Date: 25th January 2017
Description: Quite a strenuous walk but rewarding with fantastic views. Some steep uphill sections. Walking over fells, fields, farm tracks, with a bit of road walking at the end.
Starting Point: Park at the village green in the village of Arncliffe in Littondale.
The walk: Take the track by the side of The Falcon where a signpost points the way to Malham. Continue for a couple of hundred yards to follow the signposted path to Malham going off rightwards over a gated stile.
The path is obvious as it climbs and contours the fellside of Clowder ahead. The initial stretch is fairly steep until you reach a stile when the going gets much easier.
Continue on the path, crossing a few stiles and passing small cairns, with Cowside Beck far below.
Eventually the path crosses a stile to enter the National Trust's Malham Tarn Estate (signposted).
Continue on the obvious path. Shortly after crossing a stile Middle House, sheltered by a stand of trees, comes into view, together with a signpost to Darnbrook. Here you could cut the walk short by following the sign to Darnbrook but you will miss the delights of Malham Tarn.
The path becomes a vehicle track as it passes Middle House Farm. It leaves the wall to rise to a gate and stile. After crossing the stile, with Middle House Farm to your left, leave the main track and go straight down the slope (faint path) to discover a stile in the fence next to a telegraph pole.
Turn right down the access road. Walk down the farm road to a stand of trees. Cross the cattle grid and turn immediately right. Continue with the wall on your right to reach Malham Tarn.
Follow the fence round the edge of the trees to the main tarn track and turn right.
Walk along the main track to the cattle grid at the entrance to the wood. Don't cross the cattle grid but climb the hillside as the path veers to the right to reach a signpost for Middle House.
At the top of the hill the path leaves the fence on the left and continues midway between fences and telegraph poles on the right with Middle House once more in view.
Cross a stile next to a gate and turn diagonally left along a faint path up the hill to the gate you came through on the outward journey.
Go in the same line to the track and turn left over the stile to regain Middle House and the signpost to Darnbrook just beyond,then turn left to Darnbrook.
The path is obvious as it reaches a stile to leave the National Trust land.
You now pass an area of ancient limestone walls and enclosures, a surviving relic of the Iron Age.
Keep to the left of a jumbled limestone wall on the far side of the settlement. Follow the path down. At one point the path contours horizontally right before turning sharp left downhill beside the remains of a wall. Pass a cairn and soon bear left when a footbridge will materialise over Cowside Beck. Cross this and a stile and follow the meadow path to Darnbrook.
Pass through the farmyard and turn right up the road.The first 500 or 600 yards are steeply uphill but, after levelling out, the last mile is all downhill to Arncliffe.
The pub: The Falcon, Arncliffe. The Falcon is the original "Woolpack" in Emmerdale. After a strenuous walk I was ready for a pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord and a delicious bowl of pork pie and baked beans (they'd run out of mushy peas and I was given the choice of garden peas or baked beans).
On the first uphill climb.
Looking back down to early morning mist over Arncliffe.
Looking down on the valley and Cowside Beck.
Entering the National Trust's Malham Tarn Estate.
High up on the fells toward Middle House.
Didn't like look of those horns, and neither did Pippa.
A short detour onto the limestone pavement.
The point where you could cut the walk short.
Middle House is where the monks had their grange, tending their vast flocks of sheep on Malham Moor. The house is mentioned in the poll tax rolls of 1377. The present buildings date from the 17th century and were inhabited until about 60 years ago. They were partly renovated about 25 years ago by a Manpower Services Commission youth scheme, but the project appears to have run out of money before completion. Middle House now stands forlorn and deserted.
Middle House Farm.
Limestone scenery as the sun shone in the late morning.
More limestone scenery.
Malham Tarn is the biggest natural lake in the Dales and covers 153 acres, but for all its size it is never more than 14 or 15 feet deep. It was much valued for its fishing by the monks of Fountains Abbey.
Looking back down to Malham Tarn.
My faithful walking companion, Pippa.
Ancient limestone walls and enclosures. When the Roman legions advanced through the north, the British tribes , after their defeat, took to the high ground and survived by keeping out of the way of the intruders.
Looking down on the approach to Darnbrook.
Footbridge and stile over Cowside Beck.
The Falcon, Arncliffe.
