Upper Farndale Valley, Coast to Coast
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Looking across Low Blakey Moor down Farndale Valley towards Low Mill
Upper Farndale Valley, Westerdale, Coast to Coast
The Upper Farndale valley twists through the bosom of the North Yorkshire Moors from Lowna Bridge all the way to Middle Head on Farndale Moor. Through the centre of the valley meanders the august, sublime River Dove, springing from the moor at Middle Head. It babbles its way through the valley meadows, fields and woodland, and beyond the valley until spilling into the River Rye at High Waterholmes. The River Rye in turn converges into the River Derwent and then into the River Ouse and finally into the River Humber and its estuary at Hull. The Farndale Valley is encompassed by some of the wildest and most remote of the moorlands in England, including Farndale Moor.
Upper Farndale Valley was once destined to be converted into a very large reservoir to supply water to Kingston upon Hull, who purchased most of Upper Farndale as long ago as 1932. World War II intervened before approval was given and the application was postponed and eventually reconsidered in the 1970's. There was an equal voting until the chairman used his casting vote to reject the application. Hull were able to find water beneath their own City. The proposed reservoir would have been the second largest in England. Further, the proposed development included smaller reservoirs in Bransdale and Rosedale, which would have ruined a further two dales.
Upper Farndale is famed for its Daffodil Walk. The walk is at its best between mid-March and mid-April each year. Car parking for the walk is found at Low Mill car park. The linear walk is 3.5 miles, i.e. from Low Mill to Church Houses and back. It is thought that monks from Rievaulx Abbey first planted the wild daffodil bulbs during medieval times.
Rudland Rigg forms the west wall of the Valley and the east wall comprises Farndale Moor and High Blakey Moor. Bloworth Crossing is just a little north west of the head of Farndale Valley. The Lion Inn sits on the Blakey Ridge overlooking Church Houses.
Gill Dike in Upper Farndale
From Hillhouse Nab on High Blakey Moor, Upper Farndale displays many green and yellow meadows. A long ribbon of trees clings to the riverbank of Gill Dike as it tumbles towards the River Dove from Rudland Rigg. On the ridge top are the Three Howes Round Barrows. Frost Hall has the acoustic benefit of running water as the waters speed past to meet their destiny with the Dove.
Blakey Gill Upper Farndale
Stationed on the Coast to Coast path close to Blakey Gill you can look south and follow the direction of the Blakey Gill by regarding its narrow foliar corridor as it wend its way past Church Houses, and down towards the valley's nucleus where it joins the River Dove.
Dove Head Upper Farndale
The River Dove issues on Farndale Moor, in the valley it creates at the west of Middle Head. It soon finds its way down the steep wall of the valley head and thereafter makes its way through the centre of Farndale, sweeping up the scores of becks and rivulets gushing down the west and east valley sides all the while enhancing its majesty.
River Dove Upper Farndale
From Hill House Nab it is clear to see, by the field colours and farmsteads, that this valley is richly endowed with a regular covering of minerals swept by The River Dove from the moorland above. The dark ribbon of trees in he centre of the valley marks the Dove. The rare River Lamprey inhabits parts of the River Derwent, which the Dove eventually drains into. The Dove would be good for them but there are many redundant river barriers preventing their passage. Conservationists have now begun to remove these barriers, mostly weirs, in hope the Lamprey will move into the Dove to spawn in the near future.
Esk House Lendersfield Ho
Peeping over the edge of Farndale Moor at Hillhouse Nab, in the foreground of the valley below taking centre stage, Is Esk House with Lendersfield House to its south (left). In the background is, north to south, Spout Huuse, Ewe Hill Farm and Wether Hill Farm. The long stretch of woodland west of Esk House is the top on Sonley wood, through which the River Dove flows.
Hill Houses Upper Farndale
Peeping over the edge of Farndale Moor at Hillhouse Nab, in the foreground of the valley below taking centre stage, Is Esk House with Lendersfield House to its south (left). In the background is, north to south, Spout HOuse, Ewe Hill Farm and Wether Hill Farm. The long stretch of woodland west of Esk House is the top on Sonley wood, through which the River Dove flows.
Hill Houses from Rudland Rigg
Seen from the opposite side of Farndale Valley, from west Gill Head on Rudland Rigg, Hill Houses is seen in its situation below Hillhouse Nab and the Coast to Coast path at High Blakey Moor. The Coast to Coast path appears as a dark line near the top of the image, moving across from the left to the right.
Eller House Upper Farndale
Eller House is a well known landmark for people making their way to the nearby Penny Hill Crag on the foothill of Rudland Rigg or Dickon Howe, a nearby Round Barrow.
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