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WELCOME TO WEST RIDING AREA
Welcome to the website of the West Riding Area of the Ramblers’ Association. The West
Riding Area takes its name from the days when Yorkshire was divided into three “ridings” a West Riding, North Riding and East Riding. The
territory which the West Riding Area looks after on behalf of its members and the walking community is centred on Leeds and Bradford, and
extends from Ingleton to Pontefract, and from Holmfirth to Wensleydale.
The landscape of the West Riding Area is attractive and varied. There are the high Pennine
hills and moors, and these are incised by attractive steep-sided and well-wooded valleys. On lower ground there is a well-cultivated
undulating landscape, much of which is surprisingly enjoyable when explored on foot. A great bonus of being in West Yorkshire is that there
is attractive scenery on the doorstep of all the large towns, so there is no need to travel far for a good country walk. There are also many
major scenic attractions, and these include The Three Peaks, Malham Cove, Fountains Abbey (a world heritage site), the Bronte Moors, and
Hardcastle Crags near Hebden Bridge.
There is an extensive programme of walks exploring this attractive countryside, with
distances to suit all capabilities. On Saturdays and Sundays several walks are organised, and there are also walks on weekdays. Monthly coach
rambles often visit places further afield. The popular Take A Hike Group organises walks and social events for members in their 20s and
30s.
The West Riding Area of the Ramblers’Association does a vital job for the walking
community in protecting the footpaths and countryside in its territory. The footpath work it undertakes does much to ensure that the network
of rights of way is kept unobstructed and easy to use, and it liaises with other organisations to protect green lanes from illegal use by
motorised vehicles. It is campaigning for a much-needed bridge over the River Wharfe at Burley-in-Wharfedale, and for the long overdue
replacement of the bridge across the River Nidd at Skewkirk near Tockwith. The West Riding Area was at the forefront of the successful
national campaign for access to the open countryside, and now walkers for most of the year can roam freely on the extensive moors of the
South Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales. The West Riding Area also works for an attractive countryside for walkers, monitors planning proposals
and is currently opposing the proposed opencast coal mine at Ledston east of Leeds. |
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RA Themed Walk ANNIVERSARY OF CROW ACT –
OPEN ACCESS WALK TO MEUGHER 575 m – the least visited peak in Yorkshire
Meet: 10.00 Studfold Farm cp (50 p), nr. How Stean, Upper Nidderdale (GR SE 098733) 10 miles M/S (6 hours) Mostly on tracks, but one mile
approx. rough moorland; no wall climbing (grouse moor – no dogs)
Contacts: David Gibson (01524 261942) Mike Bartholomew (01943 468459)
JUST PUBLISHED BY WEST RIDING AREA OF THE RAMBLERS' ASSOCIATION!
COUNTRY WALKS AROUND HARROGATE VOLUME 2 WEST by
Douglas Cossar 2008 ISBN 978-1-906494-03-2
"COUNTRY WALKS AROUND HARROGATE VOLUME 2 WEST"
24 WALKS IN THE ATTRACTIVE COUNTRYSIDE OF NIDDEDALE, WASHBURN VALLEY AND SURROUNDINGS OF HARROGATE
AVAILABLE FROM BOOKSHOPS AT £5.50 (ISBN 978-1-906494-03-2)BEWARE PIPELINEIf you are leading or going on a walk near Pannal, North Rigton, Kirby Overblow, Barrowby, Kearby, East Keswick, Wothersome, Bramham and Aberford, please check that the paths you wish to use are not affected by the gas pipeline that is currently being laid. The work is likely to take place till at least the end of September. For further information phone Murphy Pipeline Ltd 0800 328 4461
"THIS IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE"
This is going to be a beautiful bridge which is long overdue!” commented
Janet Street-Porter on West Riding Area’s plans for a bridleway bridge over the
River Wharfe at Burley in Wharfedale. Janet is president of the Burley Bridge
Association, and a Ramblers’ Association vice-president.
A bridge over the river at Burley will give walkers an excellent route into the
Nidderdale AONB, and link access to the AONB with the frequent rail and bus
services to Burley from Leeds and Bradford. Burley will become a popular
starting place for walks.
