A walk through a remote and little visited valley, past old lead mining areas and over high moors with fine views.
Map:
Distance: Approx 8.5 miles. Easy gradients westbound with one steep descent.
Getting there: Bus service 30 extends into Arkengarthdale on Saturdays and there is sufficient time between the morning and afternoon buses to complete this walk or it’s variations. Note that the outward morning bus from Richmond does not go through Marske, though it is possible to be dropped in the vicinity of Downholme Bridge (A6108) and to walk from there to Marske by field paths (add 1 mile and 30 minutes to the walk)
The Route: From Marske bridge walk up into the village going left through a gate intothe churchyard passing around the west end of the building out into a lane. Straight ahead is a gate and stile with a path leading up the right hand side of a field to slate roofed cottages. Turn left into a lane which becomes a hard track and passes the scattered buildings and chapel of Clints to enter some fine, mainly deciduous woodland. Nearing the far end of the woods take the left fork (waymarked path) to a gate leading into a walled path with views up to the limestone of Clints Scar where some rather fine yews grow. At Orgate Farm go left, down the farm road to the beck where you will glimpse Orgate Force through the trees to the right. Join another farm road by some barns and continue along this delightful valley to Telfit Farm where waymarks indicate the route going uphill well to the left of the farm buildings. Rather than follow the track up and to the left, keep close to the wall and go through a gap into a field with a fine view into the steep sided Throstle Gill ahead. Go through a gate and follow the path along the beckside. (note: if walking W-E, once through the gate, bear right and uphill, not along the more obvious green track ahead).
This delightful path continues to Helwith, where you should ignore the footbridge and continue to a gate just beyond where the BW track veers left up the hill. Go through the gate and ford the beck. Note that if the beck is high and the ford is difficult it is better to continue to Hurst by the BW which follows a higher route via Prys House to the Hurst road.
Having crossed the beck, continue to follow it along the north bank. In early summer this area is rich in mountain pansies, these becoming more numerous as Hurst is reached. Go past some old lead mining remains, then recross the beck by a stone bridge, continuing to more dilapidated mine buildings where two gills meet. Take the path up the left hand gill, emerging into pastureland and with a farm gate ahead. Bear right to a stile between two gates, then go straight across the next field keeping well left of another ruin to reach a metal gate with a waymark. Go through the gate and along the top of a grassy bank to another rusty gate leading into a sunken track which drops to another ford, on the other side of which is a gate with stile, then a handgate.
Go up a grassy path to meet another track leading to the first houses in the hamlet of Washfold. A tarmac road leads on to the equally tiny settlement of Hurst, which along with Washfold was once busy with the sounds of industry and the clatter of miners boots. 150 years ago this was an important centre of the lead mining industry with hundreds of men working here and two pubs to slake their thirst. Now all of this has gone apart from two chimneys, scattered remains, spoil tips, a chapel and a few cottages.
Continue past the telephone box and the cottages of Hurst to the road end where you should pass through a gate and on to a track which climbs steadily across the moor, here dominated by the extensive remains of old spoil heaps and the earthworks of old shafts. At the top of the moor pause to admire the extensive views ahead over Arkengarthdale and Swaledale, and behind towards Richmond and the distant line of the Hambleton Hills. Here bear left on to a gently descending peaty path to the wall where there is a gate at the wall corner. Go through and across open ground towards the edge of the moor, small cairns here helping to show the route which begins to descend more steeply over short turf with the huge North Rake Hush on the hillside ahead. Waymarks show where the path turns sharp left to drop into a hush before descending it’s left hand side to a gate into pastureland. Hushing was one method used to expose veins of the lead mineral – galena by loosening and digging out the rocks on a hillside before flushing a huge amount of water down the excavations to hopefully expose the lead.
Descend to Storthwaite Hall and bear right along a farm track, crossing a beck and ascending slightly to reach woodland. This good track can now be followed all the way into Langthwaite in the company of Arkle Beck.
ALTERNATIVES: From Hurst it is also possible to walk south across the moor by a clear track to Reeth or Grinton, descending from Fremington Edge to High Fremington. If walking east, this route is another option for the bus user with the possibility of a bus from Marske or Downholme Bridge. There is also the option of walking through to Richmond by continuing beyond Marske on the Coast to Coast path.
This webpage is provided by the Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users Group, you are advised to confirm details of bus services with operators before travelling. Please check bus and train times carefully, particularly that of the last return journey.