Sunday 18th May 2014 - Kettlewell, Yorkshire Dales

This month our walks are based at Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales. The coach will leave school as usual at 8.00 am prompt. The coach will go directly to Grassington where there are toilets and where the C walk starts.  The coach will then continue on to Kilnsey where the A walk starts and Kettlewell where the B and B+ walks start. All walks finish at Kettlewell where there are refreshment opportunities. We plan to leave at 5.30 pm to be back in Formby about 7.30 pm.  Boots are essential on all walks.   

The cost of travel will be £10.00 for members, £13.00 for non-members and £5.00 for Leaders, children and students in full time education. Please make your cheque payable to Range Walking Club and ensure it is signed as it is inconvenient for the Treasurer to chase up such omissions.

Please send in your return to the Treasurer before 3rd April. Places will be booked on the coach by the treasurer on a first come first served basis.

Cancellations: if you need to cancel or make a late booking, please contact the Treasurer on 01704 871308 who will endeavour to substitute your booking from the waiting list.  If you cancel after 3rd April and it is not possible to fill your place on the coach, regrettably, we will not be able to give you a refund as coaches will have been booked on initial returns.

Leaders Meeting: 19th May 2014 8pm Pinewoods Pub Formby. Hopefully all Leaders are able to attend the Leaders Planning Meeting for the 2014/15 walking season. 

Club Weekend 2014: 27th-29th June 2014 Braithwaite Lake District
The weekend will be based at the Coledale Inn, Braithwaite in the Lake District. The weekend will commence on Friday evening with a meeting at 9pm to discuss the various walks on offer on Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday evening there will be a group meal at the Coledale Inn.  There may also be walks arranged for the Friday for those who are able to get there on Friday morning.

When booking rooms at the Coledale Inn Tel No: 017687 78272 please tell them you are a member of the Range Walking Club as rooms are being held for us.  Alternative accommodation available in Braithwaite is The Royal Oak 017687 78533, Middle Ruddings 017687 78436 and a camp site   We do hope you are able to come.

‘A’ Walk Distance: 12 miles Ascent: 2000 ft Leaders: Margaret Pegg Edwina Roberts	Starting from the Tennant Arms in Kilnsey we follow Mastiles Lane which is an old drovers road used for taking sheep from Scotland to the East Riding of Yorkshire.  Just before the site of a roman camp we turn north west and go across High Stony Bank to Gordale Beck.  We then walk in a north easterly direction along a well marked path up and over High Cote Moor and down into Arncliffe Cote in Littondale.  The route continues through the pretty village of Hawskswick before climbing up and over Hawskwick Moor and down through Knipe Wood to Kettlewell.
‘B+’ Walk Distance: 10 miles Ascent: 1600 ft Leaders: Andy Fowler Jane Fowler	We head climbing out of the village of Kettlewell in a northerly direction along the pebbly Top Mere Road to Cam Head with great views of Great Whernside and the valley below.  Here we change from walking on pebbles to grass and continue northwards to Tor Mere Top.  We walk along the ridge with views over both valleys and beyond to the Memorial Cross and on to Buckden Pike.  Descending sharply in a southwest direction we reach the Buckden Lead Mine and the source of Buckden Beck.  The descent flattens out and we traverse on grass paths down into Starbottom.  Here we continue south to Kettlewell along the path through fields on the eastern edge of the river with views of the valley and the Dales Way.
‘B’ Walk Distance: 8.4 miles Ascent: 1750 ft Leaders: Gill Hickmott David Wake	This walk starts in Kettlewell heading south crossing the river and then along a concessionary path through woodland before gently climbing over limestone moorland. Our route then turns north-westwards and descends into Hawkswick in Littondale. We now follow the river upstream through fields to Arncliffe where we turn north then north-east to climb up past old mine workings to our high point of the day. This ascent will be taken gently with plenty of stops on the way up. From the high point we descend steadily down the moor then through hazel woods to the river Wharfe at Starbotton. Here we turn south-east to follow the Dales Way beside the river back to Kettlewell.
‘C’ Walk Distance: 7 miles Ascent: 700 ft Leaders: David Poole Glennis Poole	Starting from the main car/coach park in Grassington, where there are toilets, we take a leisurely stroll through the village before joining the Dales way heading north.   The route takes us over open limestone pastures and ancient settlements to Conistone Pie and then descends gradually via Swineber Scar to the Wharfe valley.   After a short section on a minor track, we follow the Dales way back into the village of Kettlewell where refreshments will be waiting.