Grassington - Conistone Dib - River Wharfe - Grassington

Sheila Gordon

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The walk starts in Grassington market square; this is the main shopping centre for Upper Wharfedale and it attracts visitors from far and wide with its attractive buildings and cobbled streets. Make your way out of town and along an ancient track between dry-stone walls which are such a feature of the dales. As you climb up on delightful grassy paths, stunning views open up all around.

Eventually you reach Bare House, a disused house and barn, which is undergoing some refurbishment. From here you weave your way between the remnants of the leadmining days, past shafts and sinkholes, until you reach an excellent track known as Bycliffe Road. Turn left here along this old drove road and very soon incredible views start to unfold along the Wharfedale Valley. Drop down between dry-stone walls to reach a section of limestone pavement and the junction of the Dales Way. Here you pass through a gate and two stiles before scrambling down into Conistone Dib. Gradually you descend to the village but not before negotiating another short, rocky scramble down into a gorge, which is a sheer delight with huge overhanging limestone walls.

Soon you reach Conistone, a very attractive hamlet with a small green surrounded by seventeenth century houses and barns built in the local limestone. Your route lies to the left at this point, but a diversion could be made to Kilnsey, one kilometre away, to view the spectacular crag there and possibly also to visit the Tennants Arms Hotel. Otherwise turn left along the minor road until you reach White Nook Lathe. A field is crossed here before you join the River Wharfe. From here the path soon enters Grass Wood. For the next 2.5 kilometres the route-finding is easy as you follow the line of the River Wharfe almost all the way to Grassington. Approximately halfway along here is Ghaistrill's Strid, where the river forces its way between the rocks in a most dramatic way. Eventually Grassington Bridge is reached and you leave the river to join the road up into town.

England - North England - Yorkshire - Yorkshire Dales - Wharfedale

Features

Birds, Church, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Museum, Pub, River, Wildlife

10/17/2013 - mark archer

Super walk with plenty of diversity - moorland, karst scenery, scrambling and finally a river walk. Explicit instructions throughout. A couple of alterations-the ladder stile after WP5 is, in fact, a step stile. The footpath at WP24 is signed 'Grassington Bridge' now. There is no evidence of Sally's (last reviewer)no entry sign at WP25 now. The first half of the walk is very steady, and not at all strenuous, however it is only after descending the Dib, that the knees start to ache and the road walking from Conistone is hard on the feet too. Overall, terrific!

11/21/2011 - Sally Watson

Completed Sat 19th November 2011. A lovely walk on a bright sunny November day. Lots of variety and stunning views from the top. The gate at point 25 now reads 'no entry' but you can easily walk a little further along the road and rejoin the route further down the river.

10/29/2007 - Paul Paintin

Completed Thursday 25th October 2007. Great route, good mix of moor and low level walking. The Dib scramble certainly adds something unique.