Catrigg Force is what I call a hidden gem! Tucked away in the south of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, it’s a must-visit. The walk starts and finishes in the beautiful town of Settle, leading you up above the valley, to a magical spot. If you are in the area, I recommend putting on your hiking boots and walking this trail.
The walk is a moderate 7-mile long walk. Good footwear, correct clothing, and good navigation skills are required. The route follows well-marked footpaths, bridleways, and roads, but you do need to be able to read a map. You need to know when to turn off, and which path to follow, so you don’t get lost.
Location
Settle is a small town located in the south of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, just 15 miles northwest of Skipton. The nearest city is Bradford, just 33 miles away.
Parking
There are a few different car parks in Settle. We parked in Whitefriars Car and Coach Park, as it was somewhere we knew we could park our campervan.
The Route
Follow this map, as you walk the route, you shouldn’t get lost! Make sure your location is turned on and you should be able to see exactly where you are, on this map. Or if you prefer, download the GPX file and use it on your choice of route tracker.
1.
Starting in the centre of Settle, head up towards Banks Lane, where you see a signpost marking the Pennine Bridleway. (To navigate yourself through Settle, please follow the map carefully.)
2.
Follow the public bridleway up Banks Lane until you reach a gate. Look out for some donkeys on your left-hand side. Head through the gate and follow the public bridleway until you reach another gate.
3.
Head through the gate, and continue to follow the public bridleway as it leads you towards a path junction. At the junction, take the path going up off to your right-hand side, towards the trees, passing through a couple more gates. Eventually, you will reach the road.
4.
Head northeast along the road towards Winskill Stones. Head over the cattle grid and continue to follow the road. Just before you reach the second cattle grid and where the road bends sharply off to your right-hand side into Cowside, you should see a footpath going off to your left-hand side.
5.
Take the footpath and follow it until you reach a gate. Head through the gate and follow the footpath for a very short distance along Goat Scar Lane. You should see a signpost pointing to your right-hand side marked Catrigg Foss only. Head through the gate and follow the footpath down the hill to Catrigg Force.
6.
Once you’ve enjoyed your time at Catrigg Force, head back up the hill, retracing your steps for a short distance. Head through the first gate and turn towards your left-hand side onto Goat Scar Lane.
7.
Follow the lane, until you reach another gate. Head through the gate and take the path going off towards your right-hand side. Follow the footpath to Upper Winskill.
8.
At Upper Winskill, take the public bridleway going off to your left-hand side. Follow the bridleway until you reach the road.
9.
At the road, turn towards your right-hand side and follow the road over the cattle grid, towards the gate leading you onto the public bridleway. The gate leading you onto the public bridleway is just before the road bends sharply off to your right-hand side. (You should recognise this part of the walk from earlier on.)
10.
Head through the gate and follow the public bridleway back towards Settle, passing through lots of gates along the way. If you are unsure, keep a close eye on the map. (You should recognise this section from the start of the walk.)
Enjoyed this walk and would like to do another walk in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, please check out some of my other walk guides:
For more information about the Yorkshire Dales National Park, please check out their website:
https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/
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