Feizor, Yorkshire Dales, Spring
I don’t explore the Yorkshire Dales enough.
I don’t explore the Yorkshire Dales enough.
After finally getting over my post-Skye mourning and depression period, it seemed like spring finally arrived in Northern England.
Aware of how busy the Lake District would be, we instead ventured east to the Yorkshire Dales. We quickly realised that we hadn’t explored the Feizor area of the Dales in a long time, like maybe 7-years or so. Time to fix that.
Feizor (pronounced “FAY-zer”) is a tiny l’al hamlet between Austwick and Settle, and easy to miss. Home to a few houses, a farm, and the famous Elaine’s Tearoom, rising high above the hamlet are the limestone fells of Pott Scar and Smearsett Scar. These were the focus of the day’s hike and exploration.
Pott Scar and Smearsett Scar were beautiful examples of limestone karst landscapes, but they also offered immense views to either the back of Ingleborough or the shapely Pen-y-ghent.
A super day.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS and Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f2.8–4.0 zoom lenses. RAWs developed in Lightroom, then tweaked and finalised in Photoshop.
Feizor, Yorkshire Dales, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
A near-timeless scene in the heart of Feizor. Old stone buildings, dry stone walls, foliage everywhere, and the fells rising up behind.
This quaint scene, complete with old water pump, was something I couldn’t resist making a composition of.
Round the back of Pott Scar, before ascending, one can enjoy expansive views towards Pen-y-ghent, one of the Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales.
The squelchy slog up the fell was rewarded with beautiful views from Pott Scar towards Smearsett Scar.
Fin-like clints and grikes of limestone made for a nice leading line towards Smearsett Scar.
Nearer the edge of Pott Scar, I focus stacked these bare limestone edges as they curved off into the distance towards Smearsett Scar.
From the summit of Smearsett Scar, the full extent and shape of Pott Scar is revealed. The day was brightening up too, albeit with a haze.
The summit of Smearsett Scar offers a bounty of limestone clints and grikes that I want to make compositions of.
Another variation from the summit of Smearsett Scar, using the exposed clints and grikes as a leading line towards Pott Scar.
Back down the back of Pott Scar, drafting clouds cast dancing shadows across Moughton Scar and the back of mighty Ingleborough, another one of the Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales.
Plenty of teeny Swaledale lambs about, hastily retreating back to their mums as we followed the track back to Feizor.
The single road that winds its way through Feizor.
A super-zoomed in composition of the back of Ingleborough, taken from the small lane between Feizor and Buck Haw Brow, light dancing across the karst features of the land.
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Stockdale, Settle, Yorkshire Dales, Spring
Summer has well and truly arrived.
Summer has well and truly arrived.
Following on from our little hike around Stenkrith Park and the Lune Gorge, Sunday greeted with us with clear blue skies and 20+ degree sunshine. That’ll do, nicely.
Endeavouring to stay away from our home county Cumbria and the Lake District, we ventured east towards the bonny Yorkshire Dales town of Settle. We fancied a repeat of 2020’s discovery in this area: Stockdale and the Attermire Scar. Hiking up High Hill Lane towards Scalebar Force from Settle, a common and popular walk, you’d have no idea of the limestone cliffs and crags in the valley to the north.
Branching off from High Hill Lane, a bridleway sign points out Attermire Scar. Following this route takes you into the Stockdale valley, where you can gawp at the incredible caves, cliffs, and limestone crags of Attermire Scar and Warrendale Knotts. Some of the best limestone karst scenery in all of the Yorkshire Dales.
And incredible weather to boot.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my three prime lenses: a Samyang 35mm f/1.2, a Laowa 9mm f/2.8, and an adapted Pentax SMC 55mm f/2.0. Photos 80% made in-camera using a customised Classic Chrome film simulation, with minor edits later in Lightroom and Affinity Photo.
I don’t think this typographic mural has been on display in Settle all that long. Certainly wasn’t here when we last visited in 2020. Very nice work indeed, and lots of folk were taking pictures of it.
