A leap of faith!

We live in a fantastic area for nature and are lucky enough to have on our doorsteps what countless other people travel across the country to come and visit. Alongside the incredible scenery of the Yorkshire dales, there is another natural spectacle occurring every Autumn just 20 miles away near Settle – the leaping salmon.

From late September through October is usually the best time to see the salmon leaping out of the water and up the waterfalls, returning upstream to spawn. They have journeyed a distance of about 75 miles from the open sea to the entrance to the Ribble river.

It’s best to go a day or two after heavy rain (ideally following a dry spell) where you’ll see the determined fish flinging themselves against the flow of the river and against all odds to get where they need to go. This stretch of the River Ribble is famous nationally as a great vantage point and older children would no doubt enjoy the ringside seats!

Packhorse Bridge

Stainforth itself (about 20 miles away from Skipton) is a village just outside Settle, a quiet place with stepping stones over the beck in the village centre. The best place to see the salmon is near Stainforth Force – a beautiful small waterfall. There’s an old packhorse bridge which makes a great spot for something to eat (perhaps stretching it a bit to refer to it as a picnic in October weather!)

The waterfall (which begins as a series of small cascades followed by a final slightly larger one of approximately 4 feet) is very close to the village and is on the Ribble Way so is ideal for little legs and a family outing.

For more information try http://www.gbwildlife.co.uk/post/October-Leaping-Salmon.aspx or
http://stainforth.info/stainforth_today.htm