Arten Gill

Arten Gill Lane was originally part of the old road from Dentdale to Hawes and its history reflects its use in the life of the community and the local economy. Starting from the small settlement of Stone House in Dentdale, the Arten Gill walled lane rises onto the open moor above and continues on its way eastward to its junction with the Hawes  Ingleton road at Widdale Foot.  

The route was mainly used as a drove road to take animals to local farms and markets and to access upland pasture and moorland. It was also used to access the upper fellsides, where coal was mined for local consumption and local dark limestone was quarried to produce the locally distinctive Dent Marble.

The construction of the Settle Carlisle Railway in the late nineteenth century saw the arrival of an outstanding feat of industrial engineering – the Arten Gill Viaduct. Made from blocks of local limestone this beautifully constructed viaduct spans Arten Gill with eight arching leaps and is now listed as a Grade 2 Listed Building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Use of the lane declined following the construction at a lower level of the modern road network between Hawes, Ingleton and Dent and in recent times Arten Gill had become almost impassable. Running adjacent to a fell and down a steep gill, it had essentially become a water course eroded to 2m deep and 3m wide!

Restoration of Arten Gill Lane has been the biggest single project carried out on the Pennine Bridleway to date. A 2.3km section of the route has now been transformed into a stable, solid, properly drained track, with sympathetic landscaping. The use of traditional techniques such as stone fords and culverts combined with the very latest methods in upland track construction and drainage has produced stunning results.

Heritage Lottery Fund funding has also enabled the restoration of a couple of limekilns which would have been used in days gone by to produce agricultural lime to sweeten the pasturelands and to make lime mortar for building and the installation of some information to tell visitors about the history of this important place.