The plans were published by the West Riding Area of the Ramblers’ Association at
the end of May, and an accompanying news release immediately attracted
substantial coverage in the local press. The new plans are a revision of
proposals put forward by West Riding Area during 2006 in a substantial
consultation exercise. Discussions were held with local authority officers, the
Environment Agency and user groups, and there was an exhibition of the plans in
the public library at Burley. As a result of the response to the 2006 proposals,
changes to the design of the bridge have been made. The sides of the bridge will
now be mainly of steel cables and these will give the bridge a much more open
appearance than was the case in the previous plan. This should enable the bridge
to blend more effectively with its riverside surroundings. Important changes
have also been made to the surface of the bridge to make it suitable for horses.
The proposed bridge goes over the Wharfe at the Greenholme stepping stones, just
over half a mile from Burley. The bridleway from the village to the site of the
bridge already crosses the busy Burley by-pass by a subway. The proposed bridge
is on the line of the right of way, and is the best site by far. In view of
difficulties of footpath creation, it is axiomatic that the proposed bridge is
on a right of way. Other possible sites for a bridge across the Wharfe close to
Burley were carefully considered. Some local people say they support the bridge
“in principle” but don’t agree with the site, but no feasible alternative site
has been put forward.
On the upstream side of the proposed bridge there will be a viewing terrace
separated from the bridleway. The prospect will be delightful with the water
tumbling over the nearby weir, the mature riverside trees, and Ilkley Moor in
the background.
The elegant bridge will be high above the normal level of the River Wharfe to
enable it to withstand a once in a 100 years flood level.
This is a requirement of the Environment Agency. Many people have said they
would prefer a small footbridge instead of the bridleway bridge, but a
footbridge would have to be the same height above the water, and would be very
similar in appearance.
The reason for the choice of a bridleway bridge as opposed to a footbridge is
that both Bradford MDC and North Yorkshire CC (the bridge crosses the local
authority boundary) have clearly indicated that they would give greater support
to a bridleway bridge. It is also thought that a bridleway bridge would attract
funding from a wider range of sources. It is hoped in particular that Sustrans
will give some financial help. A bridge at Burley is not included amongst the
seventy-nine Sustrans “Connect2” projects which will have £50 million shared
amongst them, but it might be able to receive Sustrans funding at a later stage
(see report of AGM in West Riding Rambler April 2008).
At present walkers have to use the stepping stones to cross the river, and these
are nearly always under water. When I went down to the stepping stones in late
May, the stones were still under water and it had scarcely rained for three
weeks. When the bridge is built, people throughout the year will be able to come
down to enjoy the view, and walkers, cyclists and horse riders will be able to
cross the river and join up with the rights of way network on both sides. The
beautiful Washburn Valley will be within easy walking distance.
The Burley Bridge Association obtained planning permission in 1999 for a
footbridge over the Wharfe at the nearby weir, and the approval was renewed in
2004. However, the project has floundered because of irresolvable problems of
footpath creation necessary to link the bridge with the local rights of way
network. The Executive Committee of West Riding Area believes that a bridge over
the River Wharfe at Burley will be a considerable asset to the whole walking
community in our region, and has pressed forward with plans for a bridleway
bridge on an existing right of way at the stepping stones site. The Ramblers’
Association and The Burley Bridge Association continue to work closely together
in the furtherance of the project.
When the bridge is built, both local walkers and walkers who have arrived by
public transport walkers will be able to set out from Burley on an attractive
rural lane to the river. They will be able to linger for a few minutes to enjoy
the view from the terrace of the bridge (some may wish to go no further than
this delightful scene!), then take the footpath up the hillside to Askwith.
Those who want a short walk can stroll through the village (perhaps call at the
Black Horse?) then go down the bridleway back to the bridge. Those who prefer a
longer walk can find their way via Clifton to the Washburn Valley and return to
Askwith on footpaths close to the farms at Moorside. The youthful and energetic
will be easily able to walk to Timble and back.
Please give the project your strong support. When notice appears on the West
Riding Area website (www.ramblersyorkshire.org) members are requested to write
in support to the planning offices at Bradford MDC and Harrogate District (NYCC)
– it will be particularly helpful to have letters of support from AFFILIATED
CLUBS. Many thanks in anticipation.
KW
The Backbone of England
This is the title of Andrew Bibby’s latest book, and it’s an enjoyable read.
The Pennines have always been my favourite hills, so I am biased of course.
This, however, is a book with a difference.