Swaledale ewe and lamb, basking in the day’s warmth up the fellside from High Hill Lane.
A scar in the fellside of High Hill with a remarkable likeness of some sort of prehistoric dinosaur footprint.
As we hike up Stockdale Lane, the views towards the limestone karst landscape start to open up and my excitement levels rise.
This collection of crags and scree is known as Warrendale Knotts, which tops out at 440 m/1,443 ft.
The Holstein Friesians seemed content in the warm fields of Stockdale.
Nearing the top of Stockdale Lane with Attermire Scar and Warrendale Knotts getting ever closer.
After nervously navigating past a field of young bullocks, and getting muddy boots in the process, a turn back for a shot of my lovely Lisabet. She cute.
The way to Attermire Scar and Warrendale Knotts. Already we could pick out fellow hikers below the scars as well as rock climbers high up the crags, testing their skills and might.
The east face of Warrendale Knotts, with some hikers ascending up the channel between this fell and Attermire Scar.
I shot this primarily for the zigzagging lines towards the crags of Attermire Scar.
Another Swaledale ewe and lamb, chilling beneath Warrendale Knotts.
The transitions between scree and grass create a repeating diagonal pattern that my eye enjoys. So I shot the photo.
The western aspect of Warrendale Knotts as it slopes back down towards Settle.
Well… you should know what I’m like with drystone walls by now. See that cave, middle-left? That’s where we rested for lunch.
The view back to Attermire Scar from our lunch spot, and probably my favourite shot from the day.
Again, a series of connecting lines around the photo that gives your eye something to wander around with.
Coming back down from the fells into Upper Settle, with its proper old-school Yorkshire vibe.
Settle is a popular meeting and rest destination for bikers.
Before heading home, we stopped off at the gardens of Settle Victoria Hall for light refreshment, and to give them our support.
A proper English summer fair vibe.
Settle, Yorkshire Dales, Summer
I do have a strong affinity for Settle.
I do have a strong affinity for Settle.
There’s not many other places I’d rather live in; I consider myself, on a daily basis, to be very fortunate to live in Kendal as it is. But if I had to live somewhere else, Settle would definitely be a top contender.
The market town is small but perfectly formed, ancient and historical, and enjoys being right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It’s such a pretty town.
Lisabet and I originally planned for a good hike from Settle to Scaleber Force, a beautiful waterfall situated only 1.5 miles east of the town with a good 500ft ascent to it. But after checking out the waterfall and nabbing some photos we felt we were good for more, and spotted a nearby footpath sign towards Attermire Scar.
What followed was the discovery of some of the best limestone scenery I’ve seen.
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with a Fujinon XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4.0 lens using a customised Classic Chrome film simulation.
Victoria Hall, complete with bunting. Said to be the UK’s oldest surviving music hall, now struggling to survive due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Settle town centre really is a mish-mash of beautiful architecture. 300 ft above is Castlebergh, a limestone crag that’s nearly always home to a Union Jack.
Settle Town Hall, which now houses the Settle Tourist Information centre as well as a number of retail shops.
This building is called The Folly, originally built in the 1670s as a gentlemen’s residence for wealthy lawyer Richard Preston. It’s served a number of uses over the years and now is home to the Museum of North Craven Life
I love spotting weird typesetting.
In August and September Settle is home to the Settle Flowerpot Festival (seriously), where local residents create all kinds of monuments, statues, and amusing scenarios using flowerpots. Here, a mountain climber scales the wall.
The Old Chapel, another grand building found on the outskirts of Upper Settle. It no doubt enjoys some wonderful views from those windows.
The views get better and better as we climb out of Upper Settle.
It was such a beautiful day.
Scaleber Force, our goal. The waterfall drops 40ft down several shelves into a deep ravine. Looking a little dry here, but still pretty nevertheless.
Weird and wonderful rock formation caused by thousands of years of running water.
After climbing out of Scaleber Force we follow the footpath signs for Attermire Scar. What we found was an otherworldy scene of limestone crags, sheer cliffs, and multitudinous caves.
