Wetherby, Linton & Sicklinghall

Tuesday, 16th August 2011
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 !!

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Tuesday, 2nd August 2011
9 km (5.7 miles)

A walk of contrasts with a mix of nature and tourism !!  This walk came from Country Walking magazine and allowed us to take in the whole of the island.
After crossing the Causeway there is a visitors car park just before the village (GR NU 126 423). The walk took us firstly into the start of the village before turning left and left again onto a track which quickly turns into a green lane and strikes directly north across the island.  It's added benefit was that it took us away from the crowds who were just beginning to gather !

The lane finally gives out and the route continues through dunes to the site of our cache (we dropped off the trackable from the day before. 
Just beyond the cache we had a moment of absolute magic as we sat and watched seals basking and swimming off Castlehead Rocks (GR NU 131 439).
We then cut across the top of the island to Emmanuel Head with is pyramid obelisk.  Whilst the guide said we should be able to see the Farne Islands and Bamburgh Castle unfortunately the sea mist and gloom meant our views were limited.
After Emmanuel Head the walk again followed the shoreline taking us down to the castle, and a re-introduction to tourism (overheard "I'm not paying to go into the castle, I've just paid a bloody pound to get here on that bus").
After visiting the (outside) of the castle, we headed over to the Priory before returning to the car park just in time as the rain set in.
A fantastic end to three days in the North-East.  The sight (and sound) of the seals was a truly memorable moment and really put the icing on the cake.  Sadly, the weather was not conducive to photography and the seals demanded a long lens (which I don't have). Still, and idea of the day is available from the link

Boulmer, Craster & Dunstanburgh Castle

Monday, 1st August 2011
20.7 km (12.8 miles)

Our 30th Wedding Anniversary and a couple of days away in Northumberland.  We stayed in the Hope and Anchor in Alnmouth and, after visiting The Alnwick Garden on Sunday decided on this walk on the Monday (the actual date of our anniversary).
We began from Boulmer (pronouced "boomer) GR NU 265 139 and the first part of our walk took us along an unmarked road and past the helicopter station at RAF Boulmer. The road eventually reaches the village of Longhaughton, a linear village that stretched for over a kilometre.  At the end of the village a path led through fields to join yet another road (GR NU 243 166) at Howick Grange. This road runs down and passes Howick Hall, famous for its gardens and arboretum. 
Here, thankfully, the road walking finished and we headed out across fields and over the shoulder of Hips Heugh before cutting through Arnold Reserve and emerging in Craster (GR NU 258 198).  This is a delightful Northumberland finshing village which owes much of its popularity to its proximity to Dustanburgh Castle.
The approach to the castle is a good walk along the coast with the castle itself dominating the horizon.
Here we picked up our normal cache - grabbing a trackable which, I later found out, had arrived from the Netherlands two days previousy.
We returned to Craster and then returned via. the coast path back to our start point in Boulmer.
A fantastic day's walking - the coastline walk was absolutely spectacular and I'm sure that my photographs do not do it justice.

Top Withens

Sunday, 24th July
9.44 k (5.8 miles) - 2hr 30 m
OS OL21 - South Pennines.

Glorious walking on a perfect summer's day.  When we actually got to Top Withens the views stretched for 20 or 30 miles !!
However, getting there proved to be the most difficult part as my Sat-Nav first wanted me to do a u-turn in the middle of a three lane road and then wanted to take me down a No Through Road - and I thought technology was there to help us.  Anyway the walk begins at a car park on Moor Side Lane (GR SE 018361). Immediately opposite the car park a track runs away to Drop Farm and is clearly marked to Top Withens.
The way is very straightforward with good, clear signs and shortly after the farm strikes out across the moor before meeting a good track that heads towards Harbour Lodge (GR SD 998353).  The path circumnavigates the farm and, after a short climb, contours around Harbour Hill before dropping down Crumber Dike.  At the bottom of the Dike the Bronte Way is encountered and the path  begins to climb towards the pinnacle of the walk, and its ultimate destination.

It has to be said that the last 1/2 mile or so are a pretty sharp climb up to the ruins of Top Withens itself.  Even though we had a reasonably early start there were plenty of people around to view what is, after all, only thought to have inspiration for a place in a book !!
We carried on slightly past the farm to grab our first cache of the day - transferring a "trackable" that had first started life in Western Australia via. the Druid's Temple to its current position !!

