GIGGLESWICK SCAR from FEIZOR

 


Summary

Date - (1)30th October 2016, (2) 28th December 2016

Distance - (1) 6 miles, (2) 6.5 miles
Ascent -
(1) 1020ft, (2) 930ft
Map - OL41
Start point - Elaine's Tearooms, Feizor (SD 7900 6768)

 

Summits Achieved

Name Height (ft) Height (m) Grid Ref
Giggleswick Scar 1050 320 SD 8059 6562

 

Preface

It was Friday afternoon and the tea and cakes had arrived, Allen looking up from the iPad, saying, "great, I'm gasping for a cuppa."

He and Southey then went for the mugs and plates, Southey saying, "I'll lend a paw helping to pour the tea."

"Thanks pal", replied Shaun

Grizzly then announced, "for cake I have made fruit scones, with butter and raspberry jam. Little Eric has done chocolate caramel shortbread."

"Lovely", enthused Allen, taking a slice. After taking a bite he exclaimed, "it's scrumptious."

"The scones are delicious too", said Shaun.

Just then Tetley strolled in. Shaun quickly filled a mug and passed it to him. "Thanks pal. I have spoken with Dad following his visit to Dennis his osteopath. He has told Dad that for the time being he should restrict the walks to about 7 miles and with not too much climbing."

"Oh dear", said Southey mournfully. "I suppose that means my Limestone challenge will have to be put on hold."

"I asked Dad about that, and he said Whernside is not on just yet, but Giggleswick Scar and Moughton are not long walks nor do they involve very steep ascent so there is no reason not to get those bagged for you", responded Tetley.

His face breaking into a smile, Southey said, "oh wonderful. We really do have the very best Dad in the world."

"We do", agreed Little Eric. "He has progressed my Wainwrights and Birketts, more than I ever expected. I still say he does not have to redo them all for me, but little by little they are getting ticked off.

"Did he say if we are walking this weekend?", asked Grizzly.

"Sunday", replied Tetley. "he has suggested we do Giggleswick Scar. It was the 14th February 2009 that we first climbed it. But it was a momentous day for another reason, as it was the first visit to Elaine's Tearooms at Feizor."

"Certainly momentous, as Dad and Uncle Brian had been hundreds of times since", interjected Allen. "It's there second home in Yorkshire."

"Are we starting from there on Sunday?", asked Shaun.

"Yes pal", replied Tetley. "Dad has planned a route over the scar to then join the path from Stackhouse. We will leave this and climb over to the valley below Smearsett Scar, that leads down to Feizor.

"I bet that will mean he will have tea before we set off", laughed Allen.

"Sounds great, and I can't wait", cried Southey.


This walk was an area that Uncle Eric had never walked before, so Dad suggested doing it as the last walk of 2016. We were quite happy to repeat the walk too, especially as the December day was much brighter and clearer, so providing better views. We also incorporated some variations to the route, so visiting again the interesting feature that is the Celtic Wall, and for the very first time for us all Dead Man's Cave. The pictures in the narrative, are a mixture from both walks.

 

The Walk

"Dad will be eating at Elaine's, so will not be taking a picnic", said Grizzly. "But we need to pack some food for ourselves."

"OK", replied Little Eric, "I'll lend a paw doing the sandwiches."

"Thanks pal."

This was soon done and safely stowed in Allen's rucksack. Then about 10:00, Dad called out, "I'm ready."

"Right", replied Shaun. "Come on pals let's get settled in the car."

The route to the start is so familiar that Dad could almost drive it blindfold, but we are glad he didn't!

To Bentham and over the common to the A65 then on towards Settle, to take the narrow lane at the sharp corner climbing up to the triangle and left down to Feizor, Dad parking beside the tearooms.

Sharon saw Dad, saying "what are you doing here?"

"Going to climb Giggleswick Scar. Am I OK parked here."

"Yes fine."

As we had suspected Dad decided to have a pot of tea so we waited patiently in the car. The cafe was quiet, but suddenly all the tables were being taken, so Dad left to free his.

