Skirethorns & Bordley

Sunday, 23rd January

12.5Km (7.7 miles) - 2hrs 54 Mins

Map : OL10 Yorkshire Dales - Southern Area

Another walk from the WalkingWorld website, this is no. 2755.  It is described as an easy walk, which I would disagree with as the first 5k takes you from 192 m to 370m and, although it is not a steep gradient, it is relentlessly uphill all the way.

Skirethorns is just above Threshfield on the B6265 from Skipton, take the first left after the garage.  We parked in the entrance to the quarry (SD 981638) and headed up the road signed to Malham before turning off onto Grysdale Lane, this soon meets Moor Lane and heads off up onto Threshfield Moor.

You traverse Threshfield Moor on a well defined bridleway which wends its way through old coal mining works and spoil heaps, which may be grassed over but you can still see the coal waste. Even though the weather was relatively mild, the bridleway was still icy and, in parts, quite slippery.

The bridleway eventually gives way to enclosed green lane (but still going upwards) before dropping steeply towards Bordley Beck.  Bordley itself is really only a collection of farm buildings (and a farm!) and here, you turn onto asphalt road and a steep climb before turning on to Malham Moor Road.

In not too long a distance the road is left and the route takes you through the delightful Cow Close Wood and drops through the caravan site and Wood Nook before bringing you out on Wood Lane.

The final section is a detour around the back of the quarry before leading back out quite close to the quarry entrance where the car was parked.

It was wonderful to be back in Wharfedale, which I always consider to be my spiritual home, after last weeks rambling in Nidderdale.  This was a walk that took in high, heather covered moorland along with some wonderful Dales pastures and the final section through bracken and woods.  As I said at the start, although billed as an easy walk, both Gill and I think it requires re-classification as a Moderate ramble.  By the way we've walked nearly 30 miles in January (with another weekend to come).  Despite the cold and frosty weather we've pretty lucky given that we've managed to avoid walking in the rain !

Collection of pictures here