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Contents :: RIBBLE WAY :: Day 6


		INTRODUCTION		DAY 5
		DAY 1		DAY 6
		DAY 2		DAY 7
		DAY 3
		DAY 4

THE RIBBLE WAY RUNS FLOWS FROM ITS SOURCE IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES TO ITS RIVER MOUTH BEYOND PRESTON

NATIONAL TRAIL GUIDES UK

Day 6 :: Another Hot Day:: Settle to Horton in Ribbledale:: 8 miles

Our walk today started at a narrow footpath enclosed between a stone wall and a fence with Settle United football field on one side and school playing fields on the other. This is just yards from the River Ribble, where our walk yesterday finished. The footpath is unmistakable due to a bright red litter box on a post at the beginning of the path.

The track wound around the perimeter of the school playing fields, changing from a gravel track to a stone and mud track between grass. At the end of the playing fields the track opened out onto a large field alongside the River Ribble, which, despite the rain last night, was quite low and the sub-marine banks were in many places quite exposed, revealing loose stones and pebbles.

The track crossed midway through a field of lush grass to the side of a wall where it climbed slightly and took a large sweep around to the left, following the bend of the river until reaching a wooden step stile on the edge of a wooded area.



River Ribble at Giggleswick		The Ribble beyond the plaything fields

On the opposite bank Langcliffe Mill was now quite prominent but somehow did not look out of place, as it was glimpsed between the trees. The path now continued on the raised riverbank with trees on our right and a wooden fence on our left, separating us from rich pasture land. We soon passed through a squeeze to reach a field on the other side, and we walked diagonally across it on a worn path through the grass, to the stone wall beyond, and the road to Stainforth.



Langcliffe Mill		Path to road near Stackhouse

We passed through a wooden gate in the wall to join the lane and then turned right. This was not a busy lane and we did not need to stay on it very long. The wayside on either side of the road was covered in dense flowering herbage and a close look revealed many species of flowers. In the distance we could see the buildings of Stackhouse. We passed a lane on our left giving us a glimpse of some beautiful houses beyond, but our way lay ahead.

Just after a white cottage on our right a sign pointed us through a gate and along a narrow track back to the Ribble. We rejoined the Ribble quite quickly at a weir and footbridge. On our right the Ribble was very low and much of the bedrock was above water. On our left the Ribble looked quite full as it hung back above the weir. I have been here before and have seen salmon leaping the weir, and solitary herons are often found waiting patiently for them.



Weir near Stackhouse		Ribble riverbank

Continuing forward we crossed a stile and walked along the riverbank along successive fields, sometimes with and sometimes without stiles. Our path soon changed to take the side of a sloping river bank with trees on either side. The path soon leveled out again but we remained elevated above the river at the side of verdant pasture. Thickly foliated trees kept with us, offering intermittent shade from the blazing sun that had for the last 2 days burned my calfs quite thoroughly.

After passing through and over several stiles we eventually climbed some steps to cross a stile in the wall to reach an even more elevated wooded riverbank. Progressing forward we passed over Stainforth Beck, which was little more than a collection of stones, trickles and puddles.

The path offered some outstanding scenery with a rich mixture of trees, sweeps of the Ribble, variegated field colours and mountain backdrops. In places the riverbank leveled and then wound along the side of steep banks. Near to a camping and caravan site the Ribble changed as it narrowed and deepened to pass through a small gorge.



Approaching Stainforth		Path nearing Stainforth

Immediately beyond the gorge was a set of waterfalls that on sunny weekends would attract scores of sunbathers and swimmers. I have often seen crowds of people sitting, watching salmon leaping. The falls are not small and it is quite a magnificent sight to see salmon leaping up them, often failing many times before being successful.

Beyond the falls was an attractive single arch stone bridge. Atop, it is wide enough only to carry a single line of vehicles. We crossed to the bridge and turned right, following the road around a left bend and then climbing up hill, over a railway bridge and meeting the main road between Settle and Horton. We turned right on the road and could see Stainforth church. We crossed to enter the village and left at a sign pointing to Moor Head Lane, which it said was 1.5 miles away.



Stainforth Gorge		Stainforth Falls



Stainforth Bridge		stainforth Church

Following the sign past Stockhill House and up a lane between houses we passed, at its end, a ladder stile to a field and walked uphill and straight ahead. We passed into another field and turned diagonally right, uphill. Looking back there was a terrific view over the rooftops of Stainforth, and Malham Moor beyond.



Looking back to Stainforth		Looking back along the Ribble Valley

We continued walking uphill for what seemed a very long time, until the pastureland gave way to moorland, with tufts of tough grass all around. Still our path took us uphill and leveled off as we veered more to our left through a newly planted plantation. Pen-y-Ghent could be seen sticking its bulky summit above the mountain tops ahead. We walked on and on for quite a time, passing through gates and stiles. We encountered a sign pointing to Stainforth in one direction and Moorhead Lane in the other. We had been heading for Moorhead Lane for some time, this being our next marker to aim for, and we had expected it to be somewhat closer. It was still half a mile away.

We carried on, passing through many more gates and stiles until passing a final stile to reach the lane, which ran across our path. We turned left upon it and headed downhill. The lane was very rough with stones protruding all along its length so that walking was difficult.

We followed the lane for ages downhill towards Helwith Bridge. The landscape ahead of us was unique in that it was covered in quarries above Helwith Bridge. When we eventually reached the road below (Settle to Horton) we crossed it and turned left and then immediately turned off right at a signpost to Austwick and Helwith Bridge. Helwith Bridge is entered via the bridge at Helwith, and from which there is a nice view over the Ribble. On the right-hand side was a pub and at the rear of the car park the Ribble Way continued through a small paddock and beyond to a field leading to a railway and a stile over the fence to a lane.



Moorhead Lane		Ribble beyond Helwith Bridge

We followed the lane right for about 400 metres and then crossed under the railway bridge at a path on our right. This led to a gravel track enclosed by two stone walls and we followed this for some way, passing a wooden footbridge over the Ribbing from gravel to dirt to grass. We eventually passed into a field that funneled us onto a track leading to the farm and running beside the Ribble once more.

We passed through the farm and its yard and joined a lane which we followed for some time before, on a left bend, we reached another Ribble Way sign, pointing the way left and right. it seemed that we had not followed the correct route out of the farm, but no harm done. We were again on the correct route.

We crossed to a wooden footbridge but turned left rather than crossing it, to take up a track on the riverside. We passed over a stile and into a beautiful wild flower meadow. Soon after we entered a small woodland with wildflowers growing profusely throughout, in the grass beside the trees.

As we left the wood the path continued along the riverbank, beyond a line of trees, passed over a stream via a wooden footbridge and shortly after crossed a lime contaminated steam that looked milky white. We then continued again along the riverbank, passing a sewage works on our left, crossing a wooden step stile over a fence and walked along the outskirts of Horton-in-Ribblesdale. We weaved around the backs of some houses over a neat pavement and crossed over a stile on our right to enter a field which led us to the bridge and road at Horton and directly into our car park.



Wild Flower Meadow near Craghill Farm		Wild Flower Wood

Day 5

Day 7

Author - Roy McKee