Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: pennine way

Showing posts with label pennine way. Show all posts

Limestone Scenery

An early winter's morning visit to the limestone scenery above Malham, taking in Ing Scar and the top of The Watlows Dry Valley along which The Pennine Way runs. My return journey gave lovely views over the Ribble Valley towards Pen y Ghent and Ingleborough.

Comb Hill from Ings Scar

Above Malhamdale

Comb Hill from Ings Scar

Dean Moor Hill from Langscar

Frosted Moss

Path To Watlows

Pennine Way, Watlows Dry Valley

Watlows Dry Valley

Pennine Way

Towards Ingleborough

Towards Pen y Ghent

Towards Ingleborough

Above Ribblesdale

Bridleway to Stainforth

High and Low Force Waterfalls

High Force is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and European Geopark. Despite popular belief that it is the highest waterfall in England, at 71 feet (22 m), others have a longer fall: Cautley Spout, in Cumbria's Howgill Fells, is almost 590 feet (180 m) high, and Hardraw Force, in North Yorkshire, has an unbroken drop of 98 feet (30 m).

Low Force by comparison is much smaller but in my opinion a much nicer and more interesting place to visit especially since they have placed restrictions on High Force due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At Low Force you are free to roam, not just in the falls area but the surrounding countryside which has many footpaths, including The Pennine Way.

I luckily timed my visit to witness someone canoeing down the falls and got some smashing photo of him in action so I’ve included them at the end of the blog.

Unfortunately at High Force there is a dedicated route to the falls and then a new path through woodland back to the car park. That wouldn’t be too bad but for two reasons. One is that they have cut off close access to the River Tees and falls so there is really no point in a photographer visiting. Second is that the return path has lots of steep steps, is quite enclosed and I should imagine gets very slippy and muddy after rain. Anyone with health issues would really struggle on it, especially the stepped parts.

Despite that I still had a great day and thankfully the food kiosk was open where I purchased a very nice cappuccino and a locally made sausage roll.

Sadly High Force is yet another victim of this sodding virus!

River Tees at Low Force

Low Force

River Tees

Pennine Way at Low Force

Low Force

River Tees above Low Force

Autumn Colours

Footpath to High Force

High Force


High Force

Kayak, Low Force

Airton and The Pennine Way

My first blog of the new decade. It is just some photos I took on one of the few nice days we have had this year. On the whole January has been a pretty miserable month with plenty of grey blanket cloud which has been interspersed with periods of wet weather. I'm not a blue sky photographer by any means but a bit more variety in the weather would been nice. There's no sign of any snow coming our way in the foreseeable future either so it looks like we are stuck with it.

With the break in the weather, I decided to head to the excellent Town Head Farm Shop and Cafe at Airton near Malham for some breakfast and a coffee. I arrived fairly early so had a pick of the tables but by the time I left about an hour later, the place was full. I had intended to drive over the tops to Wharfedale but with the weather being so nice, I left my car in the cafe car park and headed off back through the village to meet up with The River Aire and Pennine Way. My walk wasn't a long one, I just followed the path behind Airton Mill, through an area of wetlands and then crossed the infant River Aire, returning along The Pennine Way.

I reckon I was only gone an hour or so but it was still good to get out in the fresh air with the camera. With a bit of planning, I reckon you could go all the way to Malham on The Pennine Way and then return via a series of paths on the other side of the valley with only a minimal amount of road walking. Maybe I'll return later in the year.

It's not a long blog as I tend to lose a bit of motivation at this time of year but hopefully, with the caravan season beginning in March, I will regain my va-va-voom and be a bit more productive.