Addingham, and Moor Edge

Addingham, and Moor Edge 27-10-18

New Walk I’d printed from the Internet, having done a search for walks around Addingham.  It was a lovely clear day although a little cool and Autumny but to be expected at end October.  The walk set off from the Main street in Addingham – across the cricket field and up on to the by-pass to cross over and up a field side.  The  route then headed up through  Lumb Ghyll Wood – here I just spotted a couple of deer, but a blink and they had gone although I kept looking for another glimpse of them all the way through the wood.

Leaving the wood behind I crossed over Cocking Lane and headed up a farm drive passing Plumtree Banks Barn.  

From here I should have followed a way marked path across Hall Gill Beck – instead I went a little further up the road and walked up and down a fence for a while looking for the route,  after a lot of searching eventually spotted a stile past the fence and in a field wall.  From here after getting back on the right track  I headed up to Netherwood House this was a beautiful place .  Today I was doing the short version of this walk – the long version takes you to Hebers Ghyll in Ilkley, but because the days are shorter and I haven’t done this walk before I decided to save the long version till summer. The next few fields were horrid.  One was full of sheep with rams who decided to follow me – they looked pretty aggressive too.  I’d just recovered from that when I had to go through a field full of cows who decided to follow me too.  My heart was thumping like mad by the time I’d got to the cottages and driveway.

  When I had to turn down another field with another flock of sheep and these had rams too they followed me as well. 

Clearly October/November is not a good time to walk through fields full of sheep.  The rest of the walk was a series of fields back down to Addingham.  It was a good walk but I think it was nearer 5.5 miles than 4 miles it said on the leaflet.  Would like to do the longer walk in summer and stop for a coffee in Ilkley before coming back to Addingham.

East Morton to Gilstead and back

Beautiful weather today for a walk around the Aire Valley.  Got to Monica’s around 12.30 – Gail was already there so quickly got my boots on and we set off.  Monica had planned a walk around the valley on the paths she knew well.  We left her house in East Morton and headed up to Micklethwaite.  

We passed through the village and headed on towards Eldwick.  Once we got up onto the hill tops we stopped for our picnic lunch Corned beef sandwiches and a flask of tea. 

It was so beautifully warm for October – it was still warm even when we were sat having lunch.  From here we continued up to Eldwick – cutting round to Gilstead

 we called in at the shop here and Gail got an ice cream – it was pleasant sitting on a bench in the village while Gail enjoyed her Magnum – eventually dropping down to Five Rise Locks – the café looked pretty full so we decided to give that a miss and walked along the canal back to East Morton.  Along the way there were lots of canal boats moored up so it felt really busy. 

We got back to Monica’s around 4.15 and had a welcome cup of tea.  A lovely 6.5 mile walk really enjoyed it.

Swartha & Brunthwaite

The weather wasn’t good today – it had rained all morning – there had been weather warnings for strong winds and floods since Thursday night and so when it came to 1pm I was glad the rain had stopped.  Looking at the forecast there was only going to be a small window of dry weather and so I decided to stay fairly local and do a walk I knew reasonably well.  Parked in Silsden and set off along the canal tow path heading back towards Keighley.  It was still windy out and causing waves and ripples on the canal water.  I stayed on the canal to Holden bridge and turned up here to the farm – crossing over the small road to go into the field on the right.  This was a short stiff pull up to the top of the field though a stile and up again through the next field.  Here was a short narrow pathway to go out onto a country road leading towards Silsden Golf Course.

The track goes down to a private house and hidden behind a huge hedge on the left is a path leading onto the course itself.  To say there had been rain and it was so windy there were lots of groups out there golfing.  It must be hard when it’s so windy. Through the course and up onto High Brunthwaite – in the past I’ve spent ages looking for the right way through this section of the walk but someone must have been and put markers as it was clearly indicated today making all this much easier.  

Having said that when it came to finding the stile into the trees and Brunthwaite beck wasn’t so easy to spot. This was my favourite part when you suddenly see the remains of a double arched stone aqueduct – used for carrying water from Barden moor reservoir to Bradford. 

It amazes me every time I see it. Climbing up the otherside of the beck and along the top eventually emerging onto a road by Swartha House Farm.  I then took the road up to Swartha before turning down through a kissing gate and a lovely green way to a walled snicket dropping down again to a large set of allotments and onto the main Bolton road.  The last bit of the walk is to cross the road and walk down Townhead back into Silsden.  I like this walk and really enjoyed it 3.5 miles and as I got back in the car the heavens opened and it rained again.  Good timing.

Robinwod

Another new walk.  I was recovering from a horrid cold and so wasn’t looking to do anything too strenuous.  Ha – little did I know how tough this walk was going to be.  Parked in Todmorden car park and put plenty of money in the meter.  You never know how long a short walk will take you.  The directions were straightforward and I headed off up some steep steps by the railway station  and turning right to eventually come out at Ewood Lane. Just above there was a path then to follow up through a beechwood to take me up to the top of the hills

 or so I thought- the track was uphill again to Todmorden Edge –

this must be the top – No – the path was up again through a fairly boggy section to emerge onto a moorland track down to some farmhouses.  What had I said to myself this morning - I wanted an easy walk with not too much up – well that hadn’t happened I had just spent ¾ hour walking steadily uphill. I have to admit though the views were worth it –

it was glorious up here on the tops looking across the valley.  From here it was a good stride across the moors to the last farmhouse where there was a way to drop down past a derelict house – Roundfield. Continuing down – this was getting scarily steep now.  The path then joined another track to bear round a promontory to the right looking across the valley to Pudsey Clough.  

The book called this a fine moment.  I made a mental note here – don’t do this walk in wind or ice – the drop off this narrow path was a long way down.  From here the path went steadily downhill steeper in some parts than others –

the way back continued through several fields up and down parallel to the main road to eventually drop down by Scaitclff Hall – back up Ewood Lane and onto the track I’d set off from.  Excellent walk – 4.5 miles of up and down.  Would do this walk again but pick a none windy/icy day when the ground would not be slippery underfoot.