Roecliffe and the River Ure

Sunday, 30th May
8.5 km (5.3 miles)

Perhaps a stroll rather than a ramble or a hike this was, nevertheless, a delightful walk which begins in the beautiful village of Roecliffe near Boroughbridge (GR SE 376659). The walk takes a pathway by the side of the church and within a couple of minutes you are on the banks of the River Ure.
The walk was taken from Paul Hannon's "Ripon and Lower Wensleydale" and his directions are certainly easy to follow as the majority of the walk simply follows the riverbank.
Spring is drawing to a close and the meadows and woodland are reaching maturity with the path through some of the woods being thigh-high in greenery.  I only mention this because it rained pretty well throughout this walk and my trousers were absolutely soaked from wading through the vegetation. However, it wasn't cold and the trousers soon dried out.  Sadly, the same can't be said for my boots which, despite being treated, let in water at an alarming rate.  It's the first time in many a year I had to wring my socks out at the end of the walk.  Sorry, but Hi-Tec aren't getting my business again and I really do need a pair of dry boots pretty soon!

Anyway, enough ranting ! the route takes you through Cherry Island Wood before emerging at Westwick Lock.  This is one of a number of locks on the River Ure that enable it to be navigated by quite large craft. Shortly after lock the view shown on the picture to the right suddenly (and I mean suddenly) emerges. This is Newby Hall, one of Yorkshire's famous stately homes.  Sadly, the weather meant that few people were around, even on a Bank Holiday Monday.

Shortly after passing the Hall the route cuts away from the river and joins a narrow back road for approximately a mile before heading off towards Roecliffe Grange Fam and back into the middle of the village with it's very inviting pub !

Usual selection of photographs from this link.  I wasn't able to find any information about the cross that appears in the churchyard of St Mary's Church, although the church is meant to date from Pre-Norman times.

Kirkby Lonsdale

Wednesday, 25th May 2011

13.1 km (8.1 miles) - 3 hrs

OL2 - Yorkshire Dales (Southern and Western Area)

I've neglected this blog for a couple of weeks as I've been too busy to keep it up to date.  That doesn't mean I (and Gill) haven't been out walking though.
Firstly, on Sunday 22nd May we did the Leeds WellWalk in aid of Diabetes UK.  This turned out to be (a) a little disappointing in the numbers who turned up for it, only about twenty or thirty people and (b) two circuits of the same walk.  This is always a little disappointing as one never really wants to go over the same ground twice unless it can't be helped.  In this case it couldn't and Gill (in particular) set off at a cracking pace which meant we completed the two circuits and covered approximately 9.54K in 1hr 30mins - not bad for a couple of old 'uns.

On Wednesday, 25th I had a rugby meeting at Kirkby Lonsdale RUFC, so took the opportunity to pack in 13 k on the hills above the town. The route came from my old friend Walkingworld.com which, after some deliberation I have subscribed to for another year.  I think this walk justified the subscription !
Setting off from the car park next to "Devil's Bridge" the route took me out to High Casterton before cutting back and striking up the fell to Fellfoot Road.  This track, high above the valley take an almost straight and un-deviating route across the side of the fell before it drops back down towards Casterton.

A feature of the walk are a number of sheepfolds alongside Fellfoot Road. Each of these sheepfolds was rebuilt and a scuplture by sculptor Andy Goldsworthy placed inside each one. Sadly, I'm no conniseur of sculpture, so wouldn't want to comment on the merits or otherwise of the pieces. However, they added interest to the walk.

After the end of Fellfoot Road the walk descends to Casterton and what (on a Wednesday afternoon) seemed to be games day at the local school. The final stretch circles the school before heading off past the golf club and back to Devil's Bridge. To finish the walk off I then took the riverbank along to the Radical Steps - 86 (or 87 - depends on your view and I didn't count them) steps almost vertically up the riverbank. This leads to Ruskin's View, named after the critic of the same name and painted by Turner.  Ruskin is reputed to have call the view "the finest in England, and therefore the world". Finally a stroll through Kirkby Lonsdale brought me back to the bridge once more.
An excellent walk - well worth the travelling (well I had to do it anyway) and the chance to visit some scenery I wouldn't normally have encountered !

Above is Ruskin's View (can't say I disagree with the first part of his statement).  Other photos of the day are available from the link

Farnley and Lindley Wood

Sunday, 8th May 2011

6.5 miles (10.5 Km) - 2h 07m

OS 297 - Lower Wharfedale and Washburn Valley

Circumstances meant that we needed to do a walk close to home, so a chance to do some further exploration of the Washburn Valley and a chance to circumnavigate another of the four reservoirs presented itself.