Attermire Scar is known for its numerous caves, one of which you can make out here.
One of Attermire Scar’s most famous caves is Victoria Cave, so named because the inner chamber was discovered in 1837 on the day of Queen Victoria's accession. The cave contained fossil remains, including mammoth, straight-tusked elephant, cave bear and hippopotamus, Bos primigenius (an auroch), Rhinoceros, and spotted hyenas. Amazing!
West of the scar is a serious of limestone crags, knolls, and other twisted formations known as the Warrendale Knotts. The highest of these peaks is one the western side, reaching 440.8m or 1,446ft.
This particular limestone formation intrigued me, putting me in mind of a table or similar.
You know me, can’t resist a composition involving a drystone wall. Especially if it involves epic crags like these.
More drystone wall compositions, drawing the eye towards the various crags of Warrendale Knotts.
The highest peak of the Warrendale Knotts, reaching 440 m/1,446 ft.
A Swaledale ewe rests below the towers of the Warrendale Knotts.
As we started our descent west of Attermire Scar and Warrendale Knotts, towards Settle, I looked back and saw this high-altitude wispy cloud seemingly split in half. Created by an aeroplane of some sort?
The views back down to Settle and Langcliffe open up. Here you can make out the John Roberts Paper Mill nestled in the valley, a quarry to the left above it, and in the far distance to the right is the unmistakeable shape of Ingleborough (723 m or 2,372 ft).
Not very often I get to see donkeys in the Yorkshire Dales.
Back at Settle, we stop for refreshments at Victoria Hall, in order to support its donation efforts to stay afloat during troubling times. Yes, that’s a golden dog made from flowerpots.
Catrigg Force, Yorkshire Dales, Summer
With all the rain falling in the North of England at the moment, it seems a good opportunity to revisit some of our favourite waterfalls.
With all the rain falling in the North of England at the moment, it seems a good opportunity to revisit some of our favourite waterfalls.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales. In fact, the Yorkshire Dales is home to the highest unbroken-drop waterfall in England, Gaping Gill (if you count the fact that it drops 322 ft into an underground cavern). If you want above-ground only, then the claim is held by Hardraw Force also in the Yorkshire Dales, a single drop of 100 ft.
But there’s plenty of other waterfalls to check out in the Yorkshire Dales. One of our favourites is Catrigg Force, found via a short but steep hike up the Pennine Bridleway east from Stainforth, just north of Settle. Here, Catrigg Beck meanders gently southwest from the slopes of Knowe Fell (593 m/1,945 ft) before plunging 20 ft into a wooded ravine. It’s a magical place.
All photos shot with my Fujifilm X-T2 with a Fujinon XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4 lens using a customised Provia film emulation.
Stainforth is a ridiculously pretty village, in true Yorkshire Dales fashion.
The pull up the Pennine Bridleway from Stainforth begins, where the views quickly open up.
We weren’t the only ones on this hike, and there were plenty of groups—families and friends—hiking up the Pennine Bridleway to see the falls.
Can never resist a shot of the drystone walls of the Yorkshire Dales.
The “nose” in the distance is Smearsett Scar (363 m/1,191 ft).
The copse that hides the ravine where Catrigg Force resides. In the distance the clouds start to lift off one of the Yorkshire Dales Three Peaks: Pen-y-ghent (694 m/2,277 ft).
You can actually get right near the top of Catrigg Force, just before it plunges 20 ft into the ravine below.
Catrigg Force, set in its own beautiful little ravine.
Plenty of people were trying to get closer to the falls, which is tricky because the limestone rocks around here were wet and covered in mud, making them super slippy.
Doesn’t stop people trying.
Back out of the ravine, we rejoined the Pennine Bridleway through Upper and Lower Winskill.
And then started to drop down towards Stainforth, pausing to drink in the views.
After navigating the rather steep and slippery descent down Stainforth Scar, we navigated through the fields back to the village.
A lovely Yorkshire Dales scene.
That’s one happy kitty.