Two of the less popular dales lie off the popular Wensleydale. They are quiet, traditional dales peppered by a few isolated farms and hamlets and separated by a large expanse of wild moorland. The walk starts in Coverdale, visits Colsterdale, returning to Coverdale. It is a long full, day’s walk.

I parked near the small village of Caldbergh in Coverdale, just four miles south of Leyburn and took the signed track heading south from Caldbergh Hall. The track can be wet in its lower slopes but improves on passing a ford and climbs steadily towards the moorlands beyond.

The track carries on past Ulfra Crags to the west before peaking out at over 400 metres (1,300 feet). Just before the high point is a junction of paths, leave the main track that bends east and fork right, south then south east on a distinctive path.

(Image: Jonathan Smith) The path leads you past some grouse butts, this is shooting country as many of the Yorkshire Dales moors are. The path drops to a ford at Slip Wath. From the ford the path initially climbs, then turns east as it contours the shoulder of the finely named Hanging Stone and its surprising trig point.

The path then drops south in to Colsterdale.

Colsterdale is rarely visited and is now a peaceful farming community but in 1914 it was the training ground for the Leeds Pals and other units before they went off to fight in the First World War. Later it was converted to a German prisoner of war camp in 1917. The camp was to the east of where this walk meets the Colsterdale road and may be worth a detour.

Alternatively turn west (right) and head up the valley, the road soon turning into a bridleway at High House Farm.

Follow the bridleway (initially on the south of the river but soon to the north) for nearly two miles in a westerly direction. The valley sides close in and there are a number of disused mining shafts, a legacy of a 14th Century coal mine. It is difficult to imagine the multitude of people who lived and worked in the valley in those days but a thin seam of coal was discovered underneath the gritstone.

After two miles the track turns south into Nidderdale but I carried on west up a trackless slope leading to the fine viewpoint at Great Haw. Great Haw lies on the watershed of Nidderdale and Coverdale with grand views on a good day. Follow the wall north from the summit, past Little Haw until the route meets a bridlepath also heading north.

(Image: Jonathan Smith)

From here the views across Coverdale and in to the main dale of Wensleydale open up and it is a pleasure to drop the last mile in to the pretty hamlet of West Scrafton. An alternative is to carry on alongside the wall, ignoring the bridleway, as it contours to the even better viewpoint of Great Roova Crags, perched high above West Scrafton.

(Image: Jonathan Smith)

A shooting hut and a trig that is little more than a stub are two of the crags other great fascinations. Finally drop directly down to West Scrafton across the open access land below the crags. From West Scrafton to Caldbergh is little more than a mile of quiet road walking.

Walk facts:

Distance: Roughly 13.5 miles.

Height to climb: 600m (2,000 feet).

Start: SE 093852. There is some road side parking at Caldbergh but be sensitive to the residents.

Difficulty: Hard. Although the route generally follows right of ways, the route near Great Haw does not, it is on access land however. In misty conditions good navigation skills are essential.

Refreshments: Middleham is three miles away with a choice of pubs and cafes.

Be prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer OL30) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass. You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk.

Please observe the Countryside Code and park sensibly.

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Jonathan Smith is the owner of Where2walk, a walking company based in the Yorkshire Dales: He has written three books on walking in the Dales, The Yorkshire 3 Peaks, The Dales 30 mountains and Walks without Stiles. All these books (and more) are available direct from the Where2walk website. 

He runs navigation courses at different venues in the Yorkshire Dales and Moors and has guiding holidays, including the Three Peaks in three days, and ‘Dales 30’ Weekenders. Where2walk.co.uk features hundreds of walks with descriptions across Yorkshire and beyond, from easy strolls to harder climbs.

Visit the website for details of all these walks, guiding days and navigation courses.