Yorkshire Walks

Path leaving the car park at Buckden

We arrived in the car park (map ref. SD942773) at the Northern end of the village just before 10.00am. From the car park we set off heading generally northwards along the path leading up Buckden Pike.

My neighbour, Jim, and I made an early start this morning and drove to Buckden in Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It's about an hour and a half by car from home.

Beginning the climb up from the car park at Buckden

Climbing up through Rakes Wood at Buckden

We could see down the valley over Buckden and up Wharfedale to Yockenthwaite. The weather was perfect for walking with clear skies, warm sunshine and a stiff breeze to keep us cool.

We climbed up through Rakes Wood and as we came out of the wood at the top of this climb the path turns to the right. Here we were clear of the trees and from the bend there was a great view of Wharfedale.

Suckler herd of cattle between Buckden & Cray

Stepping stones across Cray Gill

We continued on a path that contours round the hillside to a point above the hamlet of Cray. At map ref. SD943790 we turned left to follow a path down the hillside to some stepping stones over Cray Gill by the road in Cray.

A few hundred metres beyond the bend at map ref. SD940784, the path up Buckden Pike turns right to climb directly up the steep hillside, but our climbing was already done for today.

Dales barn between Cray & Hubberholme

Looking across Wharfedale from
Scar House above Hubberholme

Then we continued along the path following the edge of a limestone scar above the village of Hubberholme to Scar House.

We crossed the road in Cray and took the path along the access road behind the pub and through the cluster of buildings. We followed the path around the hillside to Cross Crook Gill at map ref. SD934791.

Young lambs at Scar House

Path from Scar House to Yockenthwaite

In Yockenthwaite we joined the Dales Way route and followed this along the riverside for just over 4km back to Buckden.

From Scar House we continued along the top of the scar for another 1.5km until we joined a track down the hillside into Yockenthwaite.

The limestone banks were peppered
with primroses, orchids and bluebells

A mallard paddling in the River Wharfe

After about 2km we came to Hubberholme. The path led us into the village past the church and across the River Wharfe on the road bridge.

This part of the River Wharfe is a limestone stream with a rocky bed where the clear water weirs over the steps in the rocks. It was all very pretty in the sunshine.

The young River Wharfe near Yockenthwaite

The church at Hubberholme

We put a large flat stone from the roadside verge under the gate to block the gap and continued on our way through a gateway on the left hand side of the road. From here we followed the path along the river bank again until we came back to the road at the bridge over the River Wharfe on the edge of Buckden.

From here the route took us along the road for about 600m. There was a young lamb loose on the road and it was in a great panic to get back to its mother in the field. We stood back to give it space to sort itself out and after a little while it found the spot under the gate that was just big enough to wriggle through.

Chervil growing by the roadside. It has a distinctive aniseed scent.

Plantains on the river bank

The whole route was about 11km and had taken us about four hours to walk including a couple of stops. On the way home we stopped in Pateley Bridge for a coffee and a toasted teacake to round off the day.

By this time the sky had clouded over and it looked as though the forcasters' prediction of rain this evening would be correct. From the bridge we walked along the road back to the car park in the village to complete our walk.

Speedwells by the road side near Buckden