Words & Photos Paul Richardson

December 03 2009

There were menacing storm clouds lurking over the hills west of the River Wharfe, so we decided to go where the sun was shining – the hills just east of the river. It looked as though it could be one those unpredictable weather days of make for an interesting walk.

The route started from the picturesque village of Conistone and led us immediately into Conistone Dab. This is a high gorge that was cut through the limestone rock when glacial meltwater ran from the retreating waterfall that formed the scar higher up the valley. Both the gorge and scar are now dry, water having re-routed below ground long ago, leaving a dramatic landscape behind.

We were still enjoying blue skies as we continued uphill, clambered up the scar at the head of the valley and turned onto the Dales Way towards Kettlewell. This section was undemanding but a real treat as we soaked up the surroundings: limestone outcrops typical of the Dales and views across the valleys of the rivers Wharfe and Skirfare.

Just as we reached the track uphill to Conistone Moor, the storm clouds that we had outwitted earlier came looking for their revenge. For the next 15 minutes we assumed that we would finish the walk in thick snow and with views of nothing more than 20 metres away, but then the sun came out again and it was impossible to imagine where the storm had gone.

On Conistone Moor the landscape alters and becomes noticeably more rugged. From the plateau of the moor, we headed south, where the rocky terrain of the tops is replaced with grassy moorland, as we descended on the aptly named Conistone Turf Road. Just before the track meets up with the Dales Way again, we passed through the middle of an area of limestone pavement – eerie and out of place in its surroundings, it looks almost like a section of pavement from the top of Malham Cove that has wandered off and got lost.

This time we followed the Dales Way towards Grassington. With blue skies returned, the views were of the variety that make you return to the Dales again and again. As we turned off the Dales Way to head west back towards Conistone, all this changed and snow started to fall once more. Our route veered north-west as the path cuts down the side of the gill with Dib Beck way below on our left. From here it was a steady descent back to Conistone just in time for the return of the blue. We’d seen three seasons in one day but it was worth putting up with the stormy episodes for a varied and satisfying walk in the Yorkshire hills.

Distance: 9 miles/14km Ascent: 1150ft/350m Time: 5-6 hours Start/finish: Conistone (GR: SD 982675) Map: Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer Sheet OL2 (Yorkshire Dales – Southern & Western Areas) Information: Grassington, 01756 752774

Technical Spec
From Conistone village centre, take path E (signed Conistone Dib). Follow track uphill for 1 mile then NNW on Dales Way. Just before path goes into woods turn right uphill (Highgate Leys Lane track) onto Conistone Moor. Head SE and continue on track as it turns SW (Conistone Turf Road). At Dales Way path take S route to Grassington for 1.2 miles then turn right onto Conistone path. Pass Dib Beck then head NW to return to Conistone.