Going deep

My interest in Coverdale was sparked by news from Bob Baxter of Yorkshire Water of a new footpath they have had designated as a public right of way. This seemed a good excuse to escape a disconcerting false spring and find a bit of winter deep in the Dales.

I branched off Wensleydale and drove to Horsehouse, where packhorses were once rested and fed. We are on their London to Richmond, and over the hill to Nidderdale, route. Just over the hill, a woman and daughter (innkeepers) preyed on the Scottish packmen and three headless corpses were found in 1728.

Horsehouse was friendly. Judith Kay in her Post Office explained routes, sold me a Kit Kat and one of her digitally enhanced postcards, and a cheerful young sheepdog wagged around and insisted on following, over humpback bridge and by a lime kiln (nicely sheltering a wheely bin), as far as the start of Dead Man's Hill.

The climb is nearly a thousand foot, from 850 to 1750 in a mile and a half. The main track is the sort recreational 4 by 4s erode (signs plead voluntary restraint), and is our safety axis, an escape route in bad weather. I took it halfway up Dead Man's Hill, then I had an explore and a think about my circuit. I'd been admiring Coverdale and the gullies that divide the far flank from top to bottom into rectangles, and decided to make my own rectangle using a mirror image gully later for the descent.

Reach the top and you have done the hard work. Stand by the cairn and the reward is more than fair. One side is National Park, the other Yorkshire Water. First, before moving off, take in Nidderdale. Gouthwaite Reservoir, way down that valley is easily missed, not so the highest water, Angram which burned with sunshine.

I ambled along on slicks of hard packed snow, by peaty pools one inch iced, towards the main landmasses. Full ahead and close is Little Whernside, admirably symmetrical, plinth shaped, flat with concave sides. Behind it, curling in and awesome, is Great Whernside, blocking out the west. North you see much further, ripples of valleys.

These super views are from the new footpath, many thanks, it used to be one of those idiotic, 'path stops in the middle nowhere' situations.

The descent is very direct, like the gully, which deepens, and like the ones the far side, collects a nice accompaniment of trees. Watch out for the two side gullies. I got down as darkness fell, did the valley floor finish in half light and made Horsehouse to find general consternation about 'my' little sheepdog, which had been round the houses and had gone AWOL.

DIRECTIONS

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1. From Post Office, pass phone box and along road, first left (signed Arkleside, unsuitable for motors).

2. After houses at Arkleside, metal fieldgate on left (not fieldgate ahead with footpath sign and yellow waymark) and track straight uphill. Fieldgate and track by wall on left, fieldgate.

3. Fieldgates by wooden renovated sheepfolds, 200 yards, left fork (signed footpath, Dead Man's Hill) to grassy track. Fieldgate and bridge, concrete bridge, 50 yards, right fork to track at 1 o'clock (south and footpath sign). After 200 yards (cairn 20 yards to right), track merges with better parallel grassy track on left.

4. At the top, step over wire fence ahead, where it joins stone wall (unless a clear way to far side is obvious), and immediately right, 100 yards to corner (cairn nearby). Fieldgate and downhill by fence.

5. Fieldgate on right. Note: after going through this fieldgate you can use the fine track straight on if you want an easy, clear route back down to the sheepfolds at Direction No 3. Otherwise, immediately left after this fieldgate (signed Braidley), 100 yards, stile near fieldgate and right downhill (signed) keeping Harkera Gill and attendant fence/wall to your right. You do not need to stray more than 50 yards from gully all way down. Watch out for two side gullies. The first is signalled by Harkera Gill crossing to the far side of the wall. A good crossing spot was marked by a cane! The second gully comes in once you have reached the conifers, two railway sleepers as a 'footbridge'. Fieldgate, barn on right, down to but not through gated squeezer, turn right by wall (signed).

6. Stile, into gully, stepping stones over Harkera Gill, steps up to stile, 25 yards, ladderstile on left and immediately right, fieldgate by small barn, track, fieldgate, rejoin outward route.

FACT FILE

Distance: Five miles.

Time: Three hours.

Start: Horsehouse. Grid Reference 047814.

Right of Way: The complete route is along public rights of way.

Date walked: Friday, January 21, 2000.

Road Route: Horsehouse is about seven miles south-west of Leyburn in Wensleydale. Avoid the very narrow winding road on the southern flank of Coverdale.

Car Parking: Roadside. Limited.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Inn ('closed winter midweek lunchtimes') and at Village Shop/Post Office (phone to check in winter, Judith Kay 01969 640215).

Tourist & Public Transport Information: Leyburn TIC 01969 623069.

Map: Based on OS Outdoor Leisure 30, Yorkshire Dales North and Central.

Terrain: Valley side with big hills hereabouts.

Footwear: Walking boots.

Points of interest: New, spectacular, right of way from Dead Man's Hill.

Difficulty: Moderate in decent weather, steepish 1000 foot climb.

Dogs: Suitable for dogs but keep on leads or under close control.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, but walkers set out at their own risk.

PICTURE:Little Whernside, admirably symmetrical

Click here to view a map of the walk