Ogden Reservoir

Well yesterday was a total wash out for walking – it just rained all day.  Today is slightly better and my daughter suggested we have a walk around Ogden Reservoir, so I jumped at the opportunity to get out in the fresh air.

As usual parking was tricky – everywhere was really busy – obviously lots of families had the same thoughts, they had been cooped up inside all day yesterday and today was a day to get out there so the children and dogs could run around and use up that excess energy.

I was the first to arrive and about 10 minutes later the gang rolled up along with Bernard (the dog) a crazy labradoodle!

All the children were in their wezzles (wellingtons) good job too cos the path was a muddy track from the off.  Well apart from Albert who is too little and was snugged up with his Mum in his baby sling.  George had his Hobbit bag with him – today he was a Hobbit.  Aggie had her owl puppet from school to take it on an adventure.

I have to say it was pretty cold walking around there, we didn’t linger too much – and I lost track of the number of times Aggie said she wanted it noted that she wasn’t enjoying this walk and she really had ice cubes in her wellingtons.

There were lots of Christmas trees stacked around the edge of the reservoir providing good habitat and shelter for wildlife.  It looks really well and in keeping with the environment – good recycling.

As we came back around to the beginning we stopped to check out the ducks and geese who were very noisy and nosy, looking for food as usual.

I think we all felt better for the short walk and it certainly blew away the cobwebs a nice easy 2.75 mile trek that’s family and dog friendly.

Sunnydale

Saturday 21st January 2017

All morning I’d kept thinking the day was going to brighten up, but by lunch-time the day hadn’t improved so I couldn’t see any point going for a walk over hills to admire the views.  There weren’t going to be any today.

So it’s quite a while since I’d done this walk and I thought it would be fairly sheltered walking around East Morton and Riddlesden. 

Parked up at the bottom of the turn off for East Morton and set off crossing the road and entering the footpath that runs past the field full of horses.  It then brings you back on the road through East Morton, turning onto a narrow back road after a few strides.  Heading along the farm track I remembered going along here then turning off through a field,  down to the right is an old viaduct but I don’t know what it was built or used for as now it just looks to be sat in the middle of a field.

It wasn’t long before I came to Sunnydale Reservoir, its only very small and I’m not sure what its used for, but it always looks really pretty.  Then a little further along there is a small dam called Sunnydale Dam surprisingly.

There’s then a lovely walk through some woods – eventually coming to a small dell and waterfall.

  

 It was really muddy and slippy in the woods – I did well not slide down the hill as the whole way through the woods the path is on a steep slope. 

After crossing the bridge the path heads off through a second part of the woods where in summer there is usually clay pigeon shooting going on, but not today.

 It was a pretty muddy trek around the back of a farmyard coming out onto the small back road which heads down towards a caravan park.  At the crossroads I turned left and carried on to the access road to Dimples farm. 

The choice was to either carry on the road or turn down through the farm.  I chose to go down through the farm.  Sometimes I’ve walked up here and there has been almost a river running down into the field.  It wasn’t too bad today. At the bottom the stile take you out onto where the old Hospital used to be – it was then just a turn to the left to take me back towards East Morton, turning down and back onto the canal path to walk along until arriving at the swing bridge.

This was a good 5 mile walk 

A Walk around Farnhill

This wasn’t where I was originally going to walk, but the traffic was so busy on the Keighley to Skipton by-pass it took ages to get anywhere so I thought it was better to park up at the Bradley canal and do this walk rather than keep on to Gargrave and then not have time to walk anywhere. It was nearly 2pm already.  The day was lovely, crisp clear and ideal for walking.

It’s been a while since I’ve walked on here so I took the book with the directions with me.  The canal towpath was quite muddy and slippy but there were lots of people out with dogs and children making the most of the crisp sunny day. 

The walk along the canal was a lot further than I remembered I re-read the directions a couple of times to make sure I hadn’t missed crossing the correct swing bridge.  However when I turned a corner and saw the bridge and field up to Farnhill in front of me I knew I was on the right track.

When I got to the top and found the gate and track up through the trees I remembered that too

.   It was really pleasant walking up through the trees.  Eventually came out by the old quarry.  I took the right hand path that passed close by and came out on top heading towards Jubilee Tower.

  It was pretty busy up there today lots of family groups and dog-walkers.  On the way up one guy had passed me with 3 tan and white terriers and he was on the way back already.  Clearly a there and back walker.

The views were pretty good from the Tower today clear skies .and not a lot of haze on the horizon. 

 As I read the next lot of directions it came flooding back to me – the way back down is steep VERY STEEP. I wasn’t looking forward to this bit.  Its quite tricky on a good day but today the ground underfoot was quite slippy with mud, ice and slimy leaves.  Days like this I always think I should have brought my walking pole.  Too late now.  As I gingerly made my way down the hill-side I hugged the wall to hold on to. I did enjoy the views and the Silver birch trunks in the copse over the wall looked lovely.  On reaching the bottom I turned right towards Bradley village from here it was just a straight forward walk through the village.  It was 4 pm and still light – the days are starting to get a little longer now.  A good 4 mile walk.

 

Blackpots and Rivock Plantation

Was looking forward to a walk out and the weather didn’t seem too bad when I left home.  However by the time I’d driven up to Keighley Gate the start of the walk it was pretty mizzly weather and looked like the fog was rolling in.  Although when I looked across the valley to the other side of Keighley it was pretty clear and even a little sunny.  Still I’d committed to this now so got my boots and gaiters on and set off.  It was pretty muddy but not too bad until I went past the farm.  On the track there were several 4x4’s parked up and as I got going across a field just past them the fog rolled in – I couldn’t even see to the other side of the field.  I heard gun shots and some people talking, then out of the gloom came some shooters with their dogs and in the distance I could hear a quad bike somewhere.  As I kept going through the rough field the flock of sheep there decided to follow me, It felt a bit spooky in the fog all these sheep looking at me and following on.  

When I got to the edge of the field it took a while to find the stile over it.  As I crossed down to the stile in the wall the last of the shooting party came through, they didn’t look local, I’m guessing they had paid for a days shooting up here, but what they could see to shoot in this weather I have no idea.  Anyway I pressed on – eventually after a couple more stiles I cam to the forest track through the plantation, although I think in the fog I’d missed a bit out cos normally I go past a farm house but I didn’t see it today.

It was pretty dark in the plantation and lots of water dripping down from the trees.  Fog makes everything eerily quiet.  Although when I popped out back on the track to turn down the second path I briefly heard voices but didn’t see anyone.  The way back was pretty straight forward the rest of the way but no views today unfortunately.

It was fairly gloomy weather all the way round.  But I felt better for making the effort and getting out there.  Just a small walk to start the new year.  4 miles.  I’ll probably do the walk again in better weather as I do like this walk

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