Not done yet with summits

 Tuesday 26th November 2024

After recent mud wallowing and floundering in farmer's fields I vowed to find something more akin to my lifelong enjoyment of higher ground.

The Yorkshire Dales, have many old tracks and bridleways, often with access from single track roads eliminating long climbs from the valley bottom.

This was a spur of the moment decision. I had nothing tempting enough in the cupboard to make a sandwich. I was off at 8:30 am and called st Crooklands Filling Station. I bought a sandwich and an ordinary pack of four almond slices. My main shopping for a number of years has been at Aldi and now every time I make an interim food purchase elsewhere I get a jolt - £6.09!

I recently changed my car and now have a Kia Sportage, but with manual contrasting with automatics which I had for years. I tried to count up my number of cars since 1959 -  approximately now forty three. The majority of that time was with manual gear changing and that of course is ingrained, but it has taken me a few miles to get back to the finer points, especially fishing around in the modern six gears box.

I drove steeply out of Settle to park at the emergence of the Pennine Bridleway. The OS map indicates what I would expect to be an unsurfaced road. I was surprised to find it climbing steadily on good quality tarmac for about two kilometers arriving at Stockdale Farm, From there a track to the farm in the valley below peels off and the Pennine Bridleway continues through a gate now as footpath.

My breathless affliction, which has been under medical investigation now for over two years was well tested by the non-stop gentle but relentless ascent. I had many stops to huff snd puff.

Looking down to Stockdale Farm it appeared to be exceptionally neat and tidy, and surprisingly large considering its isolated location. Here is a link to some interesting history and a long occupation by the Hargreaves family up to 1911. As far as I can find from limited time, searching on the Internet, the present occupants are Cowperthwaites?

https://d1biszitk051fy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hargrave3.pdf

The well kept appearance of the farm was underlined by the gate fastening leading onto the PB footpath which had been copiously daubed with grease making opening and closing easier: a welcome touch which I have wondered from time to time why it is not more frequently done.

The Pennine Bridleway continues on classic Yorkshire Dales track alternating between cropped turf and limestone track.

At a gate south of Rye Loaf Hill ( SD 864 632) I was looking for a means of ascent. Its ascent was my target for the day but I had not been sure if I would have enough puff left to achieve that after many months of non-summiting. I went through the gate and turned north to arrive at a wall after a hundred yards. There was no way through. I turned left and walked on rough terrain following the wall looking for a gate until I arrived at the next gate back on the PB. I retraced back to the first gate snd went back through and went north again to climb over a wired up gate and follow the proper side of the wall all the way to the summit. I have been there before when I did all the trigs on OS Sheet 98. Today, although sun was shining there was a cold wind. I took in the extensive view and a quick photo for the record and retreated returning by the same route. The distance had been just short of six miles and had taken me four hours and fifty minutes. Apart from huff snd puff stops I took no proper rest all the way. The expensive snacks I had bought were devoured later at home in lieu of my normal proper evening meal. 

This return to summiting does not indicate any particular improvement in my breathless problem, it was demanding, but worthwhile, and just sheer bloody-mindedness for my need to get out into some proper walking country with a decent objective.

Entrance to the Pennine Bridleway from the road. Good tarmac for two kms. to Stockdale Farm

Nom-stop ascent all the way to the summit of Rye Loaf Hill

Looking back at my ascent

Pano. of Attermire Scar and its various named "scar" associates. I'm not sure exactly where is the climbing. I have visited the trig but not been there for climbing as far as I can remember 

Farmer's problems. Not much fun working all that back to the wall on that steep slope

Track to Stockdale Farm off to the right. The PB goes through the gate with the well greased latch, see below

Perfect Yorkshire Dales walking

Rye Loaf Hill ahead - zoom

Getting nearer

Looking back

Rye Loaf summit. Ingleborough on skyline with a bit of cloud hovering

Blogger Dashboard has lost its temper. I have been nearly an hour trying to get the last photo and the maps in proper order including "remove formatting" etc. but to no avail. The last photo is looking back at my ascent route up the right hand valley side with Stockdale Farm nestling. Note the short there and back detour at the righthand end of the map route.