A Beautiful Walk in the Yorkshire Dales

                                                                                          

For those wanting a lovely short walk (10.4kms / 6.5 mile and approx 3 and a half hours with two pubs on route)

here is the perfect day out.

Starting at the picturesque village of Arncliffe the route heads up over the impressive limestone plateau of Hawkswick Moor and visits the famous village of Kettlewell (Calender Girls) before traversing around the southern end of the plateau to climb and descend into the small hamlet of Hawkswick, finishing with a gentle stroll along the west side of the river Skirfare back to Arncliffe.

The route follows good obvious well marked paths but can be tricky in low cloud or after a good downpoor. 

The route starts at the 'Falcon' Inn in Arncliffe and heads over the village green, through a snicket and over the bridge on the river Skirfare besides the village chuch.  Immediately over the bridge turn right and cross into a field following the path along the river bank and then diagonally up the hill crossing a number of stiles and through a small wood before arriving some 40 minutes later on the top of Hawkswick Moor. (see pic 1)

The path now crosses over the middle of the Moor for approx 2km following signs for Kettlewell (do not follow the path along the edge of the Moor). after crossing a few more dry stone walls and a high point of 449 meters, the beautifully located village of Kettlewell will come into view. follow the clear path down the hillside until you come to a tricky rock band with a well worn passage through called 'The slit'.  Descend this passage and head diagonally into Kettlewell for a well earned pint in the dog friendly 'Blue Bell Inn' (Calender Girls Fame) 

After a swift lunch stop and a paddle in the River Wharfe the route now returns back up to where you first crossed the road into Kettlewell and heads south along the west side of the road (over the fence) following a lovely path that slowly climbs up and around the edge of Hawswick Moor and gently traverses back around until the River Skirfare comes back into sight and the small hamlet of Hawkswick.  Descend the well worn but scenic path into the small cluster of houses that is Hawkswick and at the road turn left for 40m before crossing over the stone bridge on the river Skirfare, once over the bridge follow the road for a few hundred feet untill you see a iron foot bridge crossing back over the river, head down towards this but do not cross, instead follow the sign for arncliffe that follows a well worn path along the left side of the river all the way back to Arncliffe.