Simons Seat - Yorkshire Dales

About trip

• Circular Walk: 3.3 miles
• what3words address for parking: 
• ///pushover.angry.tacky. There is a small pull-off on Howgill Lane, on the right, where a footpath crosses the lane and just beyond the ‘Brownie Barn.’ There’s enough space for three, maybe four, cars. Don’t park anywhere else on the lane; it’s an unmetalled road, narrow and used by farm vehicles. Parking in this area is generally next to impossible.

We walked this route clockwise, heading north along Howgill Lane towards Dalehead Farm. Just before the farm there’s a gate on your right and a footpath leads off the lane and works its way uphill. The path was narrow, partly overgrown (though easy to follow) and quite slippery underfoot; lots of loose rocks that were slimy even after a few days without rain. Parts were quite awkward. We were glad we were ascending this section; it would have been trickier descending this way, I think. Great views over the valley and we gained height quickly.

The path passes across a track that’s more obvious on the OS map than on the ground and continues uphill just to the right of a large tree. Further on and over a stile and the path has been paved with slabs of stone to reduce soil erosion. The landscape is much more open and the views are fabulous, especially when you reach  Simon’s Seat itself.

The path now continues to the south-west and is still paved  for some way more. It soon meets a wall on your right and then eventually turns west and descends, fairly steeply in parts, through woodland before it meets Howgill Lane beside the small car park where you started (maybe!)

We enjoyed this walk very much and the views are outstanding – although the ascent was slightly harder work than we’d expected.

If the Brownie Barn (a few yards back down Howgill Lane)  is open it’s a great place for some refreshments. There’s an indoor seating area and a lovely outdoor space with great views. The people there are lovely, too.