Once ready, we strolled along the road crossing the ford to go left on the track signed Stackhouse.

"The important direction for us is that to Scar Top", said Shaun.

Shortly through a gate, the way was wide and grassy climbing gently. On the day with Uncle Eric, we met Elaine's husband Jonathan who was coming down in his tractor. He stopped for a chat and Uncle Eric was introduced.

Jonathan then said, "you can do me a favour by shutting the gate."

"Sure, no problem", Dad replied.

As we strolled on Southey called out, "Look at those calves snuggling down the the grass by their mother. Aww they look cute"

After a while to path forked where there is a helpful three-armed signpost. "We take the path signed Buck Haw Brow", said Shaun.

This took us down by the wall the route through the gate clearly seen in this picture.

Beyond the outcrop, the path led to a gate in the left wall and then one in the wall to the right. Then on to a signposted gate.

"We keep left on the path signed Giggleswick", instructed Shaun.

The path led on to a gated step stile, where, now high above the road we had this dramatic view along the scar and of Settle golf course.

Never in doubt, we strolled the undulating path. Pointing left Little Eric said, "there's one of the number of caves on the scar." Glancing at the map he said, "it is not named."

Tetley opened the book and matching the route to the map said, "It's called Wall Cave."

"Beyond a broken wall, Shaun said , "we take this narrow trod left. It will take us to the summit."

On the day with Uncle Eric, Dad wrongly insisted on taking the trod left after the wall before the broken one. It was only as we gained the ridge that we realised Dad's error. "

"Do we have to go back down?, asked Uncle Eric.

"No", replied Shaun. "We just need to follow this trod that will take us through the next wall to the summit."

There was one compensation for the navigation error, in that we saw another of the caves. This being Kinsey Cave, situated at the head of a small ravine.

As the summit came in sight Tetley called out, "there's the cairn."

"Yippee", cheered Southey. "Another one ticked off. Come on pals let's climb up for our picture."

"Not easy for me", complained Little Eric. "I have only got little legs.

"You can ride on my back", offered Shaun.

Thanks pal."

We clambered down and settled again in Dad's rucksack, ready to make the descent to the main path.

Allen commented said, "look at the view to Pen-y-ghent. Another benefit to repeating the walk as it was obscured the first time."

On the main path again, Dad said, "we are going to visit the Schoolboy Tower", as we took a trod branching right.

A large cairn loomed up, Southey saying, "is that it."

"It's bit further on, I reckon", replied Shaun.

He was right, and cresting a rise the Tower appeared ahead.

"Wow, what a huge cairn!", exclaimed Southey. "What is the history?"

"I thought you might ask, so I looked it up", replied Grizzly. "Apparently the tradition is that matriculating students of Giggleswick School each place a rock on the tower to mark the end of their school days."

Dad clambered up to reveal that the tower is partly hollow,

and of course we just had to sit here for our picture.

The view were rather hazy, but Allen called out, "the autumn colours of those trees bordering the golf course must be worth a picture."

"So where now?", asked Southey.

"Back to the main path then we skirt round the quarry", replied Shaun.

As we got closer Southey said, "it's enormous and so deep."

"Hence the double fence and warning signs", commented Tetley.

Here we met four ladies and Dad chatted a little. One asked, "where have you come from."

Dad replied, "Elaine's Tearooms at Feizor."

"Oh, that's where we are headed."

Good we thought.

Keeping to the track it zig-zagged down, and when it turned right to a gate, Shaun said, "we keep on ahead to follow the path through that wall gap."

Well we would have done had this cow not been blocking our way.

"That accounts for why the two ladies I saw from by the quarry, had to deviate from the path", commented Allen.

Beyond the path stretched away climbing gently. "There are some more autumn colours Dad", said Little Eric.

The path came by a wall. "We should cross this soon", said Shaun.

However there were no breaks or stiles so Dad just had to keep on. Eventually Tetley said, "well there's a hurdle here, and look there is the path from Stackhouse, and the ladderstile we have to climb."

