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' often refers 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, as over-grazing can stunt tree growth.
2
When the path levels, continue upwards, keeping Hagg Beck in the valley to your left.
3
At the summit gate, you can take a detour to the trig point (this is optional - the views are just as good on the main route). Go through the gate and turn right, walking by the wall for 330yd (300m). At the trig point enjoy the views of the Three Peaks then head back through the gate 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 (59km) away.
4
Walk along the moorland ridge, with the wall on your left, for 1.2 miles (2km), 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.
River Wharfe
The River Wharfe flows some 60 miles (97km) 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.
Lime kiln and stone circle
Just before Yockenthwaite you pass a limekiln, a regular feature of the landscape 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
