WW?Central Swaledale

About trip

**This is a sample Collins Short Walk- more can be downloaded on your iPhone, through your OutDoors App.** Distance: 3 3/4 miles (6km) Time: 2 hours Terrain: Easy; one climb of 354 feet (108m) Description: The route of the walk is an irregular oval centred on Feetham, which is roughly 3¾miles (6km) west of Reeth along the B6270 in central Swaledale. As parking near the start of the walk is limited, it will probably be better to leave the car in Feetham. A visit to The Punch Bowl Inn in Feetham is recommended after completing this pleasant walk. Directions: a The walk starts from the B6270 opposite a solitary barn about ½ mile (0.8km) east of Feetham. Climb the steep tree-lined track. It is difficult to follow in its upper reaches but keep to the left of the stream without climbing any walls. b Turn left at the top of the rise and join a farm track. c Cross the moorland road and follow the direction of a signpost across rough pastureland to Blades. Look out for stiles to keep on course. d Bear left, then right for about 40yds (37m) along the road. Go left through the second gate beyond the roadside house. Follow a line of stiles diagonally right, down a series of fields. e Turn left on a rough track and follow it downhill. Cross a ford and just after, turn right and descend on a path through a wood. Turn right along the road. f Bear left at the road junction and go down to the bridge. g Cross the stile beside the ruined gate on the nearside of the bridge and turn left downstream, along the elevated riverbank. h At the signpost, go left away from the river and climb through trees to reach the road. Turn left back towards Feetham. Places of Interest: 1 Viewpoint. Looking down Swaledale and across the heather-clad Grinton Moors. 2 Gallows Top Farm; named after a gibbet which stood nearby. 3 Viewpoint. Looking east towards a wooded section of the central dale. 4 Blades. A typical Yorkshire Dales' hill settlement. Look for the date over the door of the last house on the right of the path. 5 Each spring, purple orchids grow near the stream below Turnip House. 6 The Swale drains a large area of moor to the north and west and can quickly reach alarming proportions, hence the need for such a high embankment. 7 Viewpoint. Feetham stands on its sunny terrace well above the danger of flooding.