The Land of the Lune - Drakkar Press

156 Chapter 10: The Wenning Headwaters
Trow Gill
Gill. This is a dry gorge, with boulders heaped at the top,
between steep limestone cliffs. Trow Gill was caused by
a flood of meltwater after the Ice Age.
Below Trow Gill we enter Clapdale. On its eastern
side runs Long Lane, which is part of an ancient track
from Ribblesdale. From it, Thwaite Lane, an equally
ancient track that used to lead to Fountains Abbey,
heads east. As Long Lane approaches Clapham it passes
under two dank tunnels, built to protect the privacy of
Ingleborough Hall, a hall with no view of Ingleborough.
The Pennine Cycleway, which we met in the Lune
Gorge, passes through these tunnels, which must form
the only part of the cycleway upon which cyclists are
advised not to cycle!
On the west bank of Clapdale is Clapdale Drive,
which provides the most gentle of Dales walks. The
Farrer family created the drive for the carriages of guests
at their Ingleborough Hall in Clapham and, later, tourists
arriving by train at Clapham Station. Below a gate, the
drive becomes an artificially delightful environment
of trees, shrubs and lake, forming the Reginald Farrer
Nature Trail. As was the fashion, a grotto was added
to provide a romantic character that was presumably
perceived to be lacking. You may test your skill at
identifying trees and shrubs by ticking off ash, beech,
box, chestnut, European silver fir, larch, laurel, holly,
holm oak, Norway spruce, red oak, rhododendron, Sitka
spruce, Scots pine, and no doubt several others. Do not,
however, stray from the trail in your search, as there are
many warnings of “hidden dangers”, which I think mean
that you will be mistaken for a pheasant and shot.
By the cross in Clapham there is a footpath sign
informing walkers that it is 102m to the Brokken Bridge.
Clapham tries hard to be perfect. The natural valley of
Clapham Beck has been transformed with alien species
to provide a parkland stroll; the old village of Clapham
was redesigned by the Farrer family; St James’s Church,
which lists vicars back to 1160, was rebuilt in 1814 by the
Farrers; and now Clapham Beck runs from the waterfall
outlet of the lake through the village under several
unreasonably pretty bridges. Clapham’s tourist leaflet
lists the various attractions and services but does not
mention the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation,
presumably not wishing to alarm tourists.
Two kilometres south of Clapham, a tributary from
the east joins Clapham Beck, which now becomes called
the River Wenning. This tributary has been formed 1km
east by the merger of Austwick Beck (from the north),
Fen Beck (from the east) and Kettles Beck (from the
south).
The Farrer family are largely responsible for the
attractiveness that we see today in Clapham.
Oliver Farrer, a rich lawyer, bought the estate in the
early 19 th century. His two nephews, James and Oliver, replanned
the estate, including the building of the tunnels and
the replacement of much of the old village. They created
the drive and in 1837 opened Ingleborough Cave, the first
show cave in the region. It is apparent that Clapham Beck
used to flow through Ingleborough Cave. Today, visitors
may explore the floodlit passages for 1km underground to
see the 300m-year-old stalagmites and stalactites.
Reginald Farrer (1880-1920) was a botanist and
plant collector, particularly of exotic species from Asia,
many of which he introduced to Europe and especially
to the Clapham estate. He was also a painter and novelist
but he is most remembered for his botanical books, such
as The Garden of Asia, Alpines and Bog Plants, and My
Rock Garden. His name has been given to many of the
plants he introduced, such as gentiana farreri. He died in
the mountains of Burma, where, as the Buddhist he had
become, he was buried.
The Farrer family still own much of the estate around
the parish of Clapham.
This is Chapter 10 of The Land of the Lune (2nd edition), http://www.drakkar.co.uk/landofthelune.html, Copyright © 2010 John Self