Harrogate South Villages | Saturday 30 April 2022


Walk Leader: Robert Cope
Participants: 4
Mileage: 21 miles
Ascent: 1,900ft
Walk Report: Robert Cope
Weather: Warm and sunny, little wind

 

Setting off from Hornbeam Park (the historic home of ICI’s “crimplene” man-made textile) we skirted around the Yorkshire Showground before making our way to Follifoot via Rudding Park.  From Follifoot we headed south, then east, to the picturesque village of Spofforth where we took a sunny coffee break overlooking the remnants of Spofforth Castle.

We then headed broadly south to Sicklinghall via High Lane and then Fox Heads Lane - and through the extensive Christmas tree plantations of Stockeld Park.  There followed a long anticlockwise stretch to Kirkby Overblow via the Woodhall Hotel, Kearby and Barrowby.  We took our lunch break just after Woodhall on a sunny grassy bank quite close to the Wharfe (albeit obscured by trees) and with an impressive woodland carpet of garlic and bluebell plants just behind us.

Following our final refreshment stop (sunny again) in Kirby Overblow we headed broadly west along the ridge with extensive views over the Wharfe and the valley below us and with Otley Chevin on the other side of the valley.  We then turned north crossing numerous fields and stiles before arriving at Pannal - the last of the villages on this walk.

From Pannal we followed the Harrogate Ringway home - albeit with an alternative anticlockwise deviation around Fulwith Grange giving impressive views of the railway viaduct spanning Crimple Beck (or River Crimple).

Good company and great weather. 

Photos by Tony Jenner

Photos by Robert Cope