Too Old Codgers

Statistics:
distance - 14.8 miles
moving speed – 3.0 mph
start – 9.30 am
finish – 5.45 pm
moving – 5h

We woke early and discussed the possibility of using a local bus service (the Little White Bus) that serviced our route for the day. There were three points along our route at which we could catch the bus to Hawes if we felt the need for a rest.

We went down for breakfast at 8.15. Graham had his usual, but there was no yoghurt to accompany the fruit salad. Mary ordered scrambled eggs as a light alternative because she was feeling a little fragile. It was the biggest plate of scrambled eggs we had ever seen.

At 9.30 we set off again under a bright blue sky, passing some delightful cottage gardens to find the path out of the village to Castle Bolton. On the way to the castle we chatted with a lady who had relatives in Australia and New Zealand. The subject of choosing to live in Australia (Graham's preference) or England (Mary's preference) was raised, and the lady said she would like to escape the English grey, wet winter.

'Redmire pub, Mary on deck outside our room'

'Redmire cottage gardens'

'Trapped by bridge and stile, Apedale Beck'

'Caught in a squeeze stile, approaching Bolton Castle'

We passed under the towering walls of Bolton Castle as the Little White Bus passed by – our first possible pick-up point. We decided we would walk to Aysgarth, then reassess our need for the bus. The walk down to rejoin the Ure at Aysgarth Falls across fields, along laneways, through a holloway, and always within sight of imposing limestone scars to the north was wonderful. We passed the half-way point of the NoEW at Hollins Farm.

'Tempted by the little white bus at Castle Bolton'

'Walking through a holloway'

'What a day!!!'

'Another style of stile'

The sight and sound of Aysgarth Falls was spectacular, but we found it hard to adjust to the hordes of other visitors on the paths to the falls. We had become accustomed to having the paths to ourselves. A couple told us of a path via the National Park shop that avoided the road walking of the NoEW route. So we diverted to the shop to find we could sample the Brymoor icecream we had missed yesterday – we chose elderflower and wild cherry for our morning 'tea' break and enjoyed them enormously.

'Aysgarth Lower Force'

We hurried across the road bridge over the Ure, glancing at the view of High Force, then took the path through the campground and across fields to Aysgarth village. Because of the lovely walk during the morning we decided we would keep going rather than wait for the bus in Aysgarth. Finding our way out of the village was a minor problem – according to GPS and the map, the current right of way was about 40 metres from the one marked in our guidebook. It was easy going from there on, as we went down to the river, turned left, followed the river until we reached a pedestrian bridge that we crossed, turned left and again followed the river. Along the road stretch we saw one of many relics from the Tour de France that had passed this way a few months earlier – this one advertising Wensleydale cheeses.

'Tour de France relic'

'Stepping stones over un-named beck'

'Drystone wall and limestone scar'

We stopped at about 2pm for lunch beside the river, our usual time so that we had less walking to do after the break. A little further on the river bank was badly eroded, so we did what many previous walkers had apparently done – climbed over a fence onto the old railtrack paralleling the river to Nappa Mill and then into Askrigg.

'Easy walking on the old rail track'

We were doing better than expected so we decided to push on into Hawes rather than catch the bus, but we decided to divert from the NoEW route that required a very long climb up the old Roman Cam High Road. The Herriott Way up the northern side of the Ure valley/ Wensleydale was a gentler walk, but reports warned of many squeeze stiles along that route. So we continued along the route of the abandoned railtrack for a gentle walk as far as a set of stepping stones across the river. We then climbed to the hamlet of Burtersett and followed a paved field path into Hawes where we found our B&B, Fairview, on the 'outskirts' of the town at about 5.45. We had a lovely large room looking out over the garden and the fells.

'Our gentle walk by the Ure; NoEW goes over Wether Fell in the background'

'Stepping stones across the Ure'

'Paved field path from Burtersett to Hawes'

After showering and washing, we headed into town across the Gayle Beck bridge, with a tractor parked in the street. We found that the recommended White Hart was booked out, apparently by the large number of people in tweed jackets and plus-fours loitering outside the pub with mobile phones glued to their ears – the shootin' and fishin' fraternity. So we adjourned to the Crown where Mary had her usual fish and chips and Graham had pork medallions with smashed potatoes and vegetables – a pleasant meal. We stumbled back to the B&B and bed by 9.30.

'Gayle Beck flowing through Hawes'

'The Crown pub, Hawes'

Next >>>>