Ribblesdale

Based at Stonedykes Barn near Stainforth, Ribblesdale Area Ranger Steve Hastie - pictured left - manages the public rights of way network in the popular Three Peaks area of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  He looks after the parishes of Thornton in Lonsdale, Ingleton, Horton in Ribblesdale, Austwick and Clapham cum Newby.

Steve also acts as the link to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for visitors as well as local residents and community groups.

Nathan Allen is the Access Ranger for the Ribblesdale area of the National Park.

Much of his work is connected with the maintenance and enhancement of the public paths on the Three Peaks; Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and Whernside. These paths are very busy with up to a quarter of a million users each year, making this the most popular area of the National Park for walking.

Nathan also helps look after the property owned by the Authority in the area, including Cleatop Park near Settle which is a woodland designated as a Local Nature Reserve and contains a variety of habitats within a small area. Here he is - see picture on the right - doing some tree maintenance work.

Projects

Contractors working for the National Park Authority have completed improvements to the Craven Way bridleway on Whernside. This is the main route from Ribblehead. Work included building a stone ramp into the hillside, as well as inserting stone drains to divert surface water off the path.

The ideal with regard to path construction is to use local stone from the immediate area. This is not always possible, as the geology of the Three Peaks area is one of the reasons for its importance as a nature conservation area. The stone for this project was brought in by wagon and then flown to site by a helicopter. This is the least damaging way of getting materials to site when local stone cannot be used.

Advice

Please remember not to leave waste food in the countryside, or to feed animals, such as horses.  This may cause a potential health risk to farm stock, and also can lead to some animals becoming inquisitive, or even aggressive.  Remember to take all your litter away with you.

Dogs

Please remember the following:

• Dispose of dog waste responsibly.  Bags of waste left in the open are unsightly, a health hazard and dangerous to stock and wildlife.
• Worm your dog regularly to prevent the spread of parasites and infections to people and other animals, including ground nesting birds.
• Keep your dog under close control, preferably on a short lead at all times to avoid disturbance to wildlife or livestock.

Footpaths and bridleways

The Three Peaks

A short section of the popular Three Peaks route has been diverted to avoid going through a busy farmyard.  At Nether Lodge Farm, north of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, several public footpaths merge into one, which passed  through the farmyard.

This path carries both the Three Peaks challenge route and the Ribble Way.  As a result, the footpath was exceptionally well used and large numbers of people went through the yard throughout the year, particularly at weekends.

The owners of Nether Lodge applied for the public footpath to be diverted out of the farmyard to the north of the farm onto a route giving more open views across moorland and pasture to the northeast and producing a route that is easier to follow as well as safer and more pleasant.
The diversion order was made following widespread consultation with no objections and, as a result, a new, 14m wooden footbridge has been installed over Ling Gill Beck.

Conservation

Rangers have been working with two of our partner organisations; the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and Natural England, to help both Settle and Ingleton Middle Schools with their conservation areas.  The children have been aiming for the John Muir Award.

This Award is an environmental Award scheme focused on wild places. This could be anywhere from a mountain top to a city garden. It encourages the discovery and conservation of wild places, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.  For more information visit  the John Muir Trust award website.

Contact details

Steve Hastie
Ribblesdale Area Ranger
Stonedykes Barn
Stainforth
Settle
BD24 9PN

01729 825242