Day 1 - Settle to Buckden

The start of our 11 days is Settle and very quickly we depart from Wainwright's route simply because the road to Horton via Langcliffe and Stainforth is best avoided by walkers. The new route follows the west side of the river Ribble and of interest is the history of Langliffe Place cotton mill (as named on the old map) and any facts would be useful.

Wainwright passed through Stainforth and would have stopped at a cafe had it not been for hundreds of parked bicycles - the cafe is now long gone presumably, any details would be good.

After Stainforth the route procceds to Helwith Bridge and follows the west side of the Ribble to the crossing point at the north end of Horton. Wainwright referred to there being 3 inns in Horton but he could only find 2 - was there a third?

Wainwright made no reference to the now famous Pen-y-Ghent cafe in Horton - was there a cafe there when he passed and was the vicarage still occupied by the minister (in 1998 it was a hostel for women and still called "The Old Vicarage").

At Horton the new and old routes meet again and the way then coincides with the Pennine Way via a green lane toward Hull Pot and over the boggy moorland of Foxup Moor. Any facts about Hull Pot would be useful as it forms a pleasant place to stop awhile after the climb from Horton.

The way becomes awkard over the moor but becomes less boggy as progress is made down to Foxup and on to Halton Gill and then there is the steep climb up to Horsehead Pass. Wainwright suggested that the hill gets its name from the curate that used to serve both Halton Gill and Hubberholme and would pass over the moor between the parishes - any detail would be interesting.

The top of Horsehead allows time for a rest before the downhill stretch to meet the Dalesway long distance path and follow its route to Buckden. Wainwright describes arriving at Ramsgill but the map shows the name to be Raisgill - why the difference in name I wondered when I did the walk.

When Wainwright arrived at the road he turned right and followed the road (again!). The new path turns left to pick up the Dalesway on the north side of the young river Wharfe through Langstrothdale and follows it to Buckden.

I believe that descendants of Wainwright's hosts in Buckden still live locally - he stayed with the Falshaws and the concern at the time was the closure of the village school. Any details on either would be good. The other concern he gave vent to was the feverish peace negotiations that were taking place to stave of imminent war (if my maths is right the day was Sunday 25th September 1938).

So, the first day has visited Settle, Stainforth, Horton, Foxup, Hubberholme and Buckden - any details on these places and the local people from circa 1938 would be useful as part of the social history of the journey.

Any evidence of J B Priestley's love of the area would be interesting.