Yorkshire Walks

Carlton in Coverdale

This morning we drove to Carlton in Coverdale. There was a thick layer of white mist all the way from home and almost as far as Leyburn, but as we approached the dales market town we ran out of the mist and into bright sunshine. We drove down the slope from Leyburn to Wensley the valley to our left was filled with the white mist with a few stark winter trees poking through. It was a wonderful sight.

Looking across Coverdale from the fields below Carlton

Crossing the narrow fields below Carlton

Coverdale was mist free and we parked in the sunshine at the village hall (honesty box provided) in Carlton at map ref. SE 069847. We started walking at about 11am up the village street and turned left on to a footpath at map ref. SE 065846 which took us across some narrow fields to a bend in the road at map ref. SE 063844. We Immediately turned off the road on to another path across the fields to meet the road further down the valley side at map ref. SE 064839. We walked along the road for just over 100m to the next bend and took the path off the right hand side of the road to the tiny village of Gammersgill about 1.3km away.

We were observed by a group of wary locals

Heading up Coverdale from Carlton

Ancient farm machinery - I think it's a hay turner

Winter trees waiting for the spring

River Cover near Horsehouse

The church in Horsehouse

We walked through the village on the road and turned off right on to the footpath at map ref. SE 054828. The path crossed the fields for about 1km and then followed the river bank until we were opposite the village of Horsehouse where the path turned away from the river and up to the village.

Approaching Horsehouse across the fields

Golden Retriever enjoying a river bath despite the chilly temperatures

Stone lime kiln now used as a dust bin store at Arkleside bridge

Ponies at Arkleside

Highland cattle on the climb up from Arkleside

We followed the road through Arkleside to map ref. SE 043803, where we turned left on to a stony track climbing straight up the valley side for about 1km to map ref. SE 048796. There is a gate across the track here and some sheep handling pens. The track turns right and on the bend a bridleway goes off to the left across the steep little valley of Arkleside Gill. We followed the bridleway for about 2km to Hindlethwaite Gill.

This is another steep little valley which has to be crossed before we continued along the bridleway for another 2km to the tiny village of Swineside. The bridleway bypasses the village and joins a narrow tarmac lane which we followed for about 1.5km to West Scrafton.

Left: Ponies on the moor above Arkleside

Below: Crossing Hindlethwaite Gill

Approaching Swineside across the moor

I love to see hens strutting about - these were in West Scrafton

River Cover at Cargill foot bridge

Starting the climb up from the Cargill foot bridge

Mist creeping up Coverdale from the Ure

In this village we joined a path at the side of the Methodist Chapel which goes behind a stone cottage and follows a stream down the side of the valley over some glacial terraces to the river Cover at Cargill foot bridge. The mist was starting to fill the valley like a milky white sea and we had only just crossed the river Cover ahead of its advance. We followed the path up the other side of the valley to a track at map ref. SE 072846. The track led us back to the village street in Carlton and we walked along the street back to the car park at the village hall. The whole route had been about 13km and had taken us four and a half hours to walk including a couple of refreshment stops. As we drove home we immediately dropped down into the mist and it was a misty journey all the way back. The mist had not lifted all day in the Vale of York.

Coverdale filling with the evening mist