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This circular walk to Attermire Scar, Victoria Cave and Jubilee Cave from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Today's walk is a circular from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales to Attermire Scar and then back via Victoria and Jubilee Caves. There is a range of parking in Settle, but rather than starting from a car park, we are starting today's walk from the marketplace in the centre of Settle, where every Tuesday there is a market held in the marketplace, which was granted its charter back in 1249.
Now, let's have a quick look at where we're going on today's walk. We initially climb out of Settle heading along the Dales Highway and then head over to Attermire Scar, which is a very impressive limestone scar.
Shortly afterwards we reach Victoria Cave, which was discovered in 1837, and then on to have a look at Jubilee Cave. The return to Settle is across pleasant fields and then back down the walled track back into Settle.
Initially now head over to the corner of the marketplace by the Settle Marketplace signpost and then head away from the marketplace up Constitution Hill. Following the road, go up and then around to the left.
Shortly afterwards, the gravel track heads right off the road. We follow this gravel track following the Pennine Bridleway Langcliffe one and a half mile sign.
Head on now climbing up this gravel walled track.
Looking back now, you can see around to Settle and the surrounding areas. Pass through the gate and keep on alongside the wall.
A little further on just past the wall junction, we turn right away from the wall to head up the hill, following the Malham 'five miles' footpath sign. After a short climb, we turn left along the more defined path we meet to head diagonally away from the wall.
As the path becomes less steep, take time to look behind at the expanded panorama. Continue heading up the grassy path as it pulls in to the right on side of wall.
After a few hundred metres as a wall is reached, pass through the gate stile and then continue again along the side of the wall. Shortly afterwards, the path forks. It doesn't matter which path you take as they meet by the next wall crossing. We'll head down the left for today.
Down below to the right, you can see the other footpath, if we'd have taken the right arm fork that comes to join us shortly. Pass through the gap in the wall as we meet the other path.
Directly ahead now is Attermire Scar and then around to the left are Warrendale Knotts. Head downhill now keeping by the left hand side of the wall, passing over the wooden stile and continue on alongside the wall.
As more stones start to appear in the grassy path underfoot, the path splits. We take the left hand fork here, following the stony path that bends around to the left. After a short climb, the path pulls in alongside the wall. On reaching the wooden gate in the wall, pass through it and turn left to follow the gravel path that now runs along the right hand side of the wall.
Before setting off, take time to have a look around and admire the limestone scenery. If you enjoy these videos, please click the like button, subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell, so you know when any new walks have been uploaded. It's free to subscribe, and your likes and comments really do help our channel.
The grassy path eventually pulls into a wall corner. We head around the corner and continue along the side of the wall. Pass through this next wooden gate, and again, continue on by the side of the wall. After about 150 meters, you'll see a sketchy path heading up to the right. If you want to visit Victoria Cave, we can take a short detour up this path to reach it.
Victoria Cave was discovered in 1837 and named after the then Queen Victoria. Take great care though if you go near it, as its uneven and rocks may fall.
This entrance of this cave was opened later to lead to the main excavated chamber. Many artefacts have been found in this cave, along with fossilized bones of elephants and hippos from over 120,000 years ago, from a time when this area was much warmer with global warming. We probably won't have to wait 120,000 years for them to return, though maybe not in our lifetime.
On our website, the route of today's Settle circular walk is set out on an Ordnance Survey map along with a GPS download for your phone or GPS device. The link for our Walks4all.com website is down in the description below.
Remember, if you have any thoughts about this walk that you'd like to share with us, or find out any issues with any of the footpaths used, please share that in the comments below. This additional height gained by the cave lets us enjoy a wider panorama of the surrounding countryside.
Head back down now diagonally right to rejoin the path we left by the side of the wall. On the way down to the path on the right hand side, there's another entrance to a cave.
Continue on along the gravel path by the side of the wall. Upon reaching the next wall, pass through the wooden gate and head down the path to meet the track below.
The way back to Settle is left here through this gate, which we will return to shortly. First, we'll head right up the track to Jubilee Cave. After about 150 meters as the track bends around to the left and disappears over the horizon, there is a sketchy path off to the right that takes us to the cave. Here we arrive at the entrances to Jubilee Cave.
