The Settle Loop (North Yorkshire)

Climbing out of Settle on the Pennine Bridleway

The view up Ribblesdale

Cloud snow and sun on the Pen-Y-Ghent ridge

Finger post at the point where a path drops to Malham Tarn

There were several groups of young students with heavy backpacks doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions

Looking across to Malham Tarn from my lunch stop

Looking down the bridleway to Malham Tarn....... 

.....and later down Stockdale 

Dropping down the steep hill back into Settle with Ingleborough still in cloud behind

Nine Standards (part 2)

The small town of Brough (pronounced: Bruff )is seen on the far side of the Eden Valley

The standards make an impressive land mark some rising to four metres high 

Birkrigg tarn comes into view on the way down

Looking back at a 'May to July' section of the Coast-to-Coast path

Leaving North Yorks behind to where the car is parked  in Cumbria

Nine Standards Rigg

The walk takes in a section of the Coast to Coast walk which has different routes for times of the year to help prevent erosion

At this point it's a Dec to April section

Looking down Rigg beck to the Eden valley

To the west are the eastern Howgill fells

Climbing higher -  Kirkby Stephen comes into view

The first sign to the Nine Standards

On the summit there is an excellent view finder

...and the Nine Standards come into view on the summit plateau. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Standards_Rigg

Ravenglass

Ravenglass mainline station - the 'Ratty' Eskdale Railway is only operating at weekends just now.

The River Esk estuary and promenade

Picturesque cottages on the main street

It's a long time since petrol was this price per gallon! (7.5p!)

The promenade again with spring blooms

The tide rising in the estuary

Pebble mosaic referring to Ravenglass' maritime history

Looking out down the river estuary to the sea

Greenfield to Marsden (part 2)

This is Mr Rob Dutton whom I met by chance on the Bridleway. He was doing a promotional shoot. He is clearly a talented artist, as shown here, with one of his paintings completed last year at this same spot.  I liked his work a lot. He can be found at www.rdcreative.co.uk 

Looking back down the valley towards Manchester

The isolated Great Western Inn overlooking Redbrook reservoir

In case you can't find the right path in the snow!

Redbrook reservoir and the Inn again

Starting the descent to Marsden in the Colne valley

Looking down on Marsden.....

..... and across the valley to Butterley reservoir

Marsden again

The footbridge over the river Colne in Marsden next to the parish church.

Greenfield to Marsden (part 1)

The Huddersfield Canal passes through the village of Greenfield on the eastern outskirts of Manchester

It's an attractive section of the canal.... 

... with the River Tame (as in 'Tameside') flowing alongside it down the valley

The Manchester to Huddersfield railway also follows this valley with some fine viaducts 

Both the canal and the railway pass under the south Pennines through the Standedge Tunnels. This is the entrance to the canal tunnel in the village of  Diggle 

The Tunnel information board

The entrance to the railway tunnel 

Climbing up towards Saddleworth Moor

The route follows the Pennine Bridleway National trail at this point