COOKES' GUIDE TO SWALEDALE - page 3
Healaugh is a small and somewhat straggling
village, about a mile and a half beyond Reeth. The famous
John of Gaunt,"Time honour'd Lancaster," is
said to have had a hunting-seat near this place. The Gaunts
were the owners of the Manor of Healaugh, which, in those
far-off times, was one of the best boar hunts in the North.
THIERNSWOOD is charmingly situated in a lovely wood to the
west of Healaugh. This wood is one of the sweetest sylvan
walks in this neighbourhood. Through it winds a babbling brook,
and here in the summer months grow flowers and ferns in luxurious
profusion. Not far from Healaugh is a spot known as "Scabba
Wath," where the level of the road is below that of the
river. Here, consequently, in the winter time, it not infrequently
happens that the road is well-nigh impassable through floods.
Feetham. Along the hill side on which
Feetham stands we have a commanding view of the Dale, which
here is seen at its greatest breadth. The Parish Church of
Melbecks is situated in this village. Good hotel accommodation
at the "Punch Bowl" and excellent fishing may be
obtained close by.
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Joined to Feetham is Low Row, where there
is a Congregational, and also a Wesleyan Chapel. Some two
centuries ago, Philip, Lord Wharton, founded a Presbyterian
Chapel here. It was this same Lord Wharton who willed that
the income from certain of his lands should be devoted each
year to the purchase of Bibles and other books, for free distribution.
On leaving Low Row you may cross ISLES BRIDGE, and take a
peep into the charming little glen called CRACKPOT GILL, with
its two pretty waterfalls, in the vicinity of Melbecks Vicarage.
Just about a mile beyond Crackpot there is a curious cavern
of an extensive character, although the approach to it is
somewhat cramped. While on this side of the river the antiquary
or historian will find much to interest him if he wanders
down dale again to HARKERSIDE MOOR, where there are several
entrenchments and ancient earth-works.'The chief of these
is an old camp about 100 yards square, known as MAIDEN CASTLE,
whose circular mounds and deep ditches are still plainly visible.
There are also numerous large barrows and cairns existing
here, and recent excavations have brought to light many decayed
bones.
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The next village that we encounter up the dale
is Gunnerside. The grey stone buildings sit almost
by the brink of the river, for the valley has narrowed down
to a marvellous degree and huge hills rise precipitously on
each hand, while right in front, blocking up the head of the
dale, as it were, is the giant hill of GREAT SHUNNOR FELL.
In the centre of this village is an old fashioned hostelry,
on whose sign-board is displayed a coloured portrait of King
George IV. Here visitors may always be sure of finding every
accommodation and the most obliging attention from the landlady.
The Wesleyan Chapel, a handsome, commodious structure, was
erected in 1866, and is surrounded by a burial ground in which
"the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." A Literary
Institute stands prominently in the centre of the village
and is well supplied with current literature.
Leaving Gunnerside we cross the Swale bridge,
which has been twice destroyed by floods and again re-built
within recent years, perhaps again to be swept away by one
of those rude deluges which sometimes, on the briefest possible
notice, hurl their destructive
COOKES' GUIDE TO SWALEDALE - page 6
torrents down the dale. Continuing westward
we come to what is known as "SATRON SIDE," which
separates us from Wensleydale. On the North side of the dale
is the steep ridge called the "Barff," and beyond
that are the wild moors which extend towards Arkendale. A
mile's walk from Gunnerside, passing Dyke Heads, where was
born the poet Close, brings us to IVELET GILL, in which may
be seen a most charming waterfall. It falls from three successive
ledges of limestone rock, 100 feet into the stream below.
Passing up the ravine we see YEW SCAR, another romantic fall.
We may now descend and go through the hamlet of Ivelet.
Crossing the river by a most remarkable bridge, and pursuing
a walk along a shady lane by the side of a quickly running
brook, we arrive at Mill Bridge. Up this stream are to be
found two or three pretty little waterfalls, known as OXNOP
FALLS.
