Medium walk from Bubwith
Leaders: Peter and Carol
Carol and I, Grandson Mat, Lizzie, Glynis, Andrew, Carol Summers, Eileen, Mark and Kerry.
It was a hot sunny day when we left the car park near the bridge over the River Derwent heading for Willitoft. All went well until the leader missed a turning for Willitofts Hall and we ended up at Elder Farm. As the route did not show a clear right of way through the farm property I decided to about face and pick up the correct footpath I had missed. Fortunately Lizzie and Glynis had spotted it earlier but it was very overgrown. We then got back on track with no further problems.
It was lovely easy dead flat walk through the lost world settlement of Willitoft which at the time of the Doomsday Book was so massive it had four shared owners. We passed through many fields eventually following the track of the Selby-Bubwith Market Weighton railroad which ran from 1873-1954 when it was closed due to the lack of passengers.
This took us back to Bubwith where we followed the Main Street back to the car park just in time to beat a heavy deluge. It was a lovely walk in great company.
WALK REPORT APRIL 2015 – BIRKS FELL
LEADER: SUE WILLIAMS
WALKERS: ROGER DAVIDSON, ROBIN MYERS, DAVID SCHOLEFIELD
We left Morley hoping and praying that it would not rain as the forecast was not too good. Low and behold, it was raining by the time we got to Buckden and not only that, it was blowing a gale too. We did think about not doing the walk, but decided not to be chickens!.
David had come along to try out the club to see what we were like, so it was not the best of starts for a prospective member, but he didn’t seem to mind too much. We had a good laugh going up Birks Fell, despite the weather and conditions underfoot, and finally reached the summit. It was blowing an absolute gale up there so I got out my storm shelter. Well, the comments that were coming from the guys were hilarious – David said “Just wait till I get home and tell my kids that I was under a giant red condom with 3 men and a woman”. Good job there were no other walkers out and about listening to our conversation inside there!
After coffee, we proceeded to walk along the huge wall which provided shelter from the wind towards Old Cote Moor. I was beginning to think that I would alter my route and get down off the tops, when I got the worst phone call you would want which was that my Mum was “End of Life”. The lads were absolutely fantastic to me and we made great speed back to Buckden so that I could get home as quickly as possible to be with Mum. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for them that day.
WALK REPORT SEPTEMBER 2015 – WIN HILL
_SUE WILLIAMS
_IAN PICKERING, ROBIN MYERS, JILL MACFARLANE, HAZEL MADDY, JOHN, HAMLIN, DAVID MARSLAND
We set off from Ladybower Reservoir on a glorious sunny day to climb Win Hill. During the ascent of Win Hill, I seemed to gain lots of kids on my walk as they intermingled with us, then a bit further up, I lost them again. We were trying to persuade them to join the club, but they were too out of breath to say yes!! Eventually, whilst we were having a short drink stop, they gained the upper hand and left us behind for the summit. You WIN some, you LOSE some. Do you get the pun – WIN as in Win Hill – I’ll shut up now.
Anyway, the views from the top of Win Hill were fantastic with all the heather out and far reaching vistas as well. From there, we made our way along towards Alport Castles. On stopping for lunch in a very remote valley, we cracked out laughing to see a Tesco delivery van going by to deliver internet shopping to some farm. Is there nowhere Tesco’s can’t deliver I ask myself. Not too long after that, Alport Castles loomed in front of us and I heard some groaning about climbing ever upwards again, but it fell on deaf ears. Everyone enjoyed the views again once they had got to the top so I was forgiven yet again. My party also forgave me for doing a 14 mile walk as they had really enjoyed themselves.
Hole of Horcum 09/08/2015
Walk Leader – Ian Pickering
Walkers – Ian, Sue. W, David Shaw, Elise, Roger, Josh, Laura, Robin, John Hamlin, Denise & Tonya
I was quite surprised to see such a good turnout for this long walk, but the lovely weather helped, and of course a good leader. We started out by walking around the perimeter of the wonderful Hole of Horcum, where I told the group of three explanations of how the hole was created. No.1 is natural glaciation, No.2, a meteorite crashed to earth & finally No.3 is that a huge giant called Wade scooped up the ground and threw it at his wife & it landed somewhere we would see later. Elise definitely wanted it to be the giant.
