Low & High Force, Holwick via Green Trod

We started our walk at the Bowlees Visitor Centre car park. From here we crossed the footbridge over a stream and followed the track down to the main road. Across the road just to the right we joined a footpath which lead us through a wood down to the historic Wynch Bridge. Here we turned right onto the Pennine Way giving us great views of Low Force.

We followed the River Tees on a fairly level, but rocky, path, passing an impressive piece of public art - two sheep carved out of limestone. The southern branch of the river was almost dry showing how little rain had fallen recently.

After about a mile we had a short climb into the National Nature Reserve and the largest juniper wood in England where the roar of High Force, England's highest waterfall, gradually made itself heard. Before reaching the waterfall Syd pointed out a short diversion on a narrow path through some bushes to our right which gave us magnificent views of the dramatic waterfall, where the river Tees falls 21 meters over the outcropping Great Whin Sill.

We then continued on the well defined Pennine Way, to Bracken Rigg, passing a working quarry, across the river on our right. After climbing Bracken Rigg a meeting of paths is marked by a stone signpost. We followed the path to our left marked "GT", Green Trod, and after crossing Fell Dike Sike turned left on to the Green Trod, an ancient drover's route, which could be seen climbing over the moors in the distance.

We followed this wide, grassy track across the moors up Whiteholm Bank. At Blea Beck Judith led a scouting party to locate an easier crossing for a splinter group while the rest of us crossed the beck on the main path watched closely by those with cameras waiting for the slightest slip up! Mick almost provided a good photo but unfortunately he just managed to keep his footing.

The path eventually merged into a stony track and then continued ahead towards Holwick Scar. We stayed on the track and after descending past the first crags crossed a stile fashioned from two carved limestone sheep, impressive but somewhat out of place, stopped for a quick coffee, and then continued into Holwick.