This pleasant circuit of just short of seven miles was shown to us by Tim and Christine Shaw, and would be as good in a northerly winter gale as the summer. From Conistone head east up the track from the Maypole on the green, and keep going up the defile, the Dib, which is similar to many in Limestone country you will have done, except that it is deserted and not worn by millions of boots. At the top turn left onto the Dales Way very briefly, then right past the next wall onto a track, Bycliffe Road. Follow this till you see aan un-named line of low crag in the disrance across a flat, sunken moor, named Kelber on the map, and turn back south. Through the wall on the right the thin but definite path continues with good distant views on the flat mostly till before Bare House, when a long gentle descent takes you towards Grasasington. The field systems marked extensively on the map are not terribly obvious to the uninitiated.
As the path turns to the right and joins a lane running north from the town, cross it and continue west on a field path, then turn north up the Dales Way. There are definite remains of the northern “Medieval Village” on the ground, and you could look for the cave in Cove Scar, south-west of the path in the crag facing south-west. Past the next wall, in open access land, take the first left path of the Dales Way and keeping to the right of the boundary wall of Bastow and Grass Woods, make for the scenic defile of Dib Beck via a signed path through the wall on the left just before it. The path continues pleasantly around and down the side of the hill to Conistone. You could ascend 80m to the cairn above Conistone for an excellent view, as the track veers left for the final descent. A variety of tracks and paths lead zig-zagging up.
Conistone Dib 
The Dib higher up 
Conistone from the cairn
Leave a Reply