"Yes pal, you're right", agreed Shaun.

We must have all be half a sleep that first time, as in December Dad spotted a substantial stone step stile at the point indicated on the map.

Over the ladderstile it was through the left of two gates and then meander on to skirt a wall corner and through a gate ahead. Through the next gate in the wall to the right, we then went immediately left to a gate in the wall and on to then next gate and then a ladderstile.

"Look at that calf", called out Southey. "I wonder if it is one of Uncle Jonathan's from Feizor?" Dad asking him a week or so later, he confirmed it was.

"We should strike right here and climb the slope", called out Shaun.

Reaching the top, Southey called out, "look sheep. That group are begging to be photographed."

"Darn", cried Allen. "I thought we were going to get away without any sheep pictures, especially as Uncle Jonathan has sold most of his sheep."

A wall stood to our right, and on the first walk we kept on along a meandering tractor. With Uncle Eric, we were determined to show him the Celtic Wall, so instead we climbed the gate in the wall.

Looking left Tetley said, "that's Pot Scar that stands above the valley that will lead us down to Feizor."

"And behind is Ingleborough", went on Grizzly.

"The map shows Dead Man's Cave", remarked Little Eric.

"That must be it", called out Shaun, pointing right. "We'll have to go have a look."

We just peered inside, seeing that it is quite large. Dad used a very fast film speed on the camera, so we can illustrate it.

We now turned to head east picking up a path. Soon Southey called out, "look there is the Celtic Wall, with Smearsett Scar on the far side of the valley, which you all kindly repeated so that I could bag the summit."

As can be seen, popular today too.

Then in a couple of minutes we there. About 65ft long 5ft high and 5ft at the base and standing in lonely isolation on this elevated and unfrequented pasture, this is known locally as the Celtic Wall, and is thought to be over two thousand years old.

With book in paw, Tetley said, "Wainwright conjectures that its unusual thickness and obvious age suggests its purpose was that of a defensive shield for an ancient encampment in the valley, the earthworks of which can still be traced. The excavation of sites of similar walls, has revealed them to be places of burial and this was probably the use here."

"Will you take our picture again, sitting on the wall?", asked Southey, already scrambling out of the rucksack.

"Sure lad."

After now descending to the valley below Pot Scar, we picked up the path, going left. As the view opened up ahead, Grizzly calling out, "there's Feizor."

The route continued to descend leading to a ladderstile over wall on the right and then on ahead in same direction, passing this recently rebuilt section of wall. "Wow, what a good job someone has done", remarked Little Eric.

Away to the right grazing in the field were two donkeys.

Dad paused and said to Uncle Eric, "they are called Brian & Gerry. Some while ago Elaine adopted them from a lady who could not longer manage to look after them. At the time she said, 'I am trying to think of a name.' 'As long as you don't call them Brian and Gerry', replied Brian. Well Eric, you can guess the rest." Looking across, Dad then said, "Brian is on the left."

The path led on down to a stile into the farmyard at Elaine's.

"What a nice walk", said Southey. "Thanks Dad and pals for revisiting the summit again."

"You're welcome pal", replied Allen.

"Food time now Dad", said Tetley.

"Sure thing lad, and of course you can all come in too."

So we settled on a chair to have our picnic, while Dad had a nice meal. This was sausages eggs and chips, then blackcurrant crumble and custard, and of course a pot of tea. Lovely as always.

Still rather busy, it then quietened down and Dad had a nice chat with Elaine, and then later with Jonathan, which rounded the day off perfectly.

On the day with Uncle Eric, the cafe was very busy, and at first they sat in the upper room, but soon Sue came and said, "there's a table down here now." It was in fact what is known by Dad and Uncle Brian as 'their table', in the corner. A nice snack was had and a big pot of tea. Elaine came to sit and chat, and Dad introduced her to Uncle Eric. A lovely way to round off the day.

back

shopify analytics