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Update to the Quarries Walk, plus Oxenber Wood.

By Hugh Stewart May 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

This 10.5 mile walk combines some of the Quarries walk (9 in “Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Stations”) with Walk 4 (over Moughton Fell), and adds Oxenber Wood, with its glorious spring flower display. From Horton follow the Quarries walk to the far side of Dry Rigg Quarry, the update being that there is a new railway siding to Arcow Quarry. This Quarry closed in 2015, but opened again after the line was built, from July 2015 till January 2016, on the understanding from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority that nearly half the freight from Arcow and Dry Rigg would travel by rail. Arcow used to have a sideline, but is was deemed inadequate for modern traffic, hence this £6 million pound update 400 yards north. Both of these linked quarries are now part of the CRH company, a multinational originally based in Ireland, though they like to be called Tarmac. Or Lafarge. Or anything to obscure the truth.  The path goes over a new bridge, and the view came as a complete shock to us.

From the road to Austwick, turn left on the Pennine Bridleway and climb till just before a gate before the apex of the track, where cross a stile on the R into  Wharfe Wood. This year, May the 6th was too early for the usual grand bluebell display, but the carpeting of wood anemones and primroses was phenomenal, and later than usual.  Follow the orange ringed posts into and out of Oxenber Wood to the south, and turn right to join Wood Lane, leading to Wharfe and walk 4 in the book. We were disturbed to see so many dead Juniper bushes on Moughton, about half of them, presumably of the same cause, a fungus like disease, Phytophthora Austrocedri, affecting the Juniper Woods in Teesdale, other northern upland areas and places in Argentina! When you enter the Ingleborough Nature Reserve, you can carry straight on through the limestone pavement and left before the fence to go north, across a gate and join the crowds running down to Horton, for a beer, or tea.

  • Wood anemones, Oxenber Wood.
  • More Wood Anemones, Oxenber.
  • The new rail link to Arcow Quarry, from the new bridge.
  • Dead Junipers, Moughton
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: oxenber.gpx

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

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Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

Note, this is now fully described in the Second Edition of "Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations", 2014, walk 1b. If the long Langcliffe Scar track does not appeal, but a bit more hillwork does, try this start: as per the book, walk 1, but at the Malham/Settle road turn right … Read More » about Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

Another plague walk which we could do from home, and although this seems to be a popular walk for locals, we had never done it, and decided to do it both because of that and as we thought it would be less popular and hence less boot-churned muddy than others round Caton and the Bowland Fells. The … Read More » about The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

I.e. avoiding any crowds parking there. Start at Little Cragg car park and go down the road, turning right to go over the top of Baines Crag for your first view of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells. At the road go down then left over the first ladder stile and cross the infant Condor by stone or … Read More » about A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

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