Where would you find boats up a hill? Embsay, that's where! The picturesque little Dales village of Embsay gives it's name to a number of things including a lovely little Reservoir and a Crag. Embsay Reservoir isn't just an compact fishing spot, stocked with Rainbow and Brown Trout, but is the home of Craven Sailing Club. This was one of Dad's favourite spots so had to be done sooner rather than later. This was a quick, short 2-3 mile, enjoyable ramble that took in this lovely little stretch of water and an assent up a crag (371m) onto the upland area of Barden Moor. I started my walk in the good free Yorkshire Water public car park. If you like there is a brilliant path that leads up from Embsay village, a good guide to this walk can be found here: http://www.dalesman.co.uk/walks/embsay-crag
Owing to number of pressing arrangements I had to do this walk in some haste; I was able to get round the reservoir, up the crag, have lunch while savouring the views on top and back down again in about an hour and a half. This is not the way I normally like to roll but it was the way it had to be. Of course you can do this in a much more steady way and take your time to enjoy it. There is a longer,10mile, walk to be had from the top of the Crag around Barden Moor, a walk for the future me thinks.
The walk takes you around the Reservoir over a little bridge, past a little 'beach' and out on a farm track and back up towards the crag.
It's a well signposted route.
On your way to the base of the Crag you pass a tiny tarn and rivulets bubbling down from the upland reaches.
Follow the bracken bordered path with its blue topped markers up towards the rocky outcrop.
The stony, steep path winds up to the Crag's rocky summit.
The trip up the crag is well worth it for the expansive views. Frustratingly these views were not as clear as I was hoping owing to the haze hanging over the landscape.
At the summit I sat back, rested My Dad's Boots, enjoyed the views and ate my sandwiches... Better than a lay-by any day!
The open views of Barden Moor with the distinctive Dales Dry Stone Walls are an ever present strong feature of the landscape in this area.
When I came down off the crag and rounded off my walk around the Reservoir I took a few minutes to watch the little boats as they flew round the water. A very pleasant end to this short but wowing walk... Boats, fishing and a hill walk within a few miles, great stuff!
Time to get My Dad's Boots cleaned up for the next outing... Till then. MDB