The other point of note (and one which all guide books make) is that the signs are duplicated in Japanese, although the one in the picture is the only one I saw and no Japanese were spotted to justify their existence !
Once Top Withens had been conquered we retraced our steps down the Bronte Way eventually grabbing our second cache of the day close to Bronte Bridge (GR SD 998358).  From there the path is straightforward, although signs of erosion, and led us back to the car and a more gentle journey back without the aid of Satellite Navigation !!
A fantastic walk on a day like today - it may be different in the depths of winter.  Usual set of photographs are available

Bingley and the 5 Rise Locks

Saturday, 23rd July
8.8 km (5.5 miles)

 

The inspiration for this walk will, for the time being, have to remain a mystery but we decided to do this relatively short walk which only took 1 1/2 hours, on a Saturday evening and what a bonus it turned out to be.

Firstly, the weather was aboslutely fantastic with hardly a cloud in the sky, although there was a chill wind which made it ideal for walking.  Secondly, who would have thought that the urban surroundings of Bingley - an old West Yorkshire factory town, could have provided such pleasing walking.

The walk started from the car park next to the Railway Station and, after a short distance along the Main Street cut off onto a path that skirted behind the houses and gave a real feeling of being away from it all. Having said that it was a case of "tiptoe through the dog p**" at times before emerging onto the road opposite Bradford & Bingley rugby club.

A skip across the bridge and a  gateway gives onto what looks like (and undoubtably is) someone's garden ! However, a clearly defined footpath skirts the manicured lawn and, for the next couple of miles the path hugs the banks of the River Aire and you feel as though you are truly out in the country, although looking upwards shows you the Aire Relief Road  zooming above you. 

As the footpath that follows the river dips away, the route takes you up and on to the towpath of the Leeds-Liverpool canal and over an aquaduct. From here it is a stroll back into the urban surroundings of Bingley passing one of Bingley's landmarks the Damart Factory. A short step on and you come to the world famous (?) 5 Rise Locks.  What always surprises me is the height that is gained in such a short distance.   After a trip to the top of the locks we turned and retraced our steps crossing the road by a footbridge to regain the car in the car park.   A wonderful, short walk which had plenty of interest and scenery.

Usual selection of photos are available from the link

Ilton Moor & The Druids Temple

Wednesday, 13th July
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

Pikedaw and Nappa Cross

Monday, 11th July
5.5 miles (8.9 km) - 3hrs 02
Map : OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western Areas

Pikedaw from Malham

A warm day and (eventually) a stiff walk with plenty of climbing involved!  Malham is, perhaps, best visited at this time of year, on a weekday when both parking and the crowds are diminshed and this was true for this walk.  At 11:00 a.m. on a Monday morning when everyone else was beavering away at their desks I ws able to park on the verge of the road as it enters Malham itself.
The walk commences along a track behind the National Park Car Park which runs parallel with the main street of Malham but, at the first opportunity, turns left and away from the village rapidly gaining height until it branches again by the Water Treatment Works and head straight for the first highpoint of the walk - Pikedaw.
Leaving the track you find yourself on lush pasture before the ascent begins. Whilst the main track skirts the side of Pikedaw, my goal was the cairn at the top, so from Hoober Edge I did just that and set my sights on the cairn and went straight up the side of the hill. This was about 100 metres of straight ascent and it really got the lungs and legs screaming for mercy !! The scramble was accompanied by increasing and more frequent stops but I determined and achieved the summit (surprisingly the Ordnance Survey does not give an actual height to Pikedaw itslef but is is around 430 mtrs).
As with all effort their was a reward and the most stunning views down Malhamdale itself were utterly spectacular and the photograph cannot and does not do it justice.

Here, believe it or not, I did my first bit of Geocaching of the day.  The clue read "Nobby's cross - which will make sense when you see it". Never was a truer word written.  In true Ronseal style the clue did what it said on the tin.
From the cairn and it wonderful views the walk then heads unerringly upwards to a gate at GR SD 874639.
Through the gate the map marks the location of Nappa Cross - a "waymark" on a monk's trail. Sadly, I did not find this, although I did bag my second cache of the day !
The next stretch of the walk descends gently, with views of Malham Tarn to a crossroads which again allows you to descend to the very top of Watlowes - the "dry valley". Instead of dropping into the valley the route tracks along the top side -with views of the limestone pavement on the top of the Cove until reaching a road. A few steps up the road and a gate leads across the field to a lane which eventually meets your outward track by the Water Treatment Works.  Malham is soon regained and the end of a thoroughly enjoyable walk and a well earned rest !!
As usual I attach a selection of photographs