We parked just outside the church at Farnley (GR SE213480) - only about four or five miles from our home and set off along a track to the wonderfully named Haddockstones farm.  The well marked path tracks across the side of the valley and affords magnificent views both down the valley and across to Otley.

Soon the busy road from Otley to Blubberhouses is encountered for only a short stretch before a path cuts across Farnley Moor and eventually meets a metalled track that drops down the valley to Dob Park Bridge (GR SE196508).

This is a wonderful 17th century packhorse bridge across the River Washburn and had the added attraction of a cache which we found quite easily.

From this point the route is extremely simple and follows the path down the side of the river before arriving at the viaduct (GR SE202498).

Crossing the viaduct the path is regained and goes through delightful woodland, hugging the side of the reservoir.

The final stretch saw a stiff pull up the hill and back to the starting point. Suprisingly, the walk only took us a couple of hours but went really quickly.  Again, there was a strong breeze that hid the fact that the temperature was nearly 20 degrees !!

Photos from the link.

For anyone who is reading this blog, Gill and I will be doing the Leeds WellWalk on Sunday, 22nd May.  This is a 10k circuit around Temple Newsam.  We do need sponsorship so please visit our "giving website".  All contributions are very gratefully received and will help Diabetes UK continue its valuable work.

Timble & Swinsty

Friday, 29th April & Monday 2nd May

5.7 miles (9.3 Km) 

OS Explorer 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley

For many years, particularly when the children were young, a group of us used to go away to various locations for weekends.  Central to these was a whole day's walk on the Saturday, always followed by a fancy dress party in the evening.  I think we did enough by emphasising the party (and party games!) to fool the youngsters in to walking further than they thought they could ! 

My role on these weekends was to plan Saturday's walk and I became infamous for the phrase "It's only around the next corner" when being asked where the finish was!  Anyway, with four Bank Holidays in quick succession we decided that it would be good to get together again and walk - sadly, this time there was no promise of a fancy dress party and, consequently, no children !!  In their defence it has to be said that the youngest "child" is now in their twenties !

This is the sole reason that the walk appears twice - I did it on the Friday (to escaps the Royal Weddding) but also to ensure I knew the route.  It's O.K. getting lost on your own but leading a party of fifteen astray does nothing for one's credibility.

I seem to have become a resident of Timble over the past couple of weeks and this walk also starts there (GR SE180529).  Leaving the hamlet the track drops quickly to Swinsty Hall and then follows well maintained pathways through Swinsty Moor Plantation to the car park (GR SE186537).

After crossing the embankment the route once again follows the Yorkshire Water maintained footpaths which hug the side of the reservoir.

Here, on both days, we did a bit of Cache-Finding and congratulations go to Dave Sumpner who found the cache on the second day.

Finally, the walk leaves the surrounds of the reservoir and drops down Swinsty Embankment to pick up the River Washburn.  This was, probably, a surging torrent until the reservoirs - there are four in total, reduced it to a mere trickle !! 

The final section provides a bit of sting in the tail as the path turns at the bottom of Timble Gill (GR SE188517) and provides a stiffish climb back to the village.  

Monday provided a pleasant stop at the Yew Tree Inn in Otley.  

A good walk on both days with a stiff breeze that made us forget how warm the sun has been.  It was great to see Marilyn & John, Phil & Gill, Dave & Sally, Pete & Norma, Steve and (not forgetting) our daughter Charlotte !  Here's to the next one !

As usual a set of photos from the link

Blubberhouses Moor

Monday, 25th April

11.7 Km (7.2 miles) - 2hr 55 mins

Only 6 miles from our front doorstep and you feel like you are in the wilderness !! This walk is on the opposite side of Ilkley's more famous Cow and Calf Rocks and affords great views both back down the Washburn Valley and across to Ilkley's more famous location. 

The walk started at Trimble itself (GR SE179529). This small hamlet if a favourite starting point for many ramblers, not least because the Timble Inn used to offer refreshment after one's exertions.  Sadly, in the current economic climate it only has limited opening times and (strangely) Bank Holiday Monday isn't one of them !!  Bah ! I was quite looking forward to a pint!

After a short stretch of road walking the routethen heads past Sourby and climbs towards Ellescar Pike (GR SE159522).  Here the true moor walking begins as we followed High Badger Gate - a path!  Apparently,and  according to the guide book, a badger was a corn merchant and the moors are criss-crossed with route used by these merchants. 

Our next port of call was finding Geocache GC1K2KP This was easier than expected as the heather had all been burnt leaving the rock, under which the cache was hidden, more exposed than it would have been.

