5th November 2023
Dear All,
Going
to Yorkshire at the end of October/beginning of November we did not expect to
need sun tan oil or dark glasses and so it proved but although the weather was challenging
it was not as dire as the forecasts.
We
set out on Monday and stopped off at the RHS garden at Harlow Carr on the way.
The autumn colours were spectacular there so it was very worthwhile despite
grey and threatening skies.
Harlow Carr
The
holiday was a special offer at an HF hostel called New Field Hall, Airton near
Malham. They are keen to keep staff going between the summer and Christmas so
our U3A group had taken advantage of a special cheap offer arriving Monday,
walking Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday departing Friday. HF is an excellent
organisation with skilled volunteer leaders offering walks of differing lengths
and challenges, good food and transport to the walk venues. Altogether there
were 53 of us from Cambridge so instead of the usual three choices they offered
four walks each day.
New Field Hall
Kate
and I opted for the medium walks on the first two days which were 10 and 9
miles but included climbs which the fens do not necessarily prepare you for!
On Tuesday we headed for Appletreewick in Wharfedale. We climbed up to Trollers Gill then followed Trollers Beck down to the River Wharfe to Bolton Abbey. It rained for the first two hours then cleared up. When we were last in the area with Philip Shaw in 2009 one of our aged ladies slipped off of the stepping stones outside Bolton Abbey resulting in a hurried strip tease – this time the water was so high the stones were completely hidden!
Trollers Gill
River Wharfe
Happy Walkers?
On
Wednesday we were in Ribblesdale starting at Horton in Ribblesdale taking in
three peaks and a view of the Ribblehead Viaduct. The three peaks were
Pen-y-ghent, Woldside and Ingleborough. We set off in dry weather but at 1 pm
the wind got up and at 1.30 pm were hit by a violent hail and rain storm while
we were in the middle of open moorland. Not altogether pleasant but very
atmospheric and my new waterproofs did a reasonable job!
Sink Hole
Woldside
Ribblehead Viaduct
Après Storm!
Pen-y-ghent
The
forecast for Thursday was dire and several folk opted out of walking but in reality,
it was not too bad, I guess the valleys all experience different weather so
forecasting must be tricky?
We
were walking around Malham climbing initially to the Cove then passing the
Water Sink where the overflow from Malham Tarn disappears underground. We
picnicked by the Tarn then circled round to Gordale Scar and back through
Janet’s Foss Wildlife reserve.
Stone walled
fields above Malham
View of Malham
The Dry Valley
The Pavement above
Malham Cove
Malham Cove cliff
face
Gordale Scar
We
left quite early on Friday and visited Saltaire village in Bradford. Saltaire
is a Victorian model village situated between the river Aire, the railway, and
the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Salt's Mill and the houses were built by Titus
Salt between 1851 and 1871 to allow his workers to live in better conditions
than the slums of Bradford. Some of the mill buildings now house shops, cafes
and a permanent Hockney exhibition.
Mill chimney
Main Mill
Hockney Exhibit
On
Saturday Kate began the day getting stung by a Queen wasp. I managed to harvest
a few vegetables but more rain meant all local football matches were off again.
Our
rainfall total for October was 141mm and the pond is still flooded.
Regards
Mike
& Kate
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