Rye Loaf Hill From Settle (31st January 2005)

A 7-mile walk from Wainwright's "Walks In Limestone Country" (reviewed below). Done (just) pre-CROW coming into force in the Dales we were technically trespassing , though an ancient empty Kestrel lager can (Do they still make that?) at the summit cairn suggested people did occasionally climb it pre-open access.


The initial part of the route out from Settle is very steep, but the walk levels out after this and there is little climb of any note after this, save the last part from the Malham footpath to the summit.
Warrendale Knotts

The view of Settle and beyond from the top of the first climb is superb, but on this occasion we were in low cloud and visibility was practically nil, though the limestone formations looming eerily through the murk made up for this.

Attermire Scar

The mist soon cleared and we had a view of the 1,794 ft summit for the last mile and a half of the approach.

Rye Loaf Hill

At the summit cairn. There are excellent views from here, including Pendle Hill and Bowland to the south.

Scaleber Force, on the return journey.

"Scaleber (pronounced Scallyber) Force was formerly known as Scaleberg Foss. On a signpost in Settle it is wrongly named Scalebar Fall." Still there!

Settle from High Hill Lane.

Whilst returning from the summit we attempted a short cut across a field at Scaleber Pasture. Figuring that nobody would spot two specks on a distant landscape, we were then somewhat dismayed by the woolly "Escort" we got all the way across - I felt like a cross between St Francis Of Assisi and Brian "The Messiah" in "Monty Python's Life Of Brian"! This and the rest of the walk in the video...