Clapham, N. Yorkshire

24th July 2021

After a full set of new shoes (tyres), Fufu has taken us to Clapham. Although, the village of Clapham is in North Yorkshire, our camping ground is actually in Lancashire, in the Forest of Bowland, on the other side of the A65.

The site is a temporary one, organised by the Camping and Caravan Club. Minimal facilities, but in a superb location, within a short walk of Clapham village centre. There is even an underpass to get you safely across the A65.

We had a brief wander around the village after parking up on the Friday evening. Lovely weather and a nice atmosphere, with people sat around outside the local pub and restaurant enjoying a drink. We noticed that the following day, the local church, St James, was planning to hold an “open day”.

Clapham Beck runs through the village and there are three bridges in the centre, two road bridges and what appears to be a very old and wobbly, footbridge or pack-saddle bridge.

On our meanderings we saw an old stone shelter which houses a drinking fountain which has two plaques, each commemorating the 60 years reign of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II.

Returning to the campsite, we spotted what is definitely the smallest motorhome on the site. We just wondered how sanitation is arranged as due to the temporary nature of the site, all units have to be “self-contained” in this regard. I would not like to have to negotiate the ladder in the middle of the night.

After a lazy start to Saturday, we planned to walk up to Gaping Gill which is a good way towards the summit of Ingleborough. The path we planned to take from the village takes you through the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail, for which a £1 per person charge was payable via a ticket machine (this had been sussed out the night before). Unfortunately, we had forgotten to bring change for the machine, so needed to call in at the village shop, where a packet of fudge, made on the premises, was purchased to provide the required coins (any excuse).

Walking on, we then came to the church and the “open day” being held there. There were numerous stalls in the churchyard and a takeaway cafe in the church itself. A further purchase, this time of 2 buttered fruit scones, was made.

One stall was selling sheep’s fleeces for £3. The woman who was running the stall explained numerous ways such natural fibre can be used and how it was much better for the environment than the alternatives.

Having been completely sold by her pursuasive argument, we left the churchyard having also invested in a sheep’s wool fleece (to be collected on our way back), which came in an impressive sack. It occurred to me, that given our local MP, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is the Speaker of the House of Commons, I would now be able to sit on my woolsack and emulate the great man.

The path through the nature trail took us alongside a lake, rising gradually, passing through a wooded area. Alongside the path, there is a yew tree, obviously very old, which has had thousands of coins pushed into its trunk and branches. Perhaps money does not grow on trees, but it can sometimes be found in them.

The path also passes “The Grotto”, which is a folly, a place for the wealthy Victorian landowners to be served tea. It was known as Aunt Bessie’s Grotto.

The path takes you past Ingleborough Cave, a large showcave, which has guided tours. Not for us today, but perhaps next visit. Our path beyond that point became progressively more difficult and steeper, passing through a dry valley then a limestone gorge.

At the end of the gorge, the path become quite a scramble over fallen rocks, worn smooth with the passage of many feet. Further on, after another dry valley, we emerged onto a limestone pavement with numerous deep holes in the landscape. These holes are where the underlying rock has dissolved over thousands of years leaving, in some cases, very deep and possibly dangerous hazards.

One such hole, is Gaping Gill, our target for the walk. This particular hole is over 100 metres deep and when there has been enough rain, can have a huge cascade of water disappearing through the entrance, like a huge plug-hole. The stream is called Fell Beck, but today its flow disappeared underground about 100 yards short of Gaping Gill.

On some days, it is possible to be taken down to see this underground cavern, but this year, due to Covid, this is not possible.

After consuming our lovely homemade scones and a couple of piecs of fudge, purchased earlier, we made our way back to Fufu the way we had come, collecting our fleece from the very nice persuasive lady in the churchyard on the way past.