Grassington, Linton Falls and Linton

Grassington, where the walk begins, is a former lead-mining village with an attractive cobbled square. From here, the walk follows a winding footpath with high walls known as the Snake Walk (used by millworkers to and from Linton Mill). Now replaced by cottages, this former textile mill was powered by a weir upstream, while nearby Linton Falls is a natural limestone feature — a bubbling cauldron on the majestic River Wharfe where acrobatic swallows and low-flying dippers are frequent visitors.

Linton village is set around a beautiful green overlooked by a black-and-white pub, and is perhaps the least spoiled of all Dales villages (most houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries). Fountains Hospital and Almshouse for 'six poor men or women of the parish' was endowed by a local man, Richard Fountain, in 1721.

On the return leg from the village of Linton, we approach the village of Threshfield, which can be visited if you wish. The legend of Threshfield School tells of a ghostly figure — Pam the Fiddler — who haunts the schoolroom at night playing the fiddle with demonic power. At one time the Yorkshire Dales Railway carried hundreds of tourists between Skipton and Grassington, though now only the trackbed remains.

Grassington is one of the most visited villages in the Yorkshire Dales, featuring a pretty main street with a lovely mix of independent shops, cafes, and hostelries. In summer the streets are bedecked with flower displays, making it the perfect place to relax and take refreshments after the walk.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.