About three miles beyond is Muker, the highest village
of any importance in the dale, 800 feet above the sea; and
beyond this we enter upon those wild mountainous districts
that boast of but a few scattered
COOKES' GUIDE TO SWALEDALE - page 7
farm houses, excepting Thwaite and Keld. MUKER
stands on a slightly rising ground, at the junction of, and
between the Muker Beck and the Swale. This old stone-built
country town possesses neither regularity of construction
nor architectural beauty, and its sole object of immediate
interest is the ancient Parish Church of St. Mary, which was
consecrated on August 3rd, 1550, and was, in 1890, restored
by Col. Metcalfe, at a cost of £500. The register dates
from 1638. The church contains several monuments to the Knowles
and Calvert families. The Swaledale Agricultural Society's
Show is held here every year in the month of September. At
Swinnergill Kirk, distance 1¾ miles, there is a huge
cavern some sixty yards long, where the early Nonconformists,
when prevented by law from worshipping in public, met in secret
worship.
Leaving Muker, we proceed along the high road,
passing the Wesleyan Chapel on the right, and after crossing
a rustic bridge we suddenly come to a charming waterfall,
near to Scar House. At a short distance we branch off into
the Hawes Road, which passes between two great mountainson
the
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west, GREAT SHUNNOR FELL, 2,329 feet,on
the south, STAG'S FELL, 2,213 feet. After a climb of about
two miles we come to THE BUTTERTUBS. These grotesque holes
present one of those strange freaks of nature occasionally
met with in limestone districts, and are amongst nature's
greatest wonders in this locality. They lie on the slope of
the mountain, and are unique natural formations. The so-called
Buttertubs are five or six deep caverns varying in depth from
50 to 100 feet, with vertical columns running down their sides
like actual masonry. From the Buttertubs or Muker Pass, as
it is variously called, there is possibly the finest view
of a wild mountain district that can be experienced in Yorkshire.
North of Muker the Swale winds round the mountain KISD0N,
1,636 feet, and down the rugged rocky valley. A rude path
leads almost by the river's brink, and if we would enjoy the
weird, wild stern beauties of this time-wasted, pine-clad
ravine, and view the rush of waters that flow down Kisdon
Force to the river's darksome bed, we must follow this path;
but a better road is the highway which runs to Thwaite by
Muker Beck, one of whose tributaries, Cliff Beck, is crowded
with multitudinous little water-
COOKES' GUIDE TO SWALEDALE - page 9
falls. From the junction of the Hawes road above
Scar House there is an excellent view, and we get our last
glance at Muker, and the valley below, with the giant ridges
of hills between which we have journeyed.
Thwaite nestles sweetly in the hollow
at our feet, and passing by Angram (a village standing
some 900 feet above sea level), we drop leisurely down to
the "Cat Hole Inn," an oasis in a wilderness of
mountains. The village of Keld lies below. It is an
old fashioned country village with nothing of interest in
it beyond, perhaps, the chapel, which in Leland's time was
a place of worship belonging to the Established Church. It
was restored or re-built in 1789, and Mr. Stillman, the minister,
in order to raise the funds for this purpose walked to London
and back soliciting subscriptions, his expenses by the way
amounting to the marvellous sum of sixpence. In an easterly
direction, along a narrow by-path we obtain a lovely view
of East Stonesdale Beck and proceeding a little further, we
come to the famous KISDON FORCE. At the height of nearly 50
feet from the stream, there is a terrace of rock which is
densely covered
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with trees, and from the crevices creep ferns, moss and ivy.
Retracing our steps we may keep to the river, for along its
course many pretty pieces of scenery are encountered. Behind
the village of Keld is CATRAKE FORCE. The rocky bed here forms
a grand amphitheatre composed of a succession of falls. Higher
up on our right hand are Currack Falls; a little ahead, we
see Remby Falls, consisting of three parallel columns; 500
yards further brings us to Hoggart's Leap, a long range of
perpendicular or slightly hanging Scars, crowned with elm
and mountain ash. After leaving Keld, the wildness of the
country and the few signs of human habitation that appear
give the traveller the impression that he is now approaching
the lonesome moorlands. He certainly is approaching the limits
of Swaledale, for a little beyond, the dale parts into two
branches, called Birkdale and Great Sleddale, from the conflux
of whose waters we may consider the Swale to take its rise.
We make the return journey by taking the road which runs through
West Stonesdale, passing and turning in an easterly direction
to what is called Arkendale Head, and travel by the Arkle
Valley down to Reeth.
Text ©CE Cookes & Son, High Row, Richmond,
Yorks
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