Bolton Abbey & The Strid

Monday, 29th March - 5 1/4 miles

A bonus walk !! A day off from work (planned), so I decided I wasn't going to get bogged down with rugby administration and, despite the rain, would go walking.

Inspiration for the walk came from Terry Marsh and his book "Yorkshire Dales - Southern and Western Area" which is, sadly, out of print. However, this is a walk you can do with out a guide book as the paths are well marked and well maintained by the Bolton Abbey Estate,

I have a confession to make first. I'm a born and bred Yorkshireman. Coming originally from the Settle area, I was actually raised in the small village of Langcliffe, a mile from Settle. However, I've never been to the Strid before, despite living in the County for over forty years !! I suppose that in the 60s the world was a smaller place and certainly car travel was pretty rare. In fact my father, who has just celebrated his 80th birthday has never driven. Suprising to many nowadays who can't wait to reach their seventeenth birthday!

The Walk
The first surprise of the walk was parking in the Village car park which cost a whopping £6.00 !! The added bonus of walking on a Monday in March in the rain was that it was virtually empty. Just wait until next weekend which is Easter - the place will be swarming with people.

From the Car park cross the road and go through the "Hole in the Wall". Down the steps and across the bridge by the stepping stones. Turn immediately left and across the grass and you are into woods on a well maintained path which wanders up and down, back and forth until it emerges onto a road near a ford.

Cross the beck by either the ford or a small bridge and head back towards the river and a flat path that takes you to a footbridge opposite the Cavendish Pavilion.

Turning right in front of the pavilion I entered Strid Woods and a number of very well marked and maintained footpaths. Again, the walk is through woods, following the coloured waymarked routes until the Strid was reached.

Here I deviated from Mr Marsh's route which continues up the river to an aqueduct and feeling the 7.5 miles from yesterday's walk turned back and made my way, using a different coloured route, to the Pavilion. Instead of crossing the river I continued back down the same bank heading for the Cavendish Memorial and then in front of the Priory Chapel and back to the car park.

A delightful route and despite the rain very easy underfoot due to the work done on the footpaths. Strid Woods are just starting to come into leaf but nevertheless provided some shelter from the rain.

Pictures of the walk (including a fallen tree that has been studded with coins!) are available from this link.

The Month's Gone
Well, this is probably the last walk in March. Next time I get out it will be April, although the weather forecast for the rest of the week is very poor, so Friday may prove to be a wash out !

Stats for the month are :

Date	Walk	Miles	Km
07/03/2010	Grassington, Threshfield & Linton	4	6.44
14/03/2010	Haverah Park	6.5	10.46
21/03/2010	Gargrave - East Marton	7.5	12.07
28/03/2010	Weeton & Netherby Deep	7.5	12.07
29/03/2010	Bolton Abbey & The Strid	5.26	8.20
		30.76	49.24