Yorkshire Walks

Aysgill Force

Map based on Ordnance Survey mapping by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright.

Length of walk: 3 miles
Start: Main car park, Hawes
Terrain: Easy

The village of Gayle and the little town of Hawes lie side by side but are worlds apart in many ways.  One thing that they do have in common is cheese ~ for the famous Hawes Creamery is situated between the two.

This walk visits Aysgill Force and the shallow, stepped ledges which form the spectacular falls close to Gayle Bridge.

Set off from the car park opposite The Board Hotel turning right to walk along the main street in Hawes.  Bear right at the Midland Bank to swing right again opposite the White Hart Inn to enter a cobbled path which leads around the church to a stile.

Follow a paved meadow path to emerge at a main road.  Turn left towards Gayle and walk along the road to a junction, turning right, immediately beyond Gayle Laithe.  Follow the narrow lane, passing the Rookhurst Hotel and negotiate a double bend, to arrive at a junction.  Veer right to a stile signposted Pennine Way and continue across the fields to another Pennine Way sign.

At this point ignore the Pennine Way route; instead veer left to another stile across the field to descend some steps and follow the riverside path to Aysgill Falls ~ a 40ft waterfall in Duerley Beck.

Continue beyond the waterfall for a short distance, walking alongside the beck.  After crossing a stile swing right, leaving the beck side (if you reach a footbridge across Duerley Beck, you've missed the turning point) to climb the steep field to a ladder stile.  Beyond the ladder stile you can play gap stile spotting, as a succession of stiles leads across the meadows returning to a stile used on the outward leg, marked with a yellow indicator.  Wether Fell is away on the right.

From this stile walk straight on with Hawes church directly ahead.  On reaching another stile ignore the Pennine Way route (used earlier); instead continue straight on to another stile and the road and turn right.

Walk along the narrow streets of Gayle to arrive at the road bridge and a view of the waterfalls.  Don't cross the bridge; instead turn left to follow the road which is signposted ~ Hawes.

Follow the road just beyond Wensleydale Creamery, then pass through a gated stile and return to the car park.

The information given in this walk has been provided in good faith and is intended only as a general guide. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that details were correct at the time of publication, the author and Country Publications Ltd cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies. It is the responsibility of individuals undertaking outdoor activities to approach the activity with caution and, especially if inexperienced, to do so under appropriate supervision. The activity described in this walk is strenuous and individuals should ensure that they are suitably fit before embarking upon it. They should carry the appropriate equipment and maps, be properly clothed and have adequate footwear. They should also take note of weather conditions and forecasts, and leave notice of their intended route and estimated time of return.