Hubberholme to Cowgill

*** To help you follow the route with confidence we have provided full written turn by turn directions to aid you on your walk from Hubbereholme to Cowgill.  Whilst,  the Dales Way is waymarked it can be featureless and off the beaten path at some sections so we strongly suggest that you follow the GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone app to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable and problem-free day.  The daily maps can also be printed from the web version of the app should you wish to take paper copies with you. ***

0km - With your back to the George pub facing the village bridge, go STRAIGHT ON over the bridge to the church and continue up a track, to the right of the church, following signpost Deepdale 2 ½ miles. Carry on round the back of the church, keeping it to your left, and then onward along a path alongside the River Wharfe, on your left. Continue all the way to reach Yokenthwaite farmstead, where the path turns away from the river to reach a stile/gate.

2.6km - Go STRAIGHT ON over the stile/gate and then through a gate into the centre of the farmstead. Then continue on gravel track a little way towards the river bridge ahead of you. Then TURN SHARP RIGHT onto the track to your right, which then bends left to lead you out of the farmstead through a gate onto path alongside the river, away to your left. Carry on all the way to Deepdale, where the path swings right, away from the river, to reach a wooden bridge over a stream.

3.9km – Go STRAIGHT ON to reach a track.

4.0km – TURN LEFT onto a track, following signpost ‘Beckermonds’. Carry on to and over the bridge ahead of you over the river.

4.2km – TURN RIGHT and carry on along the path by the side of the river, now to your right. Carry on all the way to Beckermonds, where there is a confluence in the river. Then walk a little further to find a bridge over the river.

6.2km – TURN RIGHT onto the bridge and then, once over the bridge, TURN RIGHT again and proceed to a track. TURN LEFT onto the track, flanked by dry stone walls, and then pass through a gate and onward to then reach the road.

6.5km – TURN RIGHT onto the road and then cross over the bridge over the river. Now carry on uphill to a T junction.

6.7km – TURN LEFT at the T junction and continue uphill along the road, following road signpost ‘Hawes 7’. Carry on up and downhill to reach the village of Oughershaw. At the end of the village, you will find a track to your left.

8.3km – BEAR LEFT onto the track and carry on to the ‘Nature Barn’ on your right (a self-service cafe with toilets, providing a good pit stop)

9.2km – Go STRAIGHT ON along the track to some farm buildings.

10.8km – TURN RIGHT and then, immediately afterwards, TURN LEFT, following a Dales Way signpost through two gates and continue out of the farmyard on a track, which soon turns into a very rough and rugged path.  Carry on along path alongside a drystone wall away to your left. At the end of the wall, the path continues onward and then runs alongside another dry stone wall, now to your right. Carry on to then reach a derelict building.    

12.6km – BEAR RIGHT to make your way around the building, keeping it to your left, on a path ascending diagonally uphill. Cross over several stiles over walls to then reach a track.

13.1km – TURN LEFT onto the track and continue to reach Cam Farm. (There is an alternative higher route that can be taken at Cam Farm. For details of this see Henry Steadman’s guide book ‘Dales Way’, pages 123 to 131). The following assumes you will NOT be taking the higher route.

13.3km – Go STRAIGHT ON into farmstead by crossing a stile. Then carry on through a gate following the gravel track to a three way crossing. Then TURN LEFT and walk a little way further to something of a dead end. Now TURN RIGHT and pass a derelict building to your right. Carry on out of the farmstead on a rough track, flanked by dry stone walls. Then continue diagonally uphill again on a path over moorland to reach a track.

14.0km – Go STRAIGHT ON over the track and continue diagonally uphill to reach a cairn and signpost that you can see on the horizon.

14.6km – TURN LEFT onto the track, when you reach the cairn and signpost. Now walk downhill along the track, passing a track merging from the left. Soon the Ripplehead Viaduct will come into view, away to your right. Carry on to then reach track turning on your left, signposting the Pennine Way.

16.5km – Go STRAIGHT ON downhill along the track towards the viaduct in the distance and cross bridge over the river. Then continue up and downhill on track to reach cattle grid and road ahead of you.

18.5km – Go STRAIGHT ON over the road and continue on asphalt track uphill, following signpost ‘Dent Head 2 ¼’. Carry on uphill to the end of the track, at ‘Shepherd’s Cottage’.

19.0km – Go STRAIGHT ON uphill on the footpath, passing Shepherd’s cottage to your right. Ascend hill, keeping the stone wall to your right. As the wall then turns right near the top of the hill so too does the path. Carry on along the path, past the end of the wall, and carry on to reach a rough old track.

20.3km – TURN LEFT onto the old rugged track and continue to then reach a road.

22.3km – TURN LEFT onto the road and carry on downhill on the winding road, passing underneath the first arch of the Dent Head Viaduct. Carry on to the floor of the valley and then continue alongside the River Dee, to your left, to then reach Stone House.

25.4km - TURN LEFT and then TURN RIGHT with the road as it crosses a bridge over the river and continues alongside the river, now to your right. Carry on to reach the Sportsman pub and hotel on your left.

25.6km - Go STRAIGHT ON to a point where the road turns right to cross a bridge over the river.

26.9km -  Go STRAIGHT ON along a cobbled footpath ahead of you, with a stone wall to your left, beside the river to your right. Continue on the path to reach a campsite. Carry on to reach the entrance of Ewegales Farm Campsite.

27.4 – ARRIVE at the entrance of campsite to complete this section of the Dales Way.