Middleham and Coverdale

Sunday, June 20th
6.75 miles
Map : Outdoor Leisure 30 - Yorkshire Dales: Northern & Central




Glorious weather + glorious countryside = glorious day !! Another Jack Keighley walk that starts in Middleham. This is quite a drive from home - approximately 40 miles, but with the weather set fair the drive up to Ripon and then onwards to Middleham was a joy. Parking is easy enough in the centre of Middleham, although the area does get pretty busy. However, at 10:30 on a Sunday morning I managed to find a spot and donned my boots to set forward.

Middleham is horse racing country and after climbing out of the village the route heads out across the gallops. I have to say that I found this section quite difficult to follow. The printed route takes in Pinker's Pond and the OS Column on Cross Bank. Sadly, I found neither but did find the path that drops down from Fern Gill (past racing stables) to Tupgill Park. This is now "marketed" as "The Forbidden Corner - the strangest place in the world". Whether the actual park lives up to its reputation I cannot say. However, I did come across the strangest sheep that I have ever seen !!


I've no idea what breed it is and, despite looking around on the internet I'm none the wiser !

Anyway the route drops down to the floor of the valley and crosses the River Cover before heading on to the tiny hamlet of Caldbergh and eventually out onto a glorious green path that maintains the contour of the valley side. In his narrative, Keighley mentions that Coverdale is "not greatly frequented by walkers" and I can concur with that remark meeting only one other couple on the six/seven miles.

Eventually you again drop down to the river before crossing it at the wonderfully named "Hullo Bridge" , from there it is only a short distance to breach the top of the hill and the sight of Middleham Castle - a Norman structure with a huge keep - beckons you back to the centre of Middleham.

As I said it was glorious weather. Not too hot but just right for walking. The views, especially the section from Caldbergh are absolutely magnificent, well worth the drive !

Some photographs from this link - by the way, please let me know if you can identify the sheep !! It's beginning to bug me !