North Pennines
Askwith Moor
300M
984FT
About Askwith Moor
Rising above the Wharfe Valley near Clifton, this expansive gritstone plateau offers a classic Yorkshire moorland experience. Managed primarily for grouse, the heather-clad slopes provide wide-reaching views across to Otley Chevin and Ilkley Moor. It is an accessible Tump, ideal for those seeking big skies and quiet, breezy ridge walks.
Key Statistics
Rank
279th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Yorkshire Dales
Prominence
?
Data coming soon
Nearest Town
Clifton
Geology
You are walking on layers of rugged sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. These hardy rocks form the Millstone Grit and Marchup Grit that shape this landscape.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SE170510
Latitude
53.9480°N
Longitude
1.7210°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Askwith is rooted in Old Norse, combining 'askr' (ash tree) and 'viðr' (wood), indicating that the now-exposed moorland slopes were once significant ash woodland during the Viking settlement of Yorkshire.
- •From the higher ground, there are clear views to the north over the Washburn Valley, where the silver expanses of Swinsty and Fewston reservoirs are visible against the backdrop of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- •The moor is home to several ancient cup-and-ring marked stones, suggesting this high ground has been a site of human significance since the Bronze Age, though they are often obscured by seasonal heather growth.
- •The Ebor Way long-distance path skirts the edges of the moor, connecting walkers from the Ouse valley towards the heart of the Pennines via these gritstone heights.
- •While the 300-metre summit is modest, its position on the edge of the Wharfe Valley ensures that any wind blowing across the plateau feels as though it has gained considerable momentum specifically for your arrival.