Lady Anne's Way - Addelbrough to Askrigg

 Monday 21st. September 2026

I had walked from upper Wharfedale on my LEJOG past the high point of Addlebrough but from there I had continued down to Bainbridge, and LA's Way branches off at Addlebrough to descend to Askrigg so today I was walking a circular from Askrigg to make the daunting long steep road climb back up to LA's branch-off

The obvious route to Askrigg is by the M6, Sedbergh,  and Garsdale, but the Garsdale road is closed until 16th October. I drove to Ingleton and then took the B6255: seventeen miles of a petrol-head's delight - not another car in sight, sweeping bends and undulations and sections with long views ahead, and all traversing wild upland hill terrain.

As I passed by White Scar Cave memories were stirred of an epic walk from Bull Pot Farm and arriving near White Scar as dusk was falling. I descended from that road and crossed the river. It was now dark. I had no torch, and the route back to Bull Pot was not straightforward and I was to put it mildly, knackered. I had to give in. I phoned for my personal mountain rescue. Son and daughter came to pick me up as I waited in the Wheatsheaf at Ingleton. That is one  of countless recalls I have as I am driving to locations for yet another adventure to store in that memory bank. As age intervenes I think more and more how valuable it is and fortunate I am to have all that to look back on.

A word of advice to those younger. Keep well organised records of your adventures. You will be glad later if you do.

At Askrigg there is a small car park at the top of the village with an honesty box where I nade a donation, it is actually on LA's Way.

A good downhill start through the village and then a pleasant well established footpath took me to the road into Bainbridge. As I looked over the bridge at  the impressive falls they were hurtling down with glistening dark brown turbulence topped by creamy white froth and spray dispelling mmeories of our recent heatwave and drought. A middle aged couple were also taking in the view but seemd reluctant to talk but from accents I gleaned rhey were American. As we carried on up the steep road climb out of Bainbridge these two were ahead, then they stopped and I passed, and then I stopped and they passed, 'twas all a bit irritating. I noticed rhey were conforming to that all too often observed scenario of male out ahead and female trailing often longish distances behind. Evntually I was glad when they peeeld off onto the track for Semerwater.

The one and a half kilometres road climb to the the summit  where LA's Way branches off on footpath is relentlessly steep. I adopted a steady small step rhythmical plod and I was well pleased to get rhere with hardly a stop, dare I say that there is some small improvement in my breathlessness?

A broad grassy track, now on my LDP proper followed level for a while with good views of Addlebrough summit to my right until it  dropped down steeply to Worton. Again memories of trout fishing on the river Ure there in the Sixties wirh good friends, and many a pint in the Victoria just up the road, now sadly closed I think.

Pleasant walking following the Ure on the northern bank underlined much of quality in this long distance walk as I sat on  on a good log with a Gainsborough like view of the Ure downstream and munched my sandwich and sipped my coffee  The coffee came from my battered flask that has been with me for a long time having topped most of he Munros and hundreds of Marilyns amnogst  its many other travels.

From the Ure I climbed up to Nappa Hall, an impressive fortified farmhouse.

From AI:

History and Architecture

Built: Constructed between 1459 and 1476 by James Metcalfe and his son Thomas. James received the estate after fighting at the Battle of Agincourt. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Design: Features a single-storey central hall nestled between a four-storey western tower and a two-storey eastern tower. [1]
Significance: Historic England regards it as probably the finest and least-spoilt medieval fortified manor house in northern England. [1, 2]
Status: It is a Grade I listed building, but it is privately owned and not open to the public

There is much on the Intrnet and about Nappa Hall with more tnan usual interesting history too long to include here but rhe most digestible I found was: CLICK HERE

The last mile from here threatened to belie my praise a few lines back. In that mile there were ten field boundaries with a mix of stone stiles with no handpoles and those awaul spring loaded mini gates that threaten to spring back and potentially srrip skin from you shins or calf. However,  this had been an enjoyable and rewarding trip.

 Only two more sections now, another from Askrigg and one from Hawes.

Descending in Askrigg

Yore Bridge and the River Ure

Bainbridge

Bainbridge Falls in pomp

The American couple, her unusually infront...

...bu now well behind after rhey had branched off my road for Semerwater

Plod. plod, plod up to Addlebrough summit

Looking back down at conquered road

Semerwater

Addlebrough summit

Note the level road, leaving that, now, at last for my missed bit of the Way

Good level going after leaving rhe road

Thistles (gone over) and Addlebrough summit from Lady Anne's Way

Now. descending on limestone path to Warton

Worton and below

Crossing onto the north bank of the Ure

Gainsborough?

