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WALK 6 - Cam Head and Moor End Fell Starting
from the lovely village of Kettlewell, this
moderate hill walk follows former packhorse and
drovers' roads. There are some excellent views of
the valley on both outward and return
journeys. Starbotton
and Cam Gill from Moor End Fell Kettlewell
is situated at the foot of Great Whernside which,
at 2312 feet, is Wharfedale's highest mountain. The
scenery and contour of the mountains around
Kettlewell are said to be a near facsimile of the
Valley of Jehoshaphat in Palestine. The
village was granted a market charter in 1320 and
became a thriving centre for the dale. At one time
it had five inns, a beerhouse, a cotton mill, three
schools, three blacksmiths and a
surgeon. The
manor of Kettlewell was once owned by Richard
Neville, Earl of Warwick, known as 'the Kingmaker.'
After his death at the Battle of Barnet in 1471,
his estates were confiscated by the Crown for
supporting the enemies of Edward IV. In 1656, the
manor was bought by eight trustees for the
freeholders of Kettlewell who came to be known as
the 'Trust Lords.' In
recent years Kettlewell has been inundated by the
arrival of some very strange residents! During the
first few weeks of August the village holds its
annual scarecrow festival, with almost every
household in the community taking part. Hundreds of
'scarecrow residents' are dotted about the village
in a wide variety of poses and disguises including
burglars, musicians, fishermen and joggers. A few
years ago, some visitors were shocked when one
scarecrow, with a 'real life resident' hiding
inside, spoke to them! Leaving
the village a former packhorse route, the Top Mere
Road, leads to Cam Head. During the ascent views
extend to Kilnsey Crag and its striking
overhang. This
ancient track passes the site of the chimney and
flue which served the Kettlewell Smelt Mill. The
mill started work towards the end of the
seventeenth century. It was rebuilt in 1868 when a
long flue was constructed to a high chimney on the
side of Cam Pasture. The mill closed in 1887 and
was in good condition until it was demolished by
the army in 1942 to test a new type of explosive.
However, the chimney had blown down during a gale
in 1893. At
Cam Head the route joins the Starbotton Road. This
is an old drovers' track which linked Coverdale and
Malhamdale. During the descent to Starbotton there
are sweeping views across the valley of Old Cote
Moor and Moor End Fell. Although
sited on a busy main road, Starbotton has retained
a peaceful outlook. The name is of Norse origin
meaning 'the valley where the stakes were cut.'
Many of the buildings in the village were rebuilt
after the disastrous flood of 1686. The Fox and
Hounds Inn, which was rebuilt in 1834, is a welcome
oasis for weary travellers. After
crossing the River Wharfe the path climbs steeply
through a wood and emerges onto the shoulder of
Moor End Fell. From here the steep sides and
U-shaped valley floor, which are typical of glacial
action, can be seen to best advantage. Moor
End Farm, which is now an Outward Bound Centre, was
built for the manager of the nearby leadmines in
the early eighteenth century. The Moor End mines
were heavily worked between 1731 and 1879. A shaft
was sunk to a depth of 210 feet and one level was
worked for 2000 feet. Most of the ore was sent to
the Cupola Smelt Mill at Starbotton. From
Moor End the path descends gently on its return to
Kettlewell. Across the river, on the lower slopes,
lynchets are visible when the sun is
low. |
