Читать книгу Walking in the Yorkshire Dales: South and West. Wharfedale, Littondale, Malhamdale, Dentdale and Ribblesdale онлайн

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The upper waterfall in the Valley of Desolation

The ongoing path winds upstream on the opposite bank through bracken-carpeted woodland past a pretty waterfall and into the upper glen. Beyond another bridge, branch off to remain beside the meandering stream, shortly reaching a rocky pool at the foot of a second cascade. Neither of the falls is spectacularly high, but their setting is beautiful. Surrounded by trees, dark mosses feather the dripping rocks while ferns find root amongst the shaded crevices. Both falls give some idea of the erosive power of the beck, as each has retreated upstream more than 800m during the last 10,000 years as the lip of the underlying rock has been progressively worn back.

With no way forward you must return to the main path, climbing along the valley-side to a small gate entering a conifer plantation. Join a forest track and, ignoring the track off sharp right, follow it forward towards Simon’s Seat climbing through the trees onto the open moor overlooking a confluence of streams. The ongoing track rises ahead above Great Agill Beck, later briefly dipping across to continue up the opposite flank. Further on, beside the path, stands a sturdy stone picnic table, sheltered from the wind by a curving wall. After passing a track off on the right, the way arcs around the upper reaches of the catchment to a junction.