The three lovely villages that surround the prominent Kisdon Fell are some of the most attractive in the entire Yorkshire Dales. Combine a climb of the steep-sided, but quite small, fell with a return along the River Swale.
The walk starts in Thwaite, a lovely little village of beautiful stone cottages clustered together – very welcoming in the summer sun. A series of footpaths leave the east end of the village. Choose the one heading diagonally uphill in a north easterly direction, crossing a small river initially. The steep slopes of Kisdon Hill are unusual for this part of the Dales, standing in splendid isolation from the surrounding moorland.
After a steep pull, arrive at a farm, half way up. The stone barns of Kisdon are another of its most attractive features, many still used for storing winter feed. On entering a lane with stone walls on each side, leave the Pennine Way and take the first left footpath you come to, heading directly uphill. This is the hardest part of the day, more than 350 feet of climbing. However the path does flatten out after 300 feet as it arrives at the summit area. The views are superb.
For those wanting to collect the summit, the cairn lies half a mile to the north alongside a dry stone wall. Then return to the main path. Back on the bridlepath follow the path north as it skirts the west flanks of the hill, dropping steadily to the road just south of Keld. Enter Keld, another attractive village made with Yorkshire stone. It is probably best well known as a four way junction for the Coast to Coast and Pennine Way long distance routes.
From Keld the walk totally changes complexion. From now you are in the upper reaches of the River Swale. Head out of Keld to the south east on a farm track opposite the café. After 200 metres a path cuts left through the trees down to a bridge over the river.
Take this rather than continue on the more obvious Pennine Way. After crossing the river join a main track that now skirts the hillside and offers some wonderful views down to the river valley and across to Kisdon Hill. In addition, there is a splendid waterfall at Kisdon Force and a derelict building called Crackpot Hall. The hall has an interesting history as a shooting lodge, mining office and the setting for a 1930s play about a feral four year orphan girl called Alice.
From the hall the track turns gradually due south and drops down to the valley floor. There is a lovely patch of woodland and a fine mile of riverside walking to enjoy before a bridge to your right crosses the river and returns to the village of Muker. Muker is the third fine village of the walk, take your time to look around. A path to the west end of Muker is one mile from Thwaite. A walk that really does have everything.
Walk facts:
Distance: Roughly 7.5 miles (including one extra mile to Kisdon Hill summit).
Height to climb: 410m (1,350 feet) Start: SD 892982. There is some layby parking on the main road just outside Thwaite.
Difficulty: Medium/hard.
Refreshments: The Kearton Tearooms in Thwaite are open each day excluding Mon/Tues and there are also cafes in Keld and Muker.
Be prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer OL30) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass. You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk.
Please observe the Countryside Code and park sensibly.
- Jonathan Smith is the owner of Where2walk, a walking company based in the Yorkshire Dales. He has written three books on walking in the Dales, The Yorkshire 3 Peaks, The Dales 30 mountains and Walks without Stiles. All these books (and more) are available direct from the Where2walk website. Book a navigation (map and compass skills) training day near Settle or a bespoke day for a private group. The next available course is on Saturday, August 31. Join our “Dales 30” Weekender in Sedbergh or “Three Peaks in three days” guided walks in September. Where2walk.co.uk also features hundreds of walks across Yorkshire and beyond, from easy strolls to harder climbs. Visit the website for details of the walks, guiding days and navigation courses.
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