Boston Spa

Sunday, 4th July
8 Miles
No Map but available as a Memory Map Overlay (hope this works - first time I've done it)





This is another Paul Hannon walk from his book "Harrogate and the Wharfe Valley". This is no longer listed on the Hillside Publications website, so I presume is out of print.

Parking is easy in Boston Spa with a well marked car park in the centre of the village (GR 430456).

From the Car Park you descend Bridge Street and head off up the banks of the Wharfe until the path turns away from the river at Deepdale (GR 422464). In early July you actuall see little of the river on this stretch as the path runs high above the banks of the river and the trees and vegetation are pretty dense.

The next section of the walk is (with due respect to the residents of Boston Spa) pretty dreary as you head through the suburbs of the village and out towards Clifford. Clifford is dominated by a tall, Catholic church and this is the landmark that you need to head for (GR 430443). When outside the church turn right and head away down a small country lane before leaving that and heading out across the fields.

Our only problem came when trying to navigate around Oglethorpe Hall Farm. Here the path runs around the outside of arable fields (planted with broad beans it appears!). This is obviously not a well trodden route and the path was fairly seriously overgrown with nettles - something which my shins attest to some four hours later, even though Gill and I did rub our legs generously with dock leaves ! Anyway, the fields eventually lead to a back road and, after crossing the very busy road that runs from Boston Spa to Tadcaster, leads you back to the banks of the Wharfe.

From here it's a leisurely stroll along the banks of the river, on what turned out to be a fairly blustery day, and back to the starting point in Boston Spa.

Whilst the route was eight miles long it is virtually flat for the whole distance, so the afternoon wasn't that taxing - apart from the nettle stings that is !

Some pictures available from the link.