Catrigg Force ~Medium Walk

Distance Covered: 2.5 miles Time to Complete Walk: 2 hours 

Suitable for dog walking: No - Livestock in Fields

A marvellous walk to Catrigg Force waterfall. Starting from the village of Stainforth make your way up to the stunning waterfall and gorge. Then head back to Stainforth over ancient stepping stones. Take a dip in the pool under the waterfall. A great satisfying walk perfect for a Summers day.

Virus Awareness: No issues - plenty of space to share with fellow walkers.

General Safety Tips: Take extra care on the slippery steps to the waterfall. Take a walking stick. There is a steep climb at the start of the walk. Take plenty of water if the weather is nice. Wear sunscreen.

The Catrigg Force Walk

Getting There

From Middlesbrough follow the A19 to the M1 to Thirsk and then follow the A168 as it changes into Dishforth Road. Then take a right turn onto the A61 at Ripon.

Follow the A61 until it changes to the A59 on a right turn. Keep on the A59 until a right turn onto the A65 which passes through Gargrave. Take a right turn onto the B6480 which takes you through Settle. Keep right onto the B6479 which takes you to Stainforth. Look for a right turning into the car park at Stainforth. Parking is £4.00 for 4 hours. 

   Map of the Catrigg Force walk

The Walk

From the carpark, turn right and head into Stainforth.

Turn right leaving the car park

Turn right again heading over a bridge.

Turn right and head over the bridge

Opposite the Craven Heifer pub turn left and head up the side lane.

Turn left into the lane opposite the Craven Heifer

Head up the side lane

Turn right and then immediately left to walk between cottages.

Turn right and then immediately left

Go through a gate on your right at the end of the lane.

Go through the gate at the end of the lane

Cross the field and head towards a gate at the end of the field.

Head to the gate in the corner of the field

In the next field head upwards to keep beside the fence on your left.

Head through the field with the fence to your left

After a while keep your eyes open for a kissing gate on your left with steps into the woods.

Head to the kissing gate

Go through the kissing gate and climb the steep steps into the woods.

Go through the kissing gate

Climb the steps into the woods.

Eventually you come to a ladder stile, climb this into the field ahead.

Climb the ladder style

In the next field follow the grass track to a ladder stile in the wall.

Follow the grass track

Go over the stile in the wall

Again follow the grass track in the next field until you come to a signpost to a wall below on your left.

Reach the signpost pointing to the left.

Head down to the ladder stile in the wall near Lower Winskill farm.

Head down to the ladder stile.

Head through the farm yard to a gate then follow the lane ahead.

Head to the farmyard

Follow the lane out of the farmyard.

Follow the lane as it bends and goes over a cattle grid.

Go over the cattle grid

Soon you come to a junction of paths near another farm. Keep ahead and follow the track with the wall to your left.

Keep ahead on the path

Follow the path with the wall to your left

Through a gateway, keep on the path as it bends to the right.

Follow the path as it bends to the right

Soon the path merges with a path coming from your right. Head onto this to your left to a gate.

Join the path and follow it to the gate on your left

Through the gate follow the path down as it bends to the left.

Follow the path as it bends to the left

Go through another gate and then immediately through another smaller gate to your right with Catrigg Force engraved on the gate.

Go through the gate

Head through the small gate on your right

Follow the path as it zig-zags its way down.

Follow the path down

Head towards the gate to your left which enters the wooded gorge.

Go through the gate into the wooded gorge

Follow the path down into the gorge.

Follow the path down

Then head down the steps to your right towards Catrigg Force waterfall.

 

Head to the waterfall

Take care at the waterfall as the rocks are slippy, however the waterfall is a spectacular site.

Views of Catrigg Force 

When you are ready to leave retrace your path back to the small gate before the zig zag path and this time turn right and follow the path leading into Stainforth.

Turn right and follow the path down into Stainforth

At the village green in Stainforth head to the right hand corner to cross over some ancient stepping stones.

Head to the right hand corner at the village green

Cross over the stepping stones

Over the stepping stones, keep left and there is a church on your right to visit. Alternatively, turn left and right and the car park is on your left.

Catrigg Force

A hidden gem, this waterfall lies deep within a wooded gorge and is a perfect secluded spot loved by everyone who finds it. The composer Edward Elgar had friends in Settle and, it is said, enjoyed the walk up to Catrigg Force whenever he visited.

Catrigg Force is found a short distance from the village of Stainforth, just north of Settle, where there is a National Park car park. From the same car park it is also only a short walk to Stainforth Force - another dramatic waterfall.

Stainforth

Stainforth (/ˈsteɪnfərθ/) is a town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is around 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Doncaster, close to Hatfield and Thorne. It had a population of 6,342 in the 2001 census, reducing slightly to 6,282 at the 2011 census.

The place-name means 'stony ford' from Old English stanig 'stony' and ford 'ford'. Its name was recorded as 'Stenforde' in Domesday Book in 1086 and is later recorded as 'Staneforde' in 1428.

Stainforth was established in the Anglo Saxon period and is recorded in the Domesday Book (1086), as a small settlement of 7 households. In 1066 it was under Earl Harold, but after the Norman Conquest it was given by William the Conqueror to William of (de) Warenne. In 1348, Stainforth received a Royal Charter, entitling it to hold a weekly market on Fridays and an annual ten-day fair. The town briefly thrived as a commercial centre and port and attracted traders from as far afield as the Isle of Axholme, but the market soon slumped as Bawtry grew in importance. George Porter (later Lord Porter of Luddenham), the Nobel prize winning chemist, was born in the town in 1920.

Stainforth railway station opened on 7 July 1856 and closed on 1 October 1866. The town is now served by Hatfield and Stainforth railway station.

Speedway racing was staged at the greyhound stadium in the town in 1930. The original "professional" promotion failed and a few meetings organised by a riders' co-operative were staged at the venue.