Walks on Rum and Popcorn

Aberford to Barwick in Elmet

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This is a nice loop walk that takes in a number of interesting things to see. It’s a decent length but is all very easy going.

From Aberford we set off on a small road along Becca Bank, which eventually splits off to become just a bridlepath. We wander through a farm (where we had a very impressive view of a red kit hovering above us) before leaving the easy track to follow a footpath that yomps across some ploughed fields. We follow a very unused looking road down into Potterton, where snowdrops and early daffodils are everywhere! We trudge along Potterton lane, a fairly unpleasant bit of road walking - no paths, fast cars - and uphill into Barwick in Elmet. We have a look at the Tower Hill (castle! sort of) and Jubilee gardens (so many crocuses!) before stopping for a pint at the Black Swan.

Brimham to Hartwith Loop

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This was a pleasant loop walk. It feels a little perverse to drive all the way to Brimham rocks and then just promptly ignore them, but that’s what you do.

There’s an interesting litle church at Hartwith (St Jude’s). Further round, we were sad to discover the only on-route pub has closed. What a shame.

Parking

Brimham Rocks car park. It’ll get busy on a nice summer’s day but was fairly empty in January. £10 parking fee if you’re not a National Trust member.

Coniston: Tarn Hows and Yew Tree Tarn

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0100

A loop walk taking in two lakes, with nice views of Coniston Water too.

Set off from Coniston and follow the Cumbria way uphill. A fork in the path leads you up into the woods, still climbing uphill, with good views back over Coniston water once you emerge.

Snake back and forth up the hillside and then follow the ridge along. We leave footpaths and follow a single-track road up through the ferns to the National Trust car park at Tarn Hows. Get coffee. It’s good.

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Skelwith Bridge and Elterwater

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0100

This is a lovely lake district loop walk that takes in a good bit of variety.

We start off riverside, walking through a close canopy of trees, making our way slowly up a hill. Eventually this gives us a good view of Skelwith Force waterfall.

Coming out of the woods, the walk cuts along the edges of hillsides, drops down to cross the valley and then works its way up to Little Langdale. There’s a nice looking pub here (The Three Shires Inn) but it was a bit early in the walk for us to stop.

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Malton to Westow

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A nice round trip from the middle of Malton down to Westow and back. The first good stretch follows the course of the river Derwent Southwards. We’ve had some miserably wet weather and then some very cold weather afterwards. It’s a good thing we did - if the lakes of mud weren’t frozen this might have been really difficult.

Eventually we part from the river and cross a couple of fields to go past St Mary’s, which is a fascinating little church in the absolute middle of nowhere. It’s sadly kept locked, but we had a look at the graveyard, which had stones dating back to the 18th century.

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Stanley Ferry - Normanton loop

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A large part of this walk is very nice. But an equally large part is not. We start on the canal and potter North along it for a good way. It’s nice. When we leave the canal though, it starts to get less lovely. I’ve nothing against Altofts, but the little alleyways we squeeze down are a bit grimy.

When we finally get out of the town and into the fields, things don’t improve. There are tall metal fences hemming the path in on both sides. It skirts some quarry works, ducks under a pylon and spits us out onto a road that is covered in rubbish. There are no buildings for a good distance in any direction, but half the world has emptied their bins here. It’s grim.

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Newmillerdam loop

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A (mostly) bright and sunny day. A nice loop around Newmillerdam, taking in the lake, some woods, crossing the old railway line and wandering through the abandoned buildings in Seckar woods. Nice walk.

Parking

Public car park by Newmillerdamn. It’s not huge and does get very busy.

Walking

Easy. Mostly flat, mostly not too muddy - even after weeks of rain.

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