured by the gate). If you’re happy to pay the entrance fee (see hardrawforce.com/waterfall.html), follow the path through the car park to the ticket office for Hardraw Force. After admiring the waterfall, retrace your steps.

3. 1.9km – Take the path to the right of the gate into the car park and follow through the garden of a holiday cottage. Continue through a gate and into field. Follow the path through a field, climbing steeply to a gate and a stile. Continue through the gate beside the house and past the cottage up a farm track. Go through the gate and left onto a lane.

4. 2.3km – After 100m take a footpath on the left signposted Shaw Gill Wood. Follow the path down to cross a footbridge and take a footpath on the right, climbing steeply into the woods.

5. 2.9km – Below the largest of the falls, cross the bridge and continue upstream to some steps, go through a gate and right onto a lane. At the junction, continue right along the road with care for 50m then take a footpath along a farm track on the left. At the end of the farmyard, continue through a metal gate onto a footpath between walls, then veer right through a gate and a farm to join a track to a road.

6. 3.4km – At the road turn left and walk with care into Simonstone. On a bend take the footpath on the left, signposted Sedbusk. Join the far track and continue past some barns. After the barns, continue straight ahead for half a mile over a succession of fields to Sedbusk.

7. 4.7km – In Sedbusk, at a phonebox, turn right down a lane then slightly left and downhill to take a footpath on the right signposted Haylands Bridge. Descend diagonally across a field and through a gate. Continue diagonally across the next field and through a wooden gate in corner. Cross the lane with care and head over a stile to follow a flagstone path through fields and over a footbridge near the copse. Join the road and retrace your steps over the bridge and back to Hawes Club Campsite.

About the route

• Start/finish: Hawes Club Campsite, Brunt Acres Road, Hawes DL8 3PS.
  Distance: 4m/6.4km.
• Time: 2 hours (add an extra 45 mins to visit Hardraw Force).
• Level: Suitable for occasional walkers with a reasonable level of fitness. Some steep climbs and steps.
• Terrain: Country lanes, footpaths and tracks – most of which are well surfaced. The occasional grassy path, which can become muddy after wet weather.
• Landscape: Woodland and pastureland.
• Refreshments: Simonstone Hall, Simonstone; Stone House Hotel, Sedbusk (advance booking essential for both).

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club make no warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the routes published, which to the best of our knowledge were correct at the time of publication. Your use of the routes is at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for the suitability or safety of any routes published. Routes may be out of date or affected by changes to the physical environment and, to the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility for personal injury or property damage caused by your use of the routes.