The Land of the Lune - Drakkar Press

162 Chapter 10: The Wenning Headwaters
Walls and lynchets in Crummackdale
Walk 18: Crummackdale and the Norber Erratics
Map: OL2 (please read the general note about the walks in the Introduction).
Starting point: By Austwick Bridge (769683) or elsewhere in Austwick.
This walk takes in many of the visible geological features of Crummackdale and also provides fine views of limestone
scenery.
Walk north through Austwick past a school to Town Head Lane on the left. 300m up the lane, before the last house on the
right, take the footpath through its garden. Across three fields you meet up again with Crummack Lane, which you cross to head
west for Nappa Scars. You can then stroll through the Norber erratics, heading for the stile in the northern corner (766703). From
the stile make your way north 2km along the indistinct ridge of Thwaite, which provides a good view of Ingleborough, to the
prominent cairn at Long Scar. From there take the clear path that runs to Sulber Gate, 1.5km northeast, with views of Pen-y-
Ghent. Two hundred years ago this path was part of the Lancaster to Newcastle coach road.
Follow the path south over Thieves Moss to the fine Beggar’s Stile and then walk past ancient settlements and Crummack
farm and, 1km on from the farm, turn left to the ford and clapper bridge (that is, a bridge using long slabs of local rock) over
Austwick Beck at Wash Dub, where the sheep used to be cleansed. The unconformities on Studrigg Scar are visible from the track
from Crummack farm but for a closer look detour briefly up the track north from Wash Dub.
From the bridge follow the track 1km southeast to Wharfe. Continue through Wharfe to the road and then after a few metres
take the path right that leads over a footbridge and ford. Turn west, above the Wharfe Gill Sike waterfall, which deserves full
marks for effort, producing a fine cascade from only a trickle, and then by Jop Ridding to Wood Lane and back to Austwick
Bridge.
There is much to see on this walk and if you wish to take your time over it you might prefer to split the walk in two and do
the western half one day and the eastern half (including Moughton) on another day.
Short walk variation: Follow the long walk as far as the cairn on Long Scar. Then turn east to drop down to the farm of Crummack.
From there follow the track and Crummack Lane for 4km south to Austwick.
This is Chapter 10 of The Land of the Lune (2nd edition), http://www.drakkar.co.uk/landofthelune.html, Copyright © 2010 John Self