Yorkshire Dales Walks
Grizedales
Date: 2nd March 2007
Distance: 12.6 miles
Ascent: 2359 feet
Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SD900626
Walk Summary:
A fine walk above Malham visiting three Dewey tops, including Grizedales before visiting Great Close Hill overlooking Malham Tarn.
Route Summary: Malham - Long Lane - Pikedaw Hill - Kirkby Fell - Rye Loaf Hill - Grizedales - Langscar Gate - Malham Tarn - Great Close Hill - Abbot Hills - Malham Cove - Malham
Pictures:
1. Looking across Malhamdale to Weets Top from Pikedaw Hill
2. Grizedales
3. Looking down to Malham Tarn
4. The top of Rye Loaf Hill
5. The top of Grizedales
6. Rye Loaf Hill from Grizedales
7. Nappa Cross
8. Malham Tarn
9. Great Close Scar
10. Malham Tarn from near the top of Great Close Hill
11. Looking back to Great Close Hill
12. The top of Abbot Hills
13. Malham Beck
14. Limestone pavement on Malham Cove
15. Malham Cove
Walk Detail: Give or take a couple of days, it was exactly two years since Matt and I had first climbed Kirkby Fell and Rye Loaf Hill - the aim of this walk was to revisit these tops and also bag the higher nearby summit of Grizedales. Thankfully the weather was not as changeable or quite as windy as that day. Projected to be sunshine and showers I did not come across any rain and there were numerous breaks in the cloud for the sunshine to spill through and provide my favourite camera conditions.
I deliberately set out to use as many paths as I could that I had not used before which is why I climbed Pikedaw Hill via Long Lane and Fair Streets Gate. Along the way I passed some Highland cattle while on Pikedaw Hill itself I found a dead shrew.
While Kirkby Fell is the most prominent of the three Deweys from Malham the best top and the shapeliest fell is undoubtedly Rye Loaf Hill. Meanwhile I was pleased that Grizedales looked at least like a separate top and its little summit limestone ridge gives it something distinctive compared to the other two. Grizedales also boasted the best view of Malham Tarn.
As it hadn’t taken much time to do the three tops I decided I would have a crack at Great Close Hill. This proved to be an excellent decision as the views of Malham Tarn were excellent from the top. I ate my lunch in the summit shelter cairn while enjoying the views over to Parsons Pulpit.
I then continued on bagging along the way the 415m point marking the top of Abbot Hills. Similarly to Grizedales the top was on a little limestone ridge although this time there was not even the beginnings of a cairn. From there I walked passed the limestone pavements of Long Scar and along Malham Ings before finally heading for the Cove which was as impressive as ever.
While this walk covered yet more of the environs of Malham there is so much to see that and so many variations in route available that one could happily keep coming back and not get bored.
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