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Date: 12 Mar 2003
Start / Finish: Malham. Very limited roadside parking, or pay-and-display car park.
Maps: Outdoor Leisure 10 Yorks Dales South and Outdoor Leisure 30 Yorks Dales North & Central.
| Day 1 | Malham Cove, Darnbrook Fell & Plover Hill | 15 miles / 2940 feet (24.2km / 896m) |
| Day 2 | Pen-y-Ghent, Fountains Fell & Attermire Scars | 17 miles / 1450 feet (27.4km / 442m) |
A backpack around the hills NW of Malham, the outleg is via Malham Cove and Darnbrook Fell and the return is via Pen-y-ghent, Fountains Fell and Attermire Scars.
A surfaced path defines the Pennine Way (PW) from Malham to the famous cove from which steps lead to the limestone pavement above. We followed the PW to Malham Tarn and Fountains Fell and turned NE at 872720 to Darnbrook Fell.
Heading NW then NE we aimed for the unenclosed track at 887742 and turned R to New Bridge on the Skirfare. The valley footpath gives an easy walk NW to Foxup where a track turns S uphill and a side track turns W to climb then contour the valley above Foxup Beck. We collected water at one of the tiny side streams and finally turned L steeply uphill at 846763 to reach Plover Hill, where a flat grassy area in the lea of two intersecting walls gave shelter from the cold wind.
Although the morning views were clear a brief snow shower fell as we set off to Pen-y-Ghent, where the PW was rejoined. Following it to Fountains Fell we left it R at the wall to gain the main top and S top.
Heading S to a trig point 593m easy slopes led down to the minor road at 858673, where we turned L to the footpath opposite Capon Hall and walked SW to the attractive limestone scenery of Attermire Scar. The path curves back E and becomes a good track to the minor road at 892640. Turning R down the steep lane we left it at the sharp bend to follow Long Lane SE back to Malham.
