I have John Craven to thank for this walk. I read that it was his favourite and, not being familiar with Crummackdale, headed off on a sunny May day to experience it for myself. What a gem it is. One of my favourite spots along the route is the lost-in-time old farming hamlet of Wharfe. Garlanded with wisteria, the manor is a fine old building with wooden door with iron studs and a huge stepped chimney.
A little further north I watched as a distant farmer on his quadbike led his sheep a merry dance as he sped across the fields presumably with food on board. On such a still day the bleating carried fully 500m across the dale. A short ascent leads up to a limestone pavement similar to the more famous one at Malham but with none of the crowds. Mini-fissures called grikes shelter and showcase tiny ferns and flowers.
The route summits at a large cairn that deserves a name and boasts a better view than some mountain peaks, extending as far as Pen-y-ghent. You'd think you'd have to work harder for such a panorama. The route finishes by passing through the Norber Erratics which are boulders deposited by melting ice sheets in the Ice Age. Earlier, from a distance, erratics more widely dotting the dale looked like crumbs scattered by a giant. His nails could have etched lines into the clints (blocks) of the limestone pavement. Up close the Norbers look like abandoned or work in progress projects in a sculptor's yard. Whatever you make of them they provide a quirky finale to an exhilarating walk.
THE WALK
1. Leave Austwick along road to the north-east. At Mill Bridge and opposite Silas House fork left onto walled bridleway signed to Wharfe. Pass over dam bridge and follow path as it bears sharp left then sharp right through the hamlet of Wharfe.
2. Turn sharp left between Garth Cottage and Wharfe House up and along stony track. Just before a waterfall to your left fork right onto footpath (easy to miss). Pass through gate and proceed beside collapsed wall on right. The path bears right. Pass through another gate to follow grassy path past a ruined farmhouse. Keep right at a minor fork and follow path uphill.
3. At the top of the scar turn sharp left to the cairn. Follow vague track across limestone pavement and along the scar edge eventually to join a grassy path coming up from the left. Head away from edge briefly and follow path as it bears left, up and through a handgate in the wall. Turn left onto the Pennine Bridleway, a flat grassy track. Soon fork right then left at fingerpost heading towards a large cairn.
4. Keep ahead along path which gradually diminishes. Bear left and descend to ladderstile to right of fieldgate. Continue south through the erratic boulders (no path). Descend through a rocky cleft to a four-way fingerpost. Follow sign to Austwick, keeping wall on your right to pass through an initially hidden handgate. The path becomes a track. Pass through a fieldgate and turn left onto stony track for 100m then right onto lane to Austwick.
Eat here
Cross Leigh Stores and Post Office, Austwick. Perfect for a pack-up or grabbing a coffee and cake. Includes in-store bakery baking croissants and pasties. Local produce a speciality. crossleighstores.co.uk.
The Game Cock Inn, Austwick. gamecockinn.co.uk. Also includes an in-house bakery. Menu features French and Mediterranean inspired dishes such as beef bourginon and Basque pipperade. Closed Monday and Tuesday. gamecockinn.co.uk.
Compass points
Start/finish: Postcode LA2 8BS, grid ref SD 769688.
Time/distance: 4 hours/13.8 km.
Accessibility: Quite a challenging walk in open country with careful navigation needed after point 3.
Map: OS Landranger 98 Wensleydale and Upper Wharfedale and OS Explorer OL2 Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western Area
Parking: With consideration in Austwick, eg Townhead Lane.
Map link: bit.ly/Crummackdale.
