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The weather forecast had given a dull start to the day but becoming a little brighter later but it didn't happen. Apart from a five minute spell it stayed dull all day and although the showers weren't heavy, they were enough to make us keep changing into the waterproof jackets a number of times. It's a few years since we were last here but I have fond memories of walking from Dent. It is certainly my favourite way up Whernside. Anyway onto todays walk.

Dent village car park. We had noticed as we drove down from over Barbondale that the village looked busy. All the camp sites looked full and there were plenty of people about.

The start of our walk was up Flintergill a wooded ravine.

There is a well trodden path up the side of the gill but it is well worth getting of this in sections for a deries of small falls.

A look to High Barn across the meadows

A Lime Kiln at the path side built around 1750 according to sign inside.

We have arrived at the top of Flintergill now and have reached what is know as the "Occupation Road" or the "Ocky".  The fell across the valley is Aye Gill Pike

The "Ocky" is a former green lane that runs from approximately the top of the Barddondale Road in the west to the top of the Kingsdale/Deepdale in the east a distance of approximately 5.50 mile. It is deeply rutted in places and very wet and much criticism as been made of "off road" vehicles using it and chewing it up. This is probably true but I seem to recall reading somewhere that it was used for tank manoeuvres around the WW2 period and I don't suppose that did it much good.

Looking down on Dent we could see a number of large tents......wonder what is going on?

Our way ahead....The fell with it's head in the clouds is Whernside one of the Yorkshire Dales 3 Peaks. This used to be my favourite way of climbing it. A far better way than the trudge from Ribblehead or the Hill Inn with a return along the medieval Craven Way and the Dales Way back to Dent.

A look up Dentdale towards Great Knoutberry Hill. Somewhere up there is Dent Sation which at 1150 feet above sea level is the highest mainline railway station in England on the famous Settle to Carlisle line.

A look back along the Ocky

A look down to the head of Deepdale with Whernside behind.

Rain on the way. Waterproof jackets on and camera away.... didn't miss much ...the next section was just a rutted mud filled mess. We did go onto High Pike near the old quarry which at about 1750 feet was our highest point but the visibility was only a few yards.

We are just about at the end of the Ocky here. This group of bikers had cycled up from Ingleton and were just about to tackle the Ocky.....good luck!!

We had spoken to the driver of this vehicle near the old quarry where he was waiting for two groups of walkers on a teacher training course. They had been doing the same route as us from Dent. We had passed a group of three earlier but we had seen no sign of the other group of eight. We later saw him again back at Dent and he still hadn't heard from them......Hope they were OK....bit hard getting lost on a walled lane.

Looking down Deepdale from the road. It was decision time here. We have in the past always dropped down into the valley and followed it down but today decided on the quiet road so as to try to keep some views. Only 2 cars passed us and a few mountain bikers.

Deepdale Head farm

A rather steep section of the road. We had met a man who was cycling from somewhere in Scotland to Derby a little earlier pushing his heavily laden bike up here. He had set off earlier from Orton in North Cumbria and was on his way to Settle for the evening.

Looking across Gastack Beck to where we had walked earlier....The Ocky Road is just about level with the cloud base

Looking across Deepdale to a cloud covered Whernside.

We had heard about these falls long ago but had never visited them as we normally go down the valley

Meadow Crane's-bill  with a couple of lodgers.

Great Knoutberry Hill in the distance

A local hunter

Edith fights her way down a walled lane towards the Dales Way. In the end we had to turn back and take another path because there was over a foot of water at the end.

On the Dales Way now and the stepping stones are under water. Fortunately we don't have to use them.

A peaty looking River Dee. The river joins the River Rawthey near Sedbergh and then joins the River Lune.

These are the tents we saw earlier.

Church Bridge

And this is the reason the village is so busy. I know that Mike Harding who presents the BBC 2 Radio Folk music show on a Wednesday used to live in the area but I'm not sure if he's still there.

Couldn't resist putting this in.

The cobbled streets of Dent and the Sun Inn.

St Andrew's Church at Dent. Built in the 12th Century and rebuilt in 1417. Further restorations took place in 1590, 1787 and 1889.

Back to a full car park.

Next Walk:    30th June 2008 - Norber & Crummackdale from Clapham

Last Walk:    25th June 2008 -- An evening walk up Warton Crag

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