A stride further on took us to the high point of the walk at Lippersley Pike (GR SE143524).  From here it is a quite strenuous stretch (although, thankfully a short one) across Gawk Hall Ridge to Gawk Hall Gate itself.

Here, I'm sad to say, the guide book did not really help and the way is quite confusing across Blubberhouses Moor itself.  However, we managed it and landed (eventually) at Anchor Farm.  From here it is a short stretch through Beecroft Moor Plantation and back to the starting point.

Another good day's walking (apart from the confusion across the moor).  The weather was mixed, starting with bright sunshine but becoming cloudy and breezy on the way.  Still, a good way to spend a Bank Holiday.

Set of pictures available from this link

Twisleton Scars

Friday, 22nd April

11 kms (6.84 miles) - 2:35mins

A glorious day (Good Friday) with hardly a cloud in the sky, although there was quite a haze, as Gill and I got into some training for our Diabetes WellWalk which is due to take place at the end of May.

Chapel Le Dale, where the walk starts from, has long memories for me.  My mother went to school here.  Sadly, the school is now a bunk barn but in the early 1940s she would walk some three miles from home near Blea Moor Tunnel to attend school. Secondly, in the early 1970s I was part of the Skipton (Congregational) Scout Group.  Each year we would man a checkpoint at the Hill Inn for the annual Dalesman Axe Walk.  I can't find any mention of this competition now, so can only presume it no longer takes place.  Anyway, we would arrive on the Friday evening to pitch camp and then spent the night in the Hill Inn.

A group of hungover men would then stand around waiting for the competitors to descend from Ingleborough to be checked in before the set off up Whernside.

Enougn reminiscence, the walk starts at Chapel Le Dale (GR SD 737771) and the first port of call is St. Leonard's Church.  Here lie the bodies of a number of navvies, killed whilst working on the Settle to Carlisle railway and, in particular, Ribblehead viaduct which is only a couple of miles away. The route takes a path by the church and climbs away to Ellerbeck, one of those distinctive Dales farms that looks idyllic in warm April sunshine but must take on a different complection in January and February.

Here the route turns away and heads straight across the moor, with spectacular views back across to Ribblehead and Ingleborough which looms large throughout the whole walk.

Ewes Top (GR SD705760) provided a welcome stop for some lunch before descending Twisleton Scar End and briefly joining the long string of walkers on the Ingleton Waterfalls Walk. Whilst they headed for Beezley Falls, we turned left onto the old Roman Road that leads under the Scar back to Chapel Le Dale and the walks end,

Superb weather, if a little hazy and a good start to a month that gives four Bank Holidays and the prospect of more walking to come.  

Set of photographs from the link

John O'Gaunt's Castle

Sunday, 10th April

10 Miles (16.4Km) - 3hr 26 min

Well, it's been a while.  For various reasons I haven't been able to get out and about (well, walking wise) since the middle of March.  However, with bright blue skies and the temperature reaching the high teens I felt it was time to get back into the routine, although I probably wouldn't have chosen a 10 mile hike - but that's part of the story !

The walk starts from a Forestry Commission car park (SE 236522) on a sharp bend on the road between Norwood and Beckwithshaw.  The first section is on metalled roads that leads across some fairly barren moorland before skirting Scargill Reservoir and then drops down into the valley before a short climb to Long Liberty Farm and the second reservoir known as Beaver Dyke. This is swiftly followed by John O'Gaunts Reservoir.

The day was absolutely glorious with hardly a cloud in the sky and temperatures rose pretty quickly (I left the car park at approximately 9.30 a.m.).  After skirting around the final reservoir you have the chance to leave the route and visit John O'Gaunt's Castle - in reality the ruins of an old hunting lodge.  However, I chose to stick closely to the route (I thought) until, checking my GPS I found I'd missed a turning and was probably a 1/2 mile off course !  Quick about turn and re-tracing steps time !

The route then cuts across fields eventually reaching Bland Hill (SE 2075310). After a few hundred yards of negotiating the busy B6451 the roadside is escaped to cut through fields and up the hill to Norwood Edge (SE208515).  Here I had my second set back of the day as I blindly followed my nose to nowhere !!  Once again it was a case of retracing my steps with the aid of the GPS to find myself back on some kind of track. 

In fact it was a rather delightful track through Norwood Edge Plantation and out of the (by now) quite fierce sunshine !  The end of the plantation offered the sight of Little Alms Cliff (SE 232522) in the (not too) distance, and, although the finish was in sight it proved the perfect place for a spot of lunch before heading back home !

A delightful walk with fantastic views at some points, especially across Haverah Park with its windmills and the golf balls of Menwith Hill in the background.

Selection of photos available from the link