It’s not a guide book or a walks guide, nor is it a celebration of the beauty of
the Pennines. Instead it is a study of the Pennines today and in the recent past
(sometimes a bit further back – particularly the geology) and an investigation
of the factors that make them as they are. So, although Andrew does occasionally
allude to the scenic delights and the views, this is not his purpose. What we
get instead is a discussion of such topics as the condition and “revegetation”
of the Pennine peatlands, the different types of path surfaces that are being
provided for walkers on the hills, and the efforts to save the hen harrier. We
learn about all the early work that was done by Tom Stephenson and others to
bring the Pennine Way to fruition, and of similar dedicated work by Mary
Towneley and her colleagues which led to the creation of the more recent Pennine
Bridleway (including the Towneley Loop) And it is heartening to know that
concerted voluntary effort is being made to give Todmorden Moor “a new start”.
A particularly interesting chapter for me was based on Andrew’s conversation
with an upland sheep farmer, and equally illuminating was the information he
derived from spending a day in the working life of a gamekeeper. There’s no lead
at Earby, there never was, but did you know why it has an excellent lead-mining
museum? And for those who want a good thumb nail sketch of the geology of the
Pennines, Andrew provides it.
Landscape is basically geology plus man, sometimes pretty sometimes not. What we
get from Andrew’s book is a greater understanding of the Pennines as a working
and worked landscape where virtually every inch of the surface (and a fair bit
below) owes much to man’s intervention. And the book comes with a strong message
concealed in the moorland peat.
As you would expect from a good journalist, it is written in an enjoyable and
easy-to-read way, even when the going gets a little technical. At the same time
it is scholarly and carefully referenced. The watershed provides the route that
Andrew takes along the backbone of England (“never cross running water”!), and
this is the thread that holds all 26 chapters together as well as leading to
endless bogs and 33 trig points. I finished the book knowing much more about my
favourite hills and much enjoyed doing so - which I hope says it all.
KW
Andrew Bibby’s “The Backbone of England” is published by Frances Lincoln
(2008) ISBN 978-0-7112-2825-2 and costs £20
To The Dales By Public Transport
A key route is the rail service from Bradford and Leeds to Skipton and its
continuation along the Settle and Carlisle line. There is an hourly rail service
Mondays to Saturdays to Skipton and a less frequent Sunday service. The first
train reaches Skipton at 9.26 (9.46 on Sunday), and this train goes on to Settle
9.50 (Sunday 1006), Kirkby Stephen 10.34 (Sunday 10.52) and Carlisle, calling at
all intermediate stations, except Gargrave and Long Preston on Sundays.
From the railway station at Skipton there is an approximately hourly Mondays to
Saturdays bus service by Pride of the Dales to Grassington, with some of the
buses continuing to Buckden, Kettlewell or Hebden. A very convenient bus on the
service leaves Skipton at 1000, reaches Grassington at 1030 and arrives at
Buckden at 1059. The last buses back from Buckden are at 1500 and 1700. There
are four Saturday buses from Skipton to Malham, the first one leaving the
railway station at 1000. There are also buses from Skipton to Harrogate, a
useful route for getting to Bolton Bridge and to Blubberhouses for the Washburn
Valley; the first bus leaving Skipton bus station at 9.30 and the next at 11.30.
On Sundays, Ilkley becomes a useful access point for The Dales. The 1015 bus
from Ilkley Bus Station (Service 874) goes to Grassington, Kettlewell and
Buckden. At Buckden you can catch a connecting bus to Aysgarth and Hawes (though
it doesn’t get there till 1242!).
Another useful public transport route, particularly for vastly underrated
Nidderdale, is the every 20 minutes (No 36) bus service from Leeds to Harrogate
and Ripon. From Harrogate, there is an hourly service to Pateley Bridge via
Birstwith, Dacre Banks and Summerbridge at half past the hour from 9.30 onwards
(every two hours on Sundays from 9.05). On Sundays and Bank Holidays during the
summer, there are buses from Pateley Bridge to How Stean Gorge and to Brimham
Rocks. From Ripon, on Sundays and Bank Holidays there is a shuttle bus service
funded by the National Trust to Fountains Abbey (first bus from Ripon Bus
Station at 9.45). Those showing a valid bus ticket on the date of their visit,
will be able to get into Fountains Abbey half price. The Ripon Roweller Service
continues to run from Ripon to Fountains on Mondays to Saturdays, and this
service too is linked with a half price offer into Fountains.
The normal bus concessions are thought to apply on all these services. All the
information in this article is believed to be correct, but it should be checked
before a journey, and bear in mind too that rail and bus timetables are
sometimes changed. Website www.dalesbus.org is a particularly useful place for
finding out and checking rail and bus times into The Dales.