Jubilee Cave was named for the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935. If you do decide to go in the cave, make sure you take great care as the ground is very uneven and again, rocks can fall any time. If you want ideas for walking gear to wear on the walk or what to take on the walk, check out our recommendations in the description below.
After exploring the cave, head back down the hill to the track below and turn left to the gate that we were by a few minutes earlier. Through the gate, head along the track.
If you stop and look around now, you can see back over to Attermire Scar, where we have just been in Victoria Cave, and then looking further around in the distance you can see Pen-y-ghent on the horizon. Keep on heading down the track as you pull in alongside the wooded area directly ahead.
Now you can see Ingleborough and around to the right, looking a little bit closer now is Pen-y-ghent. Pass over the cattle grid and head down to meet the road below.
On meeting the road turn immediately left through a wooden gate following the Pennine Bridleway sign 2 miles to Settle. Head around the corner of the wall and then follow the path across the field.
Pass through the gap in the walls and continue along the path to pass through another wooden gate and again follow the path across the field. Reaching the next gate, pass through it and continue ahead on the left-hand side of the wall.
Over to the right, you can see down into Langcliffe and then on to Settle. The path eventually becomes enclosed by walls on both sides. Pass through the wooden gate to continue again along the left hand side of the wall.
Up to the left here, you may now recognize the path that you walked up at the start of the walk over to Attermire Scar. We're going to follow the reverse path now, back in to Settle.
Pass back through the wooden gate to head back down the enclosed path. At the bottom of the gravel track, Turn left back onto the road down Constitution Hill and head back down into the marketplace where you first started the walk.
Just before we look at where you can eat and drink after the walk, we've put together a short fly through using the Ordnance Survey app, the link for which is in the description below, to show you where you've been and to give the area more perspective.
We initially headed out of the marketplace up Constitution Hill and then upwards along the walled lane before turning right to head more steeply away from the wall. As we dropped down to the wall, Attermire Scar came into view ahead. Before reaching Attermire Scar, we turned to the left in front of it to start walking alongside a wall.
We then took a short diversion away from the wall to climb up to Victoria Cave. And then another one to have a look at Jubilee Cave before heading back to Settle initially on the wide gravel track.
Before meeting the road, we turned immediately left to head across the fields above Langcliffe. We then pulled in and walked alongside a wall with Settle ahead and then rejoined the outward path for the return back into Settle.
Now, as promised to the start, let's have a look around the immediate area to see what you can eat and drink after the walk. In the corner of the marketplace is the Royal Oak country Inn. It serves food and drink and is dog-friendly.
Just along from the Royal Oak is Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe and bakery, which always seems very popular with cyclists and walkers. It might look a little bit quiet in the video, though, but it is only just after 8:00 in the morning.
Next along the road is the Singing Kettle tearooms. On the opposite side of the road is the Golden Lion Pub. Again, it serves food, drink and is dog friendly.
Just down from that is Bar 13. No food, it's drinks only, but there's usually three good craft ales on the bar. Turning left just after Bar 13, you can head up to the museum.
The impressive looking folly at the top of the street, is the only grade one listed building in Settle. It houses the Museum of North Craven Life. Inside the building, there is also a coffee house, the proceeds from which go towards the maintenance of the building.
Across from the museum, there's the Bumblebee coffee shop. Across the road from that is the Talbot Arms, serves food and drink and is dog friendly. It also has a large beer garden.
Heading back now towards the corner of the marketplace, we pass the tourist information. You can see the market is on today, being a Tuesday, but if you head down the road to the right, there is the 3 Peaks Cycles, which is a bike shop and cafe.
And then just next to that, there is another tea and coffee house and directly opposite that if you fancy something a little bit different, the fish and chips or there's an Indian restaurant just a few yards further across the road. Back in the marketplace itself, there is the Dales Deli, which is a sandwich bar. And then next door to that there is another fish and chip shop.
These were just a selection of what I found near the start to eat and drink after the walk, the choice is yours.