After enjoying the blossoming heather across the moor, we encountered some very hairy Highland cattle on the footpath, which prompted Tonya to do a huge de-tour. After walking through the pleasant village of Levisham, we encountered a very overgrown footpath with a steep decent. The path caused some problems with Denise deciding to slide down & myself & Elise ended up nettled after choosing the wrong route. A nice wander through Levisham Wood brought us to a short steep climb up Cross Dale.
Willpower was now tested as we had to walk passed the kitchen of the Fox & Rabbit pub, Yorkshire Puddings & Roast Tatties looked & smelled good!! Lunch over, we trekked the length of Stain Dale on the edge of Dalby Forest. I had told Elise there was no more climbing, but the hill up to the Bridestones was rather challenging at this stage of the day. The Bridestones are a number of weirdly shaped rocks on the moor & Morley Walking Club went selfie mad.
The last stretch was along a track known as Old Wifes Trail & this is where we saw proof of the giant’s story, the large lump of earth that he had thrown at his wife, known locally as Blakey Topping. At the car park, a welcome ice cream was enjoyed after a lenghty walk of 12.86 miles.
Sunday 18 October 2015 High Ackworth and East Hardwick
_Lizzie Lowe
Walkers: Janet, Duncan, Bethany and Rebecca; Gerry, Ken, David Shaw, David Marsland, Terry Doolan, Jean and Alan, Jonathan, Sonia, Rita and Brian, Leslie Constable, Jenny, Carol, Harry, Phil and Cyn, Pat Pitts, Jane Elliott, Peter Thorpe
We began the walk on the village green at High Ackworth, outside the Brown Cow pub. Here we met hostile natives, who objected to us parking in their select village. The highway had no yellow lines and no parking restrictions, but these solid citizens alleged we would get parking tickets and that our cars would get run over by buses. Politely but firmly we ignored their hostility.
Alan took a group photo on the village green, and then we set off down an alley to the right of the Manor House. Various stiles, paths, fields, roads, bridges and bridleways led us to Hundhill Farm. Here we emerged onto a back road; turning right we reached the A639. This we crossed, then went down Darrington Road to enter the village of East Hardwick. A handy War Memorial provided walls and steps on which we sat to have elevensies, and Alan took a few more photos.
Refreshed, we carried on through East Hardwick, and on the right, by a house called ‘Bridleways’ we found – guess what – a bridleway! This we followed for about a quarter of a mile, then struck off right, up a hill and across fields, to a main road – the A639 yet again. We turned left along it, and soon right again down Rigg Lane. In due course, we saw Whitegates Farm on our left, and here we took a path through the farm buildings, along an old bridleway, to a bridge over the River Went. We didn’t have to cross the river, but we sat on the bridge walls to have our lunch. It was a bit smelly in the area because of water treatment works and silage, but we soon got used to the aroma….
Onward after lunch, a goodly walk along the banks of the River Went, passing beneath a huge viaduct and arriving eventually in the village of Low Ackworth. Here we leapt across a busy road, then turned left, and found very soon on our right a lane leading us towards High Ackworth. We had to go in single file for a while along this lane, but then, on our left, we found a footpath which led us across fields to a stile on our right. The stile gave on to an alley, which led into Hill Drive in High Ackworth. A short stroll amongst prosperous-looking houses, one more alleyway, another little stile, and there we were, right opposite the Brown Cow pub – where, despite the warnings of the unfriendly locals, our cars awaited us safely.
Lizzie Lowe
Burnsall 01/11/2015
Leader – Ian Pickering
Walkers(27) – Ian, Glynis, Robin, David Shaw, David Marsland, Sonia.H, Ros, Andrew.S, Anne Cooper, Pam.A, Margaret.B, Lawrie, Jonathan, Phil & Cyn, Denise, Tonya, Angela, Pat Appleyard, Carol Jobling, Peter & Carol, Sue.W, Harry, Amy, Maynie and Jake.
After the annoying young lady in the car park made some of us move our cars all of 2 millimeters, we set off on what looked like being a nice day. We headed downstream along the River Wharfe towards Appletreewick, but within 20 minutes we were stopping to de-robe as the weather was surprisingly very warm. Elevenses were taken at a lovely spot beside the river, before a short climb to reach Howgill Lane where the local farm lady herded her sheep and our large group through a gate.
