Horse Head Moor and Deepdale walk
Get away from it all and enjoy this invigorating walk up Horse Head Pass and along the remote moorland ridge, with magnificent views of the Three Peaks, returning along the beautiful River Wharfe.
Map
Start:
Yockenthwaite Bridge, grid ref: SD904790
1
Park on the roadside at Yockenthwaite, return along the road to Raisgill farmhouse and follow the bridleway, signed to Halton Gill. The track zig-zags steeply uphill, across a large area of common land known as the Hagg. 'Hagg' can refer to an expanse of woodland that was used as coppice in medieval times, suggesting that this area once had greater tree cover. We want to encourage this tree cover to grow back, so we've reduced the grazing livestock here and planted a significant number of trees.
Yockenthwaite
Yockenthwaite's name dates back to the time of the Vikings and means Eoghan's clearing in a wood.
2
When the path levels, continue onwards, keeping Hagg Beck in the valley to your left. If you look carefully you'll be able to make out some of the many trees we've been planting in this area.
Tree planting
We have been planting trees in this area over the last two or three years. The aim is not to create dense woodland rather we would like to see a more natural mix of trees, open grassland and moorland develop over a longer period of time
3
When you reach the gate at the top of the pass, you can take a short detour to the fell summit. Go through the gate and turn right, walking by the wall towards the white trig point not too far away. At the trig point enjoy the views of the Three Peaks then return to the gate, go through and turn left.
Three Peaks view
Pen Y Ghent rises steeply on the far side of Littondale, with flat-topped Ingleborough beyond Ribblesdale. Whernside, the third of the Three Peaks, is on the right. On a clear day, you can even see as far as the Lake District, over 37 miles away.
4
Walk along the moorland ridge, with the wall on your left, for 1.2 miles crossing a gate, a stile and a ruined wall. As you walk along the ridge, keep an eye out for the mosaic of various vegetation types. The red-brown patches are mainly purple moor grass, which tends to grow on boulder clay or Millstone Grit, and the areas of green grasses mixed in with small flowers grow over limestone.
5
When you reach a gate on the left turn right. Follow the footpath downhill towards Beckermonds with Greenfield Forest away to your left.
6
When you reach the River Wharfe, do not cross the bridge but turn right and follow the Dales Way footpath along the river towards Deepdale. Here the river flows through areas of limestone which are ideal for sitting on for a sandwich, when the water levels are low.
River Wharfe
The River Wharfe flows some 60 miles through the Dales from its source at Cam Fell, before joining the River Ouse near Cawood. Look out for kingfisher, oystercatcher and dipper by the water's edge.
7
At Deepdale cross the road bridge and turn right into the hamlet. A short way up the track, take the footpath on the right, signposted to Yockenthwaite. Look out for the Bronze-age stone circle and also a lime kiln between here and Yockenthwaite.
Meadows, lime kiln and stone circle
Around Deepdale, if you are visiting in late June, the meadows can look fantastic. Take a look over the walls to see what you can see. As you return to Yockenthwaite you will pass a lime kiln. These are common features in the Dales. Soils here are generally acidic so, historically, limestone was quarried and burnt in kilns. The resulting burnt lime was used as a fertiliser for sweetening the grassland, creating better grazing. The path also passes Yockenthwaite stone circle, thought to be the base of a Bronze Age burial mound. The trees above the stone circle have been planted to create an area of native woodland which will benefit the ground vegetation.
8
At Yockenthwaite cross over the stone packhorse bridge to return to the start point.
End:
Yockenthwaite Bridge, grid ref: SD904790
