Kirkby Malham

The morning had stayed fine although now there is an autumn nip in the air.  I decided to go to Airton then walk to Kirkby Malham in the hope of finding some Sloe berries.  Arrived at Airton about two’ish and packed my jacket in case the weather turned – there were some pretty stormy looking clouds on some of the hill tops.

I headed off down past the old converted mill and along the old mill cut.  The river was running pretty fast today after the last few days of rain.  At the end I turned into the field where the Black thorn bushes were. 

  Excited I strode off with my LARGE bag to pick Sloe berries.  What a disappointment.  The number I picked could be counted on one hand.  Packed my bag away and followed the path through the field bottoms to Hanlith bridge.

  From here I just followed the road into Kirkby Malham. 

  Past the old Church.   There must have been bell ringing practise the bells were ringing long before I could see the Church and a long time after I’d left the village.  Inside the Church there is a Devils Door that used to be left open to enable evil spirits to leave the Church during Christenings apparently.

I turned down and over Kirkby beck to climb up the other side on the brow looking back I could see Malham cove but it was misty now and I stopped to put my jacket on

 – 5 minutes later I was taking it back off again (one of those sort of days).  Eventually I dropped down onto Scosthrop Lane crossing over and through a stile up over the hills and around past an old quarry to drop by some sheep pens and back onto Scosthrop lane.  Frotm here it was a right hand turn up a house drive into a field which brought me back into the road at Town End to turn left and back into Airton. 

 I’d done well not got wet and had a good walk just short of 5 miles, but no Sloe berries.