Gargrave, Tuesday Oct 17th
The start at Gargrave Walking along Cross Lane
Gargrave. Tues 17 Oct 17
Walk leader – Sue L
Distance – 14 miles
Number on walk – 11
Weather – Very windy thanks to ex hurricane Ophelia!
Having been listening to the forecast over the last couple of days I was very pleased when 10 hardy souls turned up to join me on the walk.
We left Gargrave and followed a short stretch of the Leeds Liverpool canal before turning off across field paths. Through Gambers Wood we continued on to pass Brockabank (a very nice 17th century farmhouse) then on to the very fine building of Friars Head. This is an old yeomans farmhouse and is said to stand on the site of a Grange that once belonged to the monks of Furness Abbey.
Turning right at Friars Head we continued across fields passing Scarnber Laithe and Owslin Laithe before turning up Cross Lane to join part of the Dales High Way.
After a quick elevenses stop we dropped down to cross Hetton Common Beck and turned left to walk along the side of Winterburn reservoir. More field paths (muddy in parts thanks to the cattle who seem to take great delight in churning up the ground around gates and stiles) we eventually dropped down to the hamlet of Winterburn. Here we interrupted a party of locals out for a mornings pheasant shoot. Thankfully they didn’t take aim at us and stopped shooting while we walked through!
A short road section and a climb up a couple of fields and we had our lunch stop sheltered by some very handy dry stone walls at Cowper Cote. Suitably refreshed we continued across fields to the little village of Calton.
Dropping down to Airton we turned left to follow the Pennine Way back to Gargrave. The first section, which was rather muddy in parts, follows the river Aire before climbing up across Eshton Moor and dropping down into Gargrave.
It was a good walk. “Ophelia” wasn’t as bad as predicted, yes it was rather windy at times but no rain and excellent views. Thank you to everyone who joined me.
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