The small village of Skyreholme was our next destination but strangely, a window full of bird poop was drawing all the attention. On the way to Parceval Hall, Tonya got excited when we came across a geocaching box, don’t know what she left in it though (answers on a postcard please). After a lovely wander along Skyreholme Beck, we enjoyed lunch while a giant monkey watched over us. HIDE THE BANANAS! Whilst dining, two other walking groups came passed us, one from Preston & one from Redcar, but Glynis made it quite clear which was the best club & no one was going to argue with our President.
The next stretch up Trollers Gill was tough going across rough, wet, slippy limestone boulders. It didn’t help that the little trolls that live in the gill were throwing stones at us. Tonya been the main target. The down-side of the trek up the gill, saw poor Pam take a tumble and cut her leg but she was patched up and carried on like a true Morley Warrior.
On exiting the gill we had to negotiate a tricky stream and stile crossing, which gave us time to have a short break. It was at this point a minor miracle happened, Angela actually captured some wildlife on her camera, a Sparrowhawk been the lucky creature. After all the excitement, the gentle stroll across Appletreewick Pasture down to the river and back to Burnsall was very welcome.
Hope everyone enjoyed the walk and it was nice to see a few young people out with us.
Gateforth, Selby – 15/11/2015
Leader: Lauren Garside and Dave Bennett
Walkers: Lauren Garside, Dave Bennett, Pat Pitts, Ros Smith, Andrew Sanderson, Terry Doolan, Andy & Jill Macfarlane, Laurie Hutchinson, Jane Elliott, Olive & Andrew George.
The Walk: We drove out from Morley in 3 cars and met up with Jane at the small car park adjacent to Hamilton Hough. The Hough was once a delightful wooded hill, one of only two natural hills in the Selby area. Unfortunately it has recently been decimated, supposedly in the name of taking it back to indigenous species! – More probably in the name of making money from the timber!
Suitably booted and waterproofed against the expected severe weather we walked down hill in the direction of Gateforth. We crossed a couple of fields which skirted the village to the right, then crossed a recently cultivated field which proved to be particularly wet, claggy, clay soil. Needless to say, by the time we reached the other side we were all considerably taller on account of the mud collected on our boots.
The next section was Gateforth Wood. The wood is enclosed by a deer fence to keep deer out, in order to protect new indigenous trees planted to replace mature conifers. Here the work has been carried out in a more sympathetic manner which shows what can be done.
Once through the wood and having stopped for a coffee break we next crossed another cultivated field to reach a good farm track. This field, though just as wet, had more sand in the makeup of the soil and was not quite so claggy. The farm track brought us, eventually, to the outskirts of the village of Birkin which has a mixture of some old properties interspersed with more modern residences.
Through the village we left the road to the right, firstly via a short field path which fortunately had been recently cut ( I had great difficulty only 3 weeks previously when walking out the route) and then via a short section of woodland and another field side before reaching another good farm track, heading back towards Hambleton.
This track eventually petered out after several large fields to be replaced by another couple of recently cultivated fields where the farmer had thought fit to plough right up to the field boundary. After quite a struggle we reached the Monk Fryston to Gateforth road where lunch was called.
Suitably refreshed we walked along the road in the Gateforth direction before turning left at the crossroads. After a further road section we turned right into another ploughed field where again the farmer had ploughed up the path. This section was quite a long field section with at one point a left turn across the field followed by a right turn in the middle of the field. In view of the struggle we had in previous fields I determined to avoid the cross field path in favour of staying along the field edge. Surprise surprise, when we reached the left turn we found that the farmer had reinstated the path!!! Of course we had to use it and it proved to be the better of all the cross field paths as the soil here was mainly sand and loam – not nearly so claggy as the earlier paths.
Once across this field there followed an enclosed farm track which led us to the edge of Hambleton from where a section of road walking brought us back to the cars having walked just under 7 miles, in good spirits because we were dry but with very muddy boots and calf muscles well toned from struggling across the muddy fields.
Lauren Garside / Dave Bennett
VETERANS OUTING 12.11.15 – OAKWELL HALL
Tom Gomersall
Fourteen veterans – some were more venerable than others – assembled in Morrison’s Car Park.
Abigail threatened, (Abigail being the first high-velocity storm at home and received the distinction of a name!) but did not materialise – it was a nice sunny if breezy day.
As organiser, Carol worried about the complexity of the undertaking; would it be too muddy? Would the hills at Oakwell be too much for the party? Would the Silk Mill café put on a good show for us? Would Colin’s chariot fit into our car?
Car journey successfully accomplished, all except Colin and Carol left the lower car park in good order. Walk leader Tom had been briefed by Carol to take the party up the Zig-zags to avoid the mud. Jim was appointed back marker, and marked it very well. The rest of the party maintained close order between the two of us.
Two calls were made at the comfort zone near Oakwell Hall, one on the outbound and one on our return. The dreaded mud was tastefully covered in a carpet of leaves. The party noted with interest the interesting way in which water was conveyed in a steel channel over the now defunct railway, and shortly reached Carol’s mother’s seat, a wonderful viewpoint. We could see Emley Moor tower and Glynis could see Holme Moss tower.
From here it was downhill all the way back. Meanwhile, Colin and Carol were enjoying the fleshpots of Oakwell. We all repaired to the Silk Mill café, where a fire awaited, and we all indulged in delicacies like bacon filled scones, and cream scones, yummy. We will come here again.
Colin and Carol called for new potatoes on the way home.
WINTERBURN RESERVOIR – DECEMBER 2015
LEADER: SUE WILLIAMS
WALKERS – BRAVE SOULS ROGER DAVIDSON, ROBIN MYERS, DAVID SHAW, VAL CHADWICK, PETER HOWARD and CAROL HUMPHRIES
On a cold, very damp long walk Sunday, I was wondering if anybody would turn up as the weather had been atrocious on the Saturday and wasn’t brilliant that morning either. As it was getting nearer to 0830, my group turned up and Peter and Carol were waiting for us at Hetton.
We set off from the Angel Inn and was delighted to see that the sun was making an appearance with lovely blue sky appearing too. The views looked stunning all around and visibility was also very good. Although there had been a lot of rain the day before, conditions underfoot were not too bad so far. We walked over the fields towards Winterburn but before reaching there, I had made a wise decision the day before to change my route slightly and take the higher route above the reservoir as I was concerned about a section by the side of the reservoir.
Boy, was I glad about that as looking down towards that particular section, I could see that the bridge we needed to cross was way under water. I did get a few looks and comments about the bogs on this change of route, but rather that than having to wade through freezing cold water I thought to myself.
We stopped for coffee by the reservoir bridge over the stream that flows into the reservoir, which by now was a raging torrent of water. From there we headed up towards Weets Top and were now into the snow – quite deep in places and looking like a winter wonderland. As we were approaching the top, I kept hearing snippets of conversation amongst the men going on about wanting a “Gentlemen’s stop” but felt a bit reluctant to do so as there could be some difficulty in finding something – I asked them what it was, but all I got were some cheeky looks and laughter!!! We stopped for lunch in one of my favourite places, which was under some windswept trees that formed umbrellas for us – very cosy indeed. Some guys seemed reluctant to leave but we bravely packed up and plodded on down the valley, through some more boggy fields and back to Hetton. A great day out was had by all with mud, snow, laughter and fun.
Mince Pie Walk – Morley 20/12/2015
Leader: Alan
Walkers: too many too mention individually (45)
Caterers: Jean, Margaret and June. Food provided by You.
On a bright sunny Sunday morning, 39, 40 or maybe even 45 walkers set off from Jean & Alan’s house in Victoria Grange Drive, for a short walk around Morley, prior to returning for the traditional mince pies and mulled wine.
Lizzie led the party to Cross Church Street club whilst Alan attempted to count heads as everybody filed by. However there was such a melee that it was only after consultation with others that the true number emerged.
Alan led the party onward continuing to the steps leading to Chapel Hill and then down onto Station Road.
Passing down Station Road we reached the station, where the younger children were quite taken with the passing of a couple of trains. Crossing the mouth of the tunnel we continued to the new footbridge over the line, erected after the tragic loss of life on the old crossing some 5 years ago.
Pausing at the memorial garden we stopped for a group photograph before crossing the line and climbing up the hill toward Churwell. A short break was taken at the top of the hill for a quick swig and to let the youngest walkers (and perhaps the older ones as well) catch their breath.
Continuing on to Churwell we crossed Elland road, continuing down Westwoodside and into Clark Spring Wood.
Eventually reaching Ibbetson Drive, the party continued on to Rooms Lane returning to the start by way of Springfield Park and Springfield Lane.
Upon reaching the start we found that 5 or 6 club members who weren’t on the walk were already at the house, swelling the numbers somewhat to around 50, Mince pies mulled wine and other items of Christmas fare were devoured by the hungry throng.
All in all a most enjoyable time was had, if a bit hectic.
Alan Redgrove