Yorkshire Dales Walks
Smearsett Scar
Date: 11th June 2006
Distance: 7.5 miles
Ascent: 1430 feet
Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
With: Lisa
Start Grid Ref: SD820672
Walk Summary:
A ramble up on to the fine limestone ridge of Smearsett Scar on a very hot and hazy summer's day.
Route Summary: Stainforth - Little Stainforth - Smearsett Scar - Pot Scar - Feizor - Stackhouse - River Ribble - Stainforth
Pictures:
1. A number of these insects landed on my bonnet in Stainforth
2. One of the more amusing signs I have seen out walking
3. Smearsett Scar
4. Pot Scar from Smearsett Scar
5. Pen-y-Ghent from Smearsett Scar
6. The trig point on Smearsett Scar
7. Looking down to Feizor from Pot Scar
8. Moughton from the limestone pavement on Pot Scar
Walk Detail: As the forecast was for another hot day we set off before 8.00am in order to try and get the climbing done early.
Smearsett Scar was reached quite easily on nice paths and it surprised me with just how impressive it looked close up. In fact I would say that along with Pot Scar it is one of the finest limestone sights in the Dales and it is surprising it is not better known.
The climb to the top was steep but short and the views would have been, on a less hazy day, quite excellent. We sat for a while eating our lunch before deciding to explore the ridge as far as Pot Scar before descending.
As it happened we ended up following the ridge all the way down to Feizor Nick thus taking in Smearsett Scar, Pot Scar and an unnamed lesser top before we reached Feizor. It was actually Lisa who wanted to explore and it was one of the first times we’d really rambled away from marked paths together. Again the limestone scenery was first rate and it was by far the best section of the walk.
Feizor itself was a really beautiful village but the return over the pastures to Stackhouse was a bit of a struggle due to the oppressive temperatures. All I really remember is lots of heat and sweat and though we hardly climbed at all before descending to Stackhouse it was hard work.
The final stretch of the Ribble was quite pleasant until the campsite at Stainforth Bridge where the banks of the river by Stainforth Force had been invaded by people from the campsite and hordes of townies with barbecues. The tiny road leading up to the main Settle – Horton road was blocked by cars and I even saw one car hit another as it tried to turn around. I was quite stunned and have never seen anything like it in the Dales and I hope I never will see the like again. Certainly a shock to the system having passed barely a soul for the rest of the walk!!
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