13 Km (8 miles) - 2hr 34m
This was almost a repeat of a walk we did back in February but had added "mileage" starting from Wetherby rather than Linton.
Anyway, it has been ten days since the last blog - and a very busy time. Many, many congratulation to my daughter, Hannah and her husband Alex on their "wedding". I put wedding in inverted commas as, technically, they married last year in Florida but last Friday, the "Glorious 12th" we had a formal celebration of their marriage where they re-affirmed their vows to each other. Without being too sentimental (and I did spend a large part of the day weeping) they just seem a perfect couple.
Following the wedding we entertained Carol, Alex's Mum, Michael, his stepfather, Nicole, his sister and baby Sophia. It was a real pleasure to meet them for the first time and an equal pleasure to show them our part of Yorkshire (albeit briefly). With Hannah and Alex planning to come back to the U.K this autumn we look forward to seeing them and showing them even more of "God's Own County".
Anyway, back to the walk. This is another Paul Hannon walk from "Harrogate and the Wharfe Valley". The start was pretty difficult to find (GR 397483) and is a small turning off the Wetherby to Linton road, but once established the first section of the walk drops to the banks of the Wharfe and heads off across Wetherby golf course before re-joining the road which leads into Linton.
The village is now the home to many Leeds United players and is extremely affluent both in the size of houses and the numbers who appear to be employed in maintaining it's gardens but it was a peaceful stroll through the village and down to the bridge that crosses the Wharfe (GR 388465). The river is not crossed but the walk takes in the last of the luxury houses of Linton before turning right and heading through woodland to join Trip Lane. Half way up the lane I bagged my one and only cache of the journey.
Trip Lane is followed until just before the entrance to Wood Hall Hotel, here the route bears to the right crossing fields and circling a wood, evetually emerging at Sicklinghall House. A short stride up the drive (away from the house), another bridleway is picked up before a sharp right turn leads into the village of Sicklinghall itself.
Sicklinghall is described as a commuter village and was certainly very quiet on a Tuesday morning. It looked immaculate and is obviously well kept, even down to the man who came out, as I was sitting on a bench to ask if their was any "bird muck" as it was his job to keep the benches clean !!
From the village pond a road leads away, dropping down to Sicklinhall Lodge before rising to pass Stockeld Park House.
The final stretch crosses the busy A661 before dropping down the Harland Way, a disused railway line that has been re-furbished as a cycle/walking track. The final mile and a half is, therefore, level and returns you back to the car park.
A pretty walk through pleasant countryside. The weather threatened rain throughout the walk and it was pretty muggy but nevertheless and enjoyable couple of hours. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so you are spared any photographs this time !!
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