Jonathan Smith runs Where2walk, a walking company in the Yorkshire Dales. Jonathan has written his own book, the Dales 30 which details the highest mountains in the Dales. He also runs one-day navigation courses for beginners and intermediates. Join his Learn a Skill, Climb a Hill weekends in the Dales. To find out more details on any of the above visit his website, where2walk.co.uk

WITH the longer days approaching, I will start to include some longer walks in this column.

This walk from near Hawes is a fine crossing of two ‘Dales 30’ mountains and enters some rough moorland terrain.

Some will already have climbed Great Shunner Fell but adding in Lovely Seat really enhances the walk and is one of the reasons why climbing the 30 mountains in the Dales is such a satisfying challenge.

To the west of the road bridge and pub a signposted lane heads north from Hardraw.

The nearly 5 mile route up Great Shunner Fell is well signposted as it follows the Pennine Way.

The first section joins a wide broad ridge and climbs steadily on a rough farm track. After two miles the track arrives at a gate and the scenery changes.

There is a feeling of remoteness after the gate which was not noticeable before. The track becomes a more standard footpath, wet in places, although the wettest sections have been improved by the use of some duck boards and slabs before a final pull brings you to a stile over a fence and the large summit shelter.

The viewpoint is excellent, particularly over Swaledale to the north and east.

At this point leave the Pennine Way heading south east and then back north east along a line of fences.

The path climbs to Little Shunner Fell before dropping south east and then south for 1 mile to the road at Buttertubs Pass. Keep the fence in sight as you descend and you will arrive at the pass. Buttertubs Pass became very well known in 2014 as the most scenic point on the Tour de France route and the road between Wensleydale and Swaledale is exceptionally scenic, even Jeremy Clarkson is a fan!

The name comes from times past when farmers walking between the 2 dales in hot weather lowered their butter in to the 60 or so limestone potholes on the side of the road. It is possible to return to Hardraw along the road if desired.

Lovely Seat (the second mountain on the walk) is just south of east from the pass. Pick your way through the peat and mud near the road before joining the fence which climbs unerringly to the summit.

The large shelter cairn does bring to mind a chair and if the wind is a westerly is very ‘Lovely Seat’ it is!

Many will return along the fence to the road but I prefer a bit of adventure and headed just west of south on trackless land. After half a mile the land starts to fall away to the south west, follow the rough ground keeping the finely named Sod Hole Gill to your right.

After a further 500 metres the land crosses a line of small rock falls and arrives at two moss covered cairns, Pike Hill.

Here you will meet a farm track, follow this downhill until it meets the road. Turn left at the road and walk down to the impressive Simonstone Hall Hotel, here a footpath cuts the corner to Hardraw, follow it down the initially steep grassy bank before arriving at the Green Dolphin pub.

Fact File:

Distance: Roughly 11 miles. Height to Climb: 650m (2,130 feet).

Start: SD 865913. Park on the roadside near the Green Dolphin pub in Hardraw.

Difficulty: Difficult: There is a good track up Great Shunner but once leaving the Pennine Way it is largely trackless.

Refreshments: The Green Dragon in Hardraw is a traditional Dales pub and there is a café at the entrance to the waterfall at Hardraw Force.

Be Prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer OL30) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass (essential on this walk). You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors.