Last Tuesday my walking buddy and I walked another section of the Lady Anne Way. The walk goes from Skipton to Penrith in Cumbria, about 100 miles, we’re doing it in lots of little sections!The week before we’d walked from Skipton to Barden, so this section was from Barden to Grassington, about 8 miles, so a nice distance.
The weather was a bit cooler, which was better for walking but not so good for photos!
Our first point of interest was Barden Towers, most of it’s in ruins now, though the smaller building on the right side is a restored bit with a restaurant and tithe barn. It was originally a hunting lodge in the 15th and 16th century. Just below the tower we crossed the river on a pretty stone bridge and followed the path along the river bank as far as Burnsall.
This is the River Wharfe, which later passes through Otley and then Wetherby before joining the Ouse near York. It’s a nice gentle walk along the river bank, watching the dippers and the ducks with their ducklings.
These old field walls interested us, we couldn’t work out what the holes were for. Our only thought was flood defences, it looked like it was on a bit of a flood plain, maybe the holes allowed the water to drain away without damaging the wall.
The bluebells are flowering already, they’re very early this year. The blue haze under the trees is amazing to see, and the scent travels quite a long way.
We skirted round the edge of the village of Burnsall, not actually crossing it’s five arched bridge. We followed the river for a short distance before taking a sharp right up a steep hill. You see the bank to the right of the river, that’s where we turned and that’s pretty much how steep it was!!
We had lots of rests to admire the view over the village!
Once we reached the top we had a good walk across pasture, lots of cute lambing getting all springy!
The next village was Hebden, this was originally a mining village and it’s a lovely higgledy-piggledy sort of village with little rows of cottages tucked everywhere.
Just out of Hebden there’s an old track which we followed across the farmland to Grassington. We were quite high up (relatively speaking!) so we had some lovely views. On the other side of the valley the field patterns looked beautiful in the soft light.
We passed a small field with some heritage sheep breeds. There is a concerted effort now to save the old farm animal breeds. I think the ones with two sets of horns are Manx Loaghton, otherwise I haven’t a clue, I love the curly horns!
We finished our walk in the busy village of Grassington, we had 1 1/2 hours to wait for a bus,plenty of time for a cup of tea and a peruse round an embroidery shop that sells lots of cross-stitch kits, of course I came away with one, well you have to support these shops!
Today we’re walking the next section, Grassington to Starbotton I think, so watch this space!
thecraftycreek 
Nooo! It’s the start of bluebell season and all my Brit blogging friends are going to make me nostalgic for the next few weeks with photos of bluebells which don’t grow here. It happens every year and, if you want to make things worse, show me foxgloves once they appear.
Love the ‘busy’ village of Grassington – I expect you could barely find a parking place 😉
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Lol, I’ll try and avoid the foxglove shots 🙂 Grassington looked quiet, but it was 3pm on a Tuesday afternoon and that square is the only parking in the centre, most cars were in a huge carpark on the edge of the village 🙂
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Your photos are amazing. I enjoy reading of your area. Just Beautiful.
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Thank you, it is a beautiful county.
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Thank you so much for the wonderful pics of your walk – it was one that Fred and I used to do in better times and brought back many memories, especially as I can now barely walk half a mile – but still grateful that I can do that! Thanks again xx Clare
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Thanks Clare, glad you enjoyed it, take care x
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What an interesting walk. I enjoy the pictures, please keep them coming.
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I’m looking forward to following this walk with you, as my grandparents came from Penrith before they immigrated to Australia in the early 1900s.
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It’s going to be quite a while before we get to Penrith – next year even, it’s 100 miles and we’re doing it in little chunks, you’ll be able to see the scenery along the way 🙂
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My 8yo grandson is besotted with sheep. Cant wait until he returns from school today to show him the pics!!
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I wish I could walk around Yorkshire with you, love these photos and views!
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Beautiful photos of wonderful countryside on what looks to be a nice soft day. Our sun is beating down today and humidity is rising with the temp. Long sigh… . . . . . . . 🥵
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I do so love your walks in the countryside in a part of England that my husband and I have visited. Your photos give us a virtual walk, I can almost smell the bluebells.
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The bluebells look stunning!
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I wonder what bluebells smell like… I wonder if they would grow around here? I’ll have to look that up! So glad you supported the embroidery shop. We no longer have one near us. 😦
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Delightful walk,enjoyed seeing it through your eyes!!
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Hello Margaret, That is a good long walk you did, I so admire you, do keep it up. Unfortunately I can’t walk very far at all, I was hoping for nicer weather in summer so I might get out around the block at least. Your photos are great, the countryside is so beautiful. Yes, yes, we have to support the little shops that do sell haberdashery, quilting and stitching stuff. When I first came here there was one shop in our village and one in a nearby village. Now there are none nearby, it’s so frustrating not to be able to feel the fabric or look at the real colours of things and threads. Sorry don’t mean to rant but it’s such a shame to see these shops close down. Stay well. Regards Mandy xx
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Hello Mandy, we went through a phase of fabric shops opening near us, which was great, but quite a few are closing now, we’ve lost three in the last 12 months. I find it really hard to buy fabric on line. We’re lucky round here that there are so many walks which aren’t too strenuous, I have MS, so stamina is an issue but I think it’s a use it or lose it situation so I am trying to keep at it! Best wishes, Margaret
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