Settle to Austwick via Stainforth Force
Walk 5: By car or train: a fairly easy linear walk from the centre of Settle alongside the River Ribble and passing Stainforth Force and on to Austwick or Clapham - 6 or 8 miles - 4 or 4.5hours. An opportunity to call in at the tea room at Feizor and finishing at the quaint village of Austwick to catch the bus back to Settle. The alternative finish at Clapham will add a further 2 miles. This walk can be undertaken as a linear walk Mon-Sat and summer Sundays. Back to Settle and Malham
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| Stainforth Force |
Start the walk from Settle Station and walk towards the town. Turn left along the main street and market place. Just under the railway viaduct turn right along a public footpath passing between the railway line and the houses to emerge on the main road to Ribblehead/Hawes. Tun right and follow the main road passing Watershed Mill. Crossing the main road bear left to proceed along the minor road leading to a caravan site and the paper mill. At the end of the road turn left along footway passing to the side of the paper mill carpark and then to the rear of the buildings. The path then takes a pleasant route alongside the mill pond emerging at some cottages. Just after the cottages turn left to cross the River Ribble on a footbridge at Stackhouse. Now follow the left hand bank of the river for 1 mile crossing several stiles to reach Stainforth Force, an impressive series of waterfalls in which Salmon can be seen in October-November.
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| Stainforth Force during Salmon season |
On reaching the minor road turn left along the road passing a caravan site and tea room to a T junction at Little Stainforth. Continue straight across the junction along a track to the side of a farm passing through a gate. The path now proceeds uphill in a westerly direction crossing 5 stiles dropping down hill to reach Feizor. There is the opportunity now to visit Elaine's Tea Room.
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| The path above Little Stainforth | Ingleborough |
Leaving the tea room walk along the road through the pleasant hamlet of Feizor to turn right into Hale lane a walled bridleway. Bear right at Meddings Barn and after about 200m take a footpath on the left towards Austwick. Turn Left on reaching Wood Lane (another walled bridleway) continue to meet Graystone Lane. Turn right and continue into Austwick. The Gamecock Inn is located in the centre of the village. The bus shelter is just beyond the road junction in the center of the village on the way out towards Clapham.
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| Elaines Tea Room, Feizor | The Gamecock in Austwick |
There is an option to walk on to Clapham adding approximately 2 miles. If so continue past the Gamecock Inn bearing left to Town Head and then turning left on to Thwaite Lane, a bridleway. This continues all the way into Clapham passing through a short tunnel to avoid Ingleborough Hall and emerging at the top of the village. Walk down the street to the New Inn. The return bus leaves from outside the pub
The 581 bus runs to Settle Monday to Saturday and on Summer Sundays there is the DalesBus 881. See www.dalesbus.org for times.
Important note:- Whilst the author has taken every care in assembling the information on this site, no responsibility can be accepted for any error or omission herein. If in any doubt walkers should consult the relevant OS map.
This page was last updated on 13-May-2020
© John Carey 2019
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