{"id":7121,"date":"2025-08-03T00:12:48","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T00:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phoenixwalks.xyz\/?p=7121"},"modified":"2025-08-03T00:16:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T00:16:17","slug":"250714","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/phoenixwalks.xyz\/index.php\/2025\/08\/03\/250714\/","title":{"rendered":"250714"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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14 – 07 – 25\u00a0 \u00a0 KETTLEWELL<\/strong><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Distance 14.3 Km\u00a0 (8.9 miles)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ascent\u00a0 \u00a0335 m\u00a0 (1100 ft)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Start\u00a0 10.46 am\u00a0 \u00a0Finish\u00a0 17.02 pm<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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On an overcast day with mist\/low cloud on the hills, 3 groups left the coach at Cray after an interesting journey along the road from West Burton.\u00a0 The four of us in my group headed westward following Gilbert\u2019s group along the escarpment above Cray Gill, on a reasonable and well defined grassy path.\u00a0 After crossing a footbridge over Crook Gill, we continued on the path roughly in a semi circle, heading generally westwards to Scar House.\u00a0 Most of the time we had a view down Upper Wharfdale but there was not a lot to see due to the mist\/low cloud.\u00a0 At Scar House, both groups stopped for a coffee break.<\/p>

After coffee or other refreshment, our group headed down the farm drive to Hubberholme.\u00a0 This was a solid concrete surface, so good for walking except for the steep slope downhill \u2013 not good for my arthritic knee.\u00a0 As we descended, it was obvious that the cloud and mist were starting to lift and therefore visibility was improving.\u00a0 The tiny village of Hubberholme, or should it be hamlet, had come into view with the church tower particularly visible.\u00a0 We crossed the bridge over the River Wharfe and headed east along the road (Dales Way), passing some quite attractive houses.\u00a0 After a short distance we noticed a sign post pointing to\u00a0 a footpath on the left.\u00a0 Although this was about 400 m before the \u201cA Pennine Journey\u201d footpath shown on the OS map, we followed this path as the sign and gatepost looked fairly new so we assumed that this was a change.\u00a0 Sure enough, the path headed for the river and then turned SE, following the river bank. At a bend in the river, we did notice the path on the map joining us on the rhs.\u00a0 We followed this riverside path for 1.5 Km with some attractive views of the river until we arrived at Buckden.\u00a0 To both add a bit more distance to the walk and also to look at some of the old interesting buildings I had planned to wander around the village and this we did, although unfortunately, a quite heavy rain shower started as we wandered.\u00a0 As it was after 1.30 pm, we found a couple of seats and had our lunch despite the rain.<\/p>

By the time we had finished lunch, the rain had stopped and we made our way to the north of the village, into the car park and followed the wall eastwards bumping into Steve\u2019s group on the way. We continued to follow the wall and then headed down to cross the Buckden Beck.\u00a0 Fortunately due to all the dry weather on previous days\/weeks, there was not a lot of water in the beck and we were able to cross using the flat stones in the river.\u00a0 Climbing away from the beck, we joined a footpath on the east side of a wall.\u00a0 As we walked S, gradually climbing, we had good views looking down on the buildings in the village. \u00a0Leaving the village behind, the path continued its gradual climb bringing good, if slightly misty, views behind us in a northerly direction, although it was difficult to get a good view southwards down the valley. \u00a0As we climbed, the slope became steeper although we were still able to walk normally on a good path.\u00a0 As we approached a wall, the path curved almost 180 deg to the left, continuing to climb.\u00a0 Knowing that we had another ~180 deg turn to the right to join a descending path heading SSE, I told the group to keep an eye open for any path going horizontally to meet it.\u00a0 Unfortunately as they were ahead of me they decided there and then to cut off to the right even though there was no path.\u00a0 I continued ascending until I found a suitable path heading horizontally to meet the SSE path.\u00a0 Fortunately the group waited for me to join them and we continued SSE descending slightly on a good grassy path.\u00a0 By now the weather had improved significantly, the low cloud and mist had virtually disappeared and visibility was much better.\u00a0 The view down Upper Wharfdale was excellent as we approached the village of Starbotton.\u00a0 After passing through Starbotton, we took a right turn onto a track which took us to the R Wharfe.\u00a0 After crossing the river via a footbridge, we re-joined the Dales Way on the west bank of the Wharfe.\u00a0 We then stopped by the river bank to have an afternoon stop.\u00a0 As we were well ahead of time this became a lengthy stop as we sat stoking up the sun.\u00a0<\/p>

On our way again, we followed a generally good, mainly grassy track through fields, with excellent views of the river and the valley in the sunshine.\u00a0 We did manage to get off track near a double bend in the river due to following the river too closely but soon recovered our position (photo of the group approaching an old farm building) and continued thro the grassy fields crossing some stiles in the process. As we approached Kettlewell, the path became a track and was gravelled, ensuring that our finish was fairly easy.\u00a0 Following the river around a right bend followed by a left turn onto the bridge brought us into Kettlewell and next to the coaches.<\/p>

After a poor start, at least in terms of visibility, the day improved and there was relatively easy walking, even up the valley side after Buckden and some excellent scenery once the cloud had cleared.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Click on any photo to view full screen.\u00a0 \u00a0 Move through the gallery using the\u00a0 \u00a0<\u00a0 >\u00a0 arrows.<\/p>