Buckden Pike from Kettlewell

Route description

From the village of Kettlewell, S,cross the road bridge that goes over the River Wharfe and take the path that follows the river upstream. The river should be on the right. The path is obvious and is the Dales Way. After approximately 3.0 km, a footbridge crosses the Wharfe. Here leave the Dales Way and cross the bridge; signed Starbotton. Follow the enclosed path to emerge onto the road. Cross the road and take the minor road opposite, A. Where the road forks, bear right. Straight ahead when there is a road on the left and a bridleway on the right. Another road comes in from the left. If you wish to visit the village pub then go down this road and the pub is at the corner where this road meets the main road. To continue the walk, without liquid refreshments, then ignore this road on the left and go over a small bridge; signed Footpath Out Moor Mine 2, leading to Bridleway to Walden Head 5 ½ Bear right onto a concrete track and climb steeply. When the hill becomes less steep a finger post appear at.B. Keep on the track signed Walden Head 4 . Unfortunately, you are not going uphill extremely fast but one of the signs is fibbing! The distance between the posts is half a mile not one and a half miles!! The walk now follows a wall either on its right or left. After passing through a gate/gateway a substantial cairn is met. Just a few yards further on a damp area is encountered. Here is a fork; C go left on the stony track. After a second cairn the path becomes indistinct and boggy. After crossing this relatively flat terrain, the path appears again on an ascent. At the top of this climb is a broken sheep pen or wind break. From here, go through the crossing wall to reach another wall with a gate. Go through the gate and turn left and follow the wall uphill to reach the memorial cross. Go left over the stile and follow the wall to the summit of Buckden Pike at D. Return from the summit to the gate beyond the memorial cross. Dont go through the gate but follow the wall, keeping the wall on the right. Go over a ladder stile. Keep the wall on the right to reach another ladder stile. Here drop to the left where there is a meeting of tracks with a finger post,. E. Take the track signed to Kettlewell. Follow this track, dropping down into Kettlewell. Just before Kettlewell the track reaches a road. Carry on down in the same direction and the road brings you back to the centre of Kettlewell, S.