Otley Chevin

Monday, 27th December

6.6 km (4.2 Miles) 1hr 25mins

Will this be the final walk of 2010? I hope not. Way back in March I set myself the target of walking 300 miles during this year.  The current total is 297 !!  I've got four days to find that extra three miles, or, alternatively I could pat myself on the back and look forward to next year and 350 !?
Sadly, the weather has put paid to walking over the past few weeks.  The walking itself would probably have been O.K. but getting to the start of the walk would have been the difficulty. No such excuses on this walk as it starts from our front door, and is one of those walks that we used to do regularly when the kids were small.  Anyway, after being "locked" indoors for the Christmas period both Gill and I felt the need to get out (and try out that new stash that Santa brought).
From the house we headed out up Moor Lane before turning off at GR SE194431 and heading up the bridleway towards Moor Farm and, eventually, Yorkgate.  Virtually straight across the road and you rise to the very edge of the Chevin and enter woodland.  Sadly, our latest attempt at geocaching proved fruitless as the snow proved too deep !
Once in the woods on the Chevin the route is easy to follow and emerges at Surpise View (GR 204441) - although on a dark, murky day there may have been a surprise but certainly no view !  In fact the view over Otley was almost surreal, as though looking at the view through cotton wool glasses !  
Keeping along the top of the Chevin the route meets an bridleway which, after crossing Yorkgate again, drops down, past fields and farms to emerge onto Carlton Lane. A short stretch along this (normally) busy road is encountered before turning off and winding one's way down to Wills Gill in Guiseley and the last pull back home.

Sadly, not a day for photography but some pictures from this link