IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Arkengarthdale, RICHMOND, DL11 6RR

From this vantage point, Hill Top Farm looks more like 'Dale Bottom farm' as it is a long way down the slope. Arkle Beck can be seen beyond with Park Farm in the distance. The fells beyond are shrouded in mist.

Throughout Arkengarthdale, tractors were busily at work turning, rowing or baling the hay - one field seen in this view has already been finished and its bales collected whilst a tractor is turning hay in a field on the right behind the small barn. Newly cut or turned fields are full of Lapwings and Starlings, whilst gulls join them to follow the machinery. The River Arkle, nestling in its valley below all this activity, is very low, but with heavy rain, can be paddled from some way upstream of here and for some way below before trees start to become a serious hazard. With even more rain, as happened in July 2019, it can burst its banks and evidence is everywhere of footbridges and walls swept away and workmen rebuilding walls and bridges. There will be several more months of work before all the footpaths are reopened.

The enclosed area of rough grazing is on the north side of Arkengarthdale. The view beyond is across the valley to a moorland high point at West Moor which rises to finally to Water Crag.

Arkengarthdale is not typical in its landforms. Instead of the beck rising on some steep and impressive fellside, it begins in a rather featureless area of boggy moorland somewhere between Tan Hill and Stainmoor, only becoming a more typical dale further downstream. These are the upper reaches of Arkle Beck near Hill Top Farm.

Footpath across some rather wet ground above the intake wall. Ravens Park farm can be seen in the misty distance.

The abrupt change of direction of the field head wall at this point is marked as Colt Park Corner on the 1:25000 map. Beyond is a mist shrouded Cleasby Hill.