Tucked away just outside of the village of Stainforth in the Yorkshire Dales lies Smearsett Scar, a much quieter walking area with some incredible views of Pen-y-Ghent and traditional Dales scenery. This 9km walk follows old farm tracks and crosses limestone pavements before rising to the trig point on Smearsett Scar. It’s a great one for beginner hikers and you can even finish your hike with a swim at multiple points along the River Ribble. Read the full guide below and download the route to your phone.
At a Glance
Difficulty: Easy - a great hike for beginners. Good terrain and clear paths (some navigation required to reach the top of Smearsett Scar)
Distance: 9km/5.6 miles
Total Ascent: 360m
Est Time: 3-4 hours
Starting location: Stainforth car park (BD24 9PQ)
Facilities: Public toilets at the car park in Stainforth, Craven Heifer pub in Stainforth
Dog friendly: Only if well controlled. There are a couple of stiles to cross and plenty of livestock in the fields.
Smearsett Scar & wild swim circular route details
Start your walk in Stainforth; a picturesque village made up of traditional stone cottages and quiet lanes. The village was once a thriving farming community and still retains its rural charm and from here you’ll find plenty of walking routes. From the car park, cross the main road and follow the signposted path to reach a single track road. This road heads downhill and crosses the River Ribble after about 5 minutes. This is where you might want to detour from later if you’re thinking of finishing your walk with a swim.
After crossing the bridge over the River Ribble, you’ll pass a caravan park on your left and eventually cross the road once more onto a track in front of some farm buildings. Cross over the wall (or go through the gate), following the track uphill before veering off to the left grass.
This part of the walk follows the Dales High Way, a 90 mile, long-distance route that stretches from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland. The path is signposted and crosses a couple of stiles as it ascends and descends over open farmland, limestone pavements and drystone walls, some of which date back hundreds of years. You’ll be able to see Smearsett Scar rising out from the ground with its trig point visible on the top.
After descending down to Scar Close Farm (watch out for cows), take a right and follow the track past some houses and head through the gate, continuing to follow the track. This is a lovely, peaceful area and you feel enclosed by the limestone outcrops on one side and sections of woodland on the other.
The track eventually veers round to the right and heads uphill towards the limestone escarpment of Smearsett Scar. There is some sort of path where other people have walked onto the summit at the end but you can also make your own way up to the trig point. At the summit, the viewpoint is stunning with the view stretching across to Pen-y-Ghent and Ingleborough.
The limestone pavements here are thought to be over 300 million years old. These limestone pavements were formed when this area lay beneath a tropical sea and it is one of the most geologically significant areas in Britain.
From the trig point, descend via the path where others have walked onto the grassy side and head for the stile at the wall. The path descends down hill through fields before joining the single track road once again when you retrace your steps back to the car park in Stainforth.
Before heading back into Stainforth, you might want to detour for a wild swim. The River Ribble here is home to two fabulous swimming spots; Stainforth Force and Eel Pool. Stainforth Force is just a minute walk downstream from the bridge and has a deep pool with a rope swing or ladders to climb down to reach it. This is best visited during periods of settled weather as in heavy rain or when the river is full, this is an incredibly dangerous spot.
If you want a slightly more relaxing swim, walk downstream for a couple of minutes and you’ll see a path down (with another rope swing) to the riverside. This is called Eel Pool, a deep section of the river perfect for easing gently into and offers a more relaxed swim amongst the trees.
After wild swimming, remember to wrap up warm - maybe in the My Urban Trail Trailblazer leggings and the cosy, zip through fleece.
Smearsett Scar circular - download the route
Download the Ordnance Survey route and map here.
You can also download the PDF version of the route and print it out.
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Start of walk from the car park in Stainforth
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Locations of optional swim spots - cross the bridge and head left down the river
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Joining the Dales High Way over fields and limestone pavements
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Arrive at Feizor and follow the track to the right
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Turn right again through a gate towards Smearsett Scar
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Detour to the summit of Smearsett Scar and the trig before walking down and joining the path
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Cross fields and turn right at the road to take you back to Stainforth
Komoot App
Have you ever tried Komoot? Komoot allows you to access routes planned by others or plan your own which you can then download to your phone to follow while you are out. Komoot is free to join and access and you can find the route for his walk here.
Is there public transport to Stainforth?
Yes - there is a train station in Settle which is the next town down from Stainforth and there are public buses which run to Stainforth from Settle.Bus service number 11 runs from Clitheroe to Settle passing through Stainforth. You can view the timetable for this bus service here.
Where is the parking in Stainforth?
There is a main car park located just off the main road. It has public toilets and costs £4.80 for 2+ hours.
How long is the Smearsett Scar circular route?
The whole route is just under 9km so should take around 3-4 hours but obviously this depends on your pace, rest stops and if you want to add a swim on at the end.
Is Smearsett Scar suitable for beginners?
As with any hike in hilly or mountainous areas, it’s important to remember that typical challenges will remain; navigation in the outdoors, varying terrain, changes in weather and being prepared for that, fitness and knowing how to call for help if needed. However, Smearsett Scar is a nice beginner walk, as long as you think you will be able to manage the distance and elevation gain. The route follows obvious paths, with some of these signposted, until the final stretch up to the trig point on the scar.
My two pieces of advice would be to make sure you have sturdy footwear as the terrain is a mixture of road, stone tracks, grass and a rocky summit on Smearsett Scar as well as a good idea of the route and have it downloaded to your phone.
Wild swimming tips
The River Ribble is a fabulous place for wild swimming but it comes with risks and it's important to be prepared. If you're new to wild swimming check out this wild swimming blog about the benefits, how to stay safe and packing essentials.
For the River Ribble be aware of specific dangers such as undercurrents when the river level is higher, unseen objects in the water, rising river levels which can make swimming impossible and poor water quality.
For additional UK outdoor adventures, wild swimming, hiking routes and more, check my other blog posts here on MY URBAN TRAIL and follow me @Wild_0utdoors on Instagram.
Happy adventuring!
Izzy