16.4 km (10.2 miles) - 3hr 48 mins
Explorer 26 - Nidderdale.
Highs, lows and the bizarre. The walk starts near to an angler's parking spot next to Leighton Reservoir (GR SE 156787) a good 30 miles drive from home. The first stretch is along the road (surprisingly busy considering it's location and mid-week), until the access road to the reservoir is reached. This was my last human contact until I got back to the car !! The reservoir itself seems popular with anglers who lined the bank.
Eventually, you reach the dam across Roundhill Reservoir and,at the far end, head off up the moor. Here I had a distinct change of scenery as the path wound its way through heather and past a number of large boulders. The views across Arnagill and back to the reservoir were spectacular as height was gained. At the head of Arnagill the path meets a broad track (GR SE155753) mentioned in the guide book as an old monastic route.
This route is followed as it gradually rises to the highest point of the walk at Sandy Hill (356 mtrs) and long range views across to the Hambelton Hills and beyond !After a further trudge across the moor a fork in the path descends to Ilton. The road then descends further to a bridge over Sole Beck before rising up the other side of the valley and access to Druid's Plantation and the Druid's Temple. Before visiting the "Temple" I had time for a spot of lunch before bagging two Cache's including a "trackable" that I had taken from Pikedaw.
What can one say about the "Temple" - bizarre is one word. Apparently the folly was built just to keep the estate workers busy ! Long live English Eccentricity.
The final section drops from the plantation down to the bottom of the valley and across Pott Beck before a short climb to rejoin the road by the side of the reservoir and back to the car.
A delightful walk with the added interest of the folly and a couple of good "caches" along the way - that makes four for the week ! A selection of photos (as always) is available
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