One for Alan, it looks a bit old and obviously unused

Nappa Hall

One of the many field boundaries on the last mile. The curious cows had followed me across their field

The car park is about a hundred yards up the road

Clockwise from Askrigg

Lady Anne's Way - Burnsall to Grassington

Tuesday 15th September 2026 

If I am walking a long distance path in sections I do like to walk each section in the same direction if possible. That combined with limited parking in Burnsall had me start this Burnsall to Grassington section halfway through at Hebden, walk to Grassington on Lady Anne's then return via the Dalesway to Burnsall then walk back on LA's to Hebden.

After a one and half hour drive I was able to park just off the B6265 on the road leading into Hebden. Here Lady Anne's way follows the B6265 for a couple of hundred yards. I spotted an old looking standing stone with a cross on the road side. I had not much hope of getting any information from searches, but the now default reply by AI to a search with my browser seems to come up with an answer to everything:

The old roadside stone bearing a simple incised cross on the B6265 just as you enter the village of Hebden(near Grassington, North Yorkshire) is a historic county bridge marker. [1]

• Its Historical Purpose: Rather than being a religious monument or a medieval wayside cross, this stone served a practical, administrative function. It marked the 300-foot limit from the Hebden bridge.[1]
The 300-Foot Rule: Under old English law (formalized by the Statute of Bridges in 1531), the local parish was responsible for maintaining regular highways. However, the county (the West Riding of Yorkshire) was responsible for maintaining important bridges and the approach roads within 300 feet (about 91 meters) of them. [1, 2]
The Cross Symbol: The cross carved into the stone was used as a standard, recognizable boundary marker to visually denote exactly where the parish’s highway maintenance ended and the county's bridge maintenance began.
That was from AI with an acknowledgement to, yes, that is an abbreviated link:     u

Surprise susrprise! One of the many potential spin offs from going for a walk. Now you will be able to bore everybody "down the pub" with this fascinating bit of history.

There are two paths leading off that road and care is needed to take the second one, an ancient  lane leading to a woodland nature reserve with a flagged path.

After gaining some height I emerged at a ladder stile and a superb surprise view of Grassington down below and and a grand panorama of Yorkshire hills and dales beyond. Another of those dales lanes lead pleasantly down into Grassington. I chatted with a woman tending to her cottage garden. She was an enthusiastic walker and told me of her Coast Coast done in dreadful weather.

It can't be denied that Grassington is an iconic Yorkshire Dales village, or almost a town but it is now almost over the top as an overdressed tourist attraction.  I pressed on down to the impressive multi-arch bridge over the River Wharfe which I followed on the Dalesway back to Burnsall. I have walked on all the Dalesway in sections and it mostly follows superb walking country on unspoilt paths and I have always rated it as one of the best LDPs in the country. Some may argue that this section following the River Wharfe is one of the best  but it is out of character with the whole in my opinion with engineered pathways and teeming with folk often in large groups. Nvertheless it was sheer pleasure to walk on this bright sunny day.

The route crosses the river by a suspension bridge shortly before arriving in Burnsall. There are stepping stones here and I watched folk having a go, but at my stage of life I reckoned it advisable ro give that a miss, Having said that the suspension bridge is quite long and in the middle it sways and undulates in a  fashion that is a challenge to one's sesne of balance and I wondered if I may not have been better skipping the stones.

Burnsall is still unspoilt and the Red Lion rules. That must be one of the most pubby pubs in the country. It has always been well known for its excellent English food and I have memories of several visits over the years. I don't know if it is still living up to its old reputation.

 I was now back on Lady Anne's Way following a seriously steep geassy climb out of the village over the shoulder of Langerton Hill and a descent on green sheep fields back to Hebden.

A lot of nostalgia for me on this trip for what is my favourite part of the country, but it is now so much more populated and crammed with parked vehicles and others speeding up down tthe now  busier roads, all a far cfry from my youthful days of the late Fifties and early Sixties.

 

The old dales path leading off the B 6265

These are climbing crags above Hebden. "Hebden Ghyll" 

Emerging from the nature reserve

Susrprise view down to Grassington and beyond. Photo does not do full justice

I do enjoy these old dales lanes

In Grassington, and below

Leaving the road to embark on the Dalesway and the River Wharfe

Hebden road bridge over the Wharfe

rfe

Suspension bridge (1885) - see plaque, next photo

I am proud of this photo. but a pity the stone hopper didn't have a red jacket

Three in one. The Red Lion, Burnsall Bridge and Burnsall Fell

The Red Lion. The perfect English country pub. I waited hoping somebody would move the car but no luck - sign of the times

Burnsall village.

Steep climb out of Burnsall on The Way

Looking back to Burnsall

I can't work out what hill that is. More or less north from near Langerton Hill

Green = Lady Anne's Way
Red = my route - start finish Hebden, anti-clcokcwise