Ribblehead to Sedbergh

After a pleasant stay at the Ribblehead station Inn it was time to head off to Sedbergh.

The link path from Ribblehead to the Dales High Way heads for Ribblehead viaduct..

.....with yet another coal train from Scotland crossing it.

The path to Dentdale and Whernside branches off and..

.....climbs gently to Blea Moor sidings.

Looking back to Simon Fell and, under the cloud, Ingleborough.

The main Dales High Way path comes in from the west under a bridge near this point.

The lonely signal box at Blea Moor.

The broad track contiues....

.....to cross Little Dale Beck at a bridge..

.....before turning over the railway line on a bridge, which also carries Force Gill in an aqueduct.

Perfect timing again, as a Leeds to Carlisle train heads towards Blea Moor tunnel.

Just beyond the bridge a path cuts off to the right to climb over Blea Moor. The Dales High Way and the path to Whernside head uphill.

A final look back at Ingleborough.

Force Gill waterfall lies just to the west of the path.

Over to the east the spoil tips and ventilation shafts of Blea Moor Tunnel are emphasised in this telephoto photo.

A short section of paved path leads....

.....up to the junction of the Whernside path. The DHW heads straight on....

.....to cross a fence onto the moor.

The open moor is a lovely place to be on a good day..

.....but very bleak in bad weather. At least there's a clear path.

Over to the north east is Arten Gill viaduct with Great Knoutberry Hill (672m) beyond.

Crossing Great Wold there is the ruin of a farm...

......whilst it looks like the moles have been busy here, unless this is related to the "area of shake holes" marked on the map .

The Dales High Way begins its long drop into Dentdale.

At Boot of the World, the path heads into a  walled enclosure to reach...

....the lane down to Dentdale.

Across Deepdale is Great Coum (687m)

The track becomes quite rough as it drops down...

.....but the views over to the left in Deepdale make up for it. This is Whernside.....

High Pike..

...and Great Coum

Almost down in Dentdale and....

...near Whernside Manor the path turns sharply left...

.....to join a minor road...

..and then onto the valley road...

....which leads to Mill Bridge..

...where the riverside Dales Way is joined.

There's a pleasant mile by the Deepdale Beck..

.....until it joins the River Dee.

The path follows the river before..

.....cutting across a stream marked as 'Keld' and ..

...fields .....

....to Church Bridge.

Dent village is a short walk past the church...

...and up the cobbled street...

....past the Sun Inn...

....to reach the end of the village.

Back on the tarmac for a while.

....before a riverside path....

....leads on to..

....Barth Bridge.

Back on the road for a short distance and then..

....the Dales High Way joins a farm lane going uphill.

Looking back across Dentdale towards Whernside and Great Coum.

The lane is very narrow but thankfully no tractors came down.

At Lunds farm...

....the path goes through a gate onto..

....a walled track climbing onto the

.....moor.

At a pair of gates the way forward follows a wall..

....before cutting across heading for the skyline..

.....where there is a stile.

A left turn and it's along the wall..

....to be met by the first sight of the Howgill Fells.

The track drops down towards Holebeck Gill....

...and then climbs up Fristrow..

....before finally dropping again towards Side Fram.

Just around the corner there's a bit of a surprise.....

You don't normally find beautiful naked girls in the Yorkshire Dales!

Having recovered, it's along the lane...

....through High Hollins.

...and Lane Ends.

Finally, there's a section on A684 to walk along to reach..

...Settlebeck Bridge.

The River Rawthey.

Spring came late in 2013 with these daffodils only just in bloom in mid April.

The end of the walk in Sedbergh main street.