Dramatic Drops and Rocks

Another trip to my favourite B&B in Nidderdale, details here. Luckily for me the owners of Croft House are friends so I get a special ‘deal’ on my B&B. All prepared to consult my newly purchased maps I didn’t even need them. Not only were my meals planned (Indian in Pateley Bridge recommended) but my walk was too.

Croft House is situated west of Pateley Bridge and we walked along Guisecliff circling back through Glasshouses. Guisecliff dominates the south side of Nidderdale. It is an impressive escarpment, being the highest and most extensive grit crag in Yorkshire. We walked part of the Nidderdale way and the track was partly across moorland, Nought Moor where we passed by Yorke’s Folly, through woodland and finally across the top of the ridge where the dramatic drop was disguised by heather and low shrub.

Amazingly the horizontal rain from the previous day cleared and the clear blue skies gave not only fantastic views across the valley and moors but also provided a wonderful backdrop to the unusual boulders and carvings which are an intriguing feature of the geology. Doing a bit of a ‘google’ search of the area I was not surprised to find that they are seen as attractive challenges to climbers on the steep side. I was happy to view them from the rather safer sloping, moorland edge.

On the way down towards Glasshouses we passed the tarn.

 The water was absolutely still. Which way up do you think my picture should be?

 OS 298 Nidderdale at 1:25000

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