For a different rail and walk experience in The Dales, try the Wensleydale
Railway which runs from Leeming Bar (link to Northallerton not in operation) to
Leyburn and Redmire. On the train journey you will get magnificent views of Pen
Hill and see plenty of wildlife (some of it straying on to the line), and from
Redmire you can easily walk to Aysgarth.
Elsewhere in West Riding Area, the frequent rail services from Leeds and
Bradford which go through Calderdale en route to Manchester Victoria are
particularly useful for walkers, with a host of attractive routes close to
stations at Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, and Todmorden. The
hourly rail services on the Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield line stop at
Berry Bridge, Honley, Brockholes, Stocksmoor, Shepley, and Denby Dale, and
enjoyable walks can begin from all of these stations.
KW
Twenty Walks on Harrogate's DoorstepWest Riding Area’s latest book of walks describes twenty half day walks in of birds. There is a also a good chance of seeing red kites which have spread the attractive countryside on the east side of Harrogate. “Country Walks into the surrounding countryside since they were introduced at Harewood. Around Harrogate”, Volume 1 East of Harrogate, by Douglas Cossar, was published a few days before Christmas, and is already selling well. The walks are around 6 miles length and ideal for a half day. They explore the undulating, wellwooded landscape around Harrogate, and visit many attractive out-of-the-way places well away from busy roads. On the walks there are many charming local villages to wander through, such as Allerton Mauleverer, Coneythorpe, Kirkby Overblow, and Staveley. The walks also go to places of considerable historical interest such as the Devil’s Arrows at Boroughbridge (one of the finest pre-historic sites in England), the Roman town of Aldborough, remains of ancient castles at Knaresborough, Rougemont, and Spofforth, and the moated medieval manor house at Markenfield. Attractive parkland is visited at Harewood, Little Ribston and Studley. The walk from Tockwith goes close to the site of Skewkirk Bridge. There is enjoyable riverside walking on paths beside the Crimple, Nidd, Ure and Wharfe. Quiet walkers will see plenty of wildlife on the walks with a good chance of seeing roe deer and hares, and different habitats give plenty of opportunity to see many species. One of the walks starts from the centre of Harrogate and goes to Knaresborough via urban paths, a former railway line and the Nidd Gorge. Several of the walks begin on the route of the excellent No.36 bus service which runs every twenty minutes from Leeds to Harewood, Harrogate, Ripley and Ripon, and most of the other walks can be reached by public transport. All of the 20 walks are described in detail, with a sketch map for each walk, and there are many local photographs. “Country Walks Around Harrogate, Volume 1 East” will appeal to walkers from Leeds, Ripon and Wetherby, as well as from Harrogate and Knaresborough, and is a snip at £4.99. It is on sale at local bookshops and outdoor stores and can also be obtained from John Lieberg, 11 Woodroyd Avenue, Honley, Holmfirth, HD9 6LG, cheque to West Riding Area, add £1 p and p. A companion volume of walks west of Harrogate will be on sale in the spring. KW JOIN US FOR A SUNDAY COACH RAMBLE!
If you fancy a change on a Sunday, why not try one of our monthly coach rambles. There are often some spare places. West Riding Area Coach rambles usually take place on the third Sunday of each month, and provide an opportunity to visit places a little further afield. Instead of having to drive you can have a relaxing journey and the opportunity to do linear walks. There is a pub meal at the end of the walk – a lovely way to round off the day.
There is usually a choice of a 6 to 8 mile walk at a leisurely pace, a not too strenuous walk of about 10 miles, and a tougher walk of up to 14 miles. Something to suit most tastes! The attractive programme in the next months includes Derbyshire (18 May); West Burton and Pen Hill, Wensleydale (15 June); Roseberry Topping, N.Yorks Moors (20 July); Swaledale Landscapes, N. Yorks (17 August); Malham and surrounds, N.Yorks (14 September); Hole of Horcum, N.Yorks Moors (12 October).
The coach rambles cost £10, collected on the coach, and the pub meal is usually between £7 and £8.
The coach starts at 8.30 from either Leeds or Bradford depending on the destination. It always picks up at Thornbury Barracks Roundabout, and other pick up points can be arranged if feasible. To book a place on a coach ramble contact Val Bamforth (01274 591678). Further details of the Coach Rambles and approximately 300 other walks can be found in the “Walks Diary” page of this website.
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