Walk of the Month: Clapham to Austwick

Where to wander this month: Clapham to Austwick via Norber

As the winter weather takes it’s toll on the surrounding landscape and the fields get a little boggy, we thought that it would be sensible to send you along a mostly track based walk. Taken from the peopleandthedales.org website, we really do enjoy this route at this time of year.

This route from Clapham Village car park to the village of Austwick is a great way to explore 2 lovely Yorkshire Dales villages. Both villages offer traditional shops, quaint features and friendly locals as well as stunning views of the Dales. If you want to make a day of it, book lunch at either The Game Cock Inn or The Traddock. The Game Cock offers a French inspired menu in a traditional Yorkshire Dales Pub with roaring fires and real ales. The Traddock hotel offers a traditional menu with locally sourced food in its elegant Georgian Country House.

Taking you through Clapham Tunnels, which were created to service and access the Ingleborough Hall Estate, and along ‘Thwaite Lane’ into Austwick. To completely avoid fields and grassland we would advise missing out points 5 & 6, walking straight along the track at point 4 to point 7. This makes it much more achievable for kids and keeps the boots a bit cleaner. This can be a circular route, as detailed in the route description, but this will take you through farmland from points 8 back to 1 (see where it says option 2).

If you choose to include points 5 and 6 in your route you will head to the famous ‘Norber Erratics’. These large boulders were said to have been brought in during the Ice Age from nearby Crummackdale. Made of Silurian Rock, the boulders sit upon Limestone Pedestals, which is the more local rock. Over time the limestone has worn away at a quicker rate than the Silurian rock, creating these small and precarious pedestals. Making for a spectacular feature on the landscape, the Norber Erractis are well worth the diversion on a clear day.

View the route here

Enjoy your walk and adventuring around the Yorkshire Dales.