Thu 4 Feb 2015
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| Warfe |
Set off rather late for Crummackdale. Lovely day, sunny, with hardly a breath of wind. Wharfe is a lovely hamlet, completely unspoiled by traffic because its lanes are private. I took the top path which passes in front of a cottage, and is like walking through the owner's garden. Just beyond was a large, shaggy pony relaxing in the sunshine. I wonder if she passed a comfortable night. She declined to speak to me.
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| One of Wharfe's inhabitants |
I met no-one along the path between the walls, and continued on past the Washdub Field. When I reached the junction with the lane to Crummack, I climbed the ladder stile to walk through the fields.
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| The ford by the Washdub Field |
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| New bridge over Austwick Beck... |
I took it easy, being the first walk since Clough Pike, and soon reached the crossing point of Austwick Beck. The old bridge, which was the only one the first time I came this way, is still usable, but precarious, especially if the beck is in flood.
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| ...former bridge |
I found a relatively warm spot in the shelter of the wall where the stile gives on to the lane to Moughton for my lunch. Afterwards I didn't want to go higher up the valley so turned down the lane. Instead of returning to Wharfe via the wash dub field I climbed up to the path that leads over Studrigg Scar and thence to Moughton summit.
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| Beautiful oak below Studrigg Scar |
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| Strudrigg Scar route to Moughton |
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| The field route back to Wharfe |
The field path is a lovely way back to the village, which I soon reached, concluding another pleasant visit to Crummackdale
