Distance Covered: 5 miles Time to complete walk: 2.5 hours
Total Steps: approx. 14,000
Safety Tips: The path can be stony - wear appropriate hiking boots and take a walking stick. Wear sun protection as the first half of the walk is over fields- take plenty of water. There are a few squeeze stiles along the way.
This walk starts at the gorgeous market town of Grassington. Theres plenty of shops and eateries in the town. The walk then covers open farmland, woodlands and then a lovely riverside walk back to Grassington. The path can be on an uneven stony path so take care and a walking stick.
The Grassington & River Wharfe walk
From Middlesbrough follow the A19 southbound to Thirsk. Then join the A168 out of Thirsk. Follow this into Ripon. Then follow the B265 out of Ripon. Keep on the B265 and you will arrive at Grassington. Parking is found at the Natonal Park carpark and is £5.00 for over 2 hours.
Map of the Grassington & River Wharfe walk
The Walk
From the carpark turn left and head towards the Main Street
Nartional Park carpark
The Main Street is on your right and is packed full with lovely shops and cafes
Head up the Main street
Near the top of the main street, turn left into Chapel Street
Turn left into Chapel Street
Leave Chapel Street at Bank Lane which is a right turn off signed to the Dales Way.
Turn right into Bank Lane
Follow the lane up a walled path and look to the left for a narrow gate as you come to a fork in the path.
Head up Bank Lane
Look out for a small gate to your left
Cross over the field and look for a stile in a wall opposite
Head towards a stile in the wall
After the stile head towards the left and walk on a newly laid gravel farm track. Head forwards towards a small aqueeze stile.
Follow the gravel path ahead
Head towards a stile in the wall
In the field head towards the wall and then veer to the left following grassy track. Look for a gap in the wall and go through it.
Follow the grass track
Go through the gap in the wall
Head towards another stile in the wall ahead
Head towards another stile in the wall
Stile in the wall
Look for the signpost to the Dales Way and at a fork in the path keep to the left and follow the track with the wall to your left
Signpost on the Dales Way
Follow the track to the left
You are now walking on Lea Green which is the site of ancient settlements. The path stays near the wall along the track which meanders through the settlement
Ancient Settlement at Lea Green
Limestone on the path
The path continues parallel to the wall for some time. When the path is joined from the right look for a gate on your left
Gate on your left
Head through the gate and follow the path as it winds eventually through the shaded woodland
Walk along the path to the woods
You will eventually arrive at a distinctive ladder stile and gate
Go over the ladder stile
Make your way through the Grass Wood Nature Reserve following the path
Grass Wood Nature Reserve sign
When you arrive at a signpost turn right signposted for Grass Wood Lane
Turn right at the signpost
Follow the path ignoring any branch offs and you will arrive at a gate to Grass Wood Lane. Instead of going through the gate head to the left on the woodland path
Follow the path through the woods
Turn left when arriving at the gate to Grass Wood Lane
Look for a branch in the path to the right which is heading to a gate and car parking spaces
Go through the gate onto Grass Wood Lane
When on the lane turn right and follow the road back until you come to a gate to your left which is the path to the River Wharfe signed as Lower Grass Wood. Follow this path down to the riverside
Sign to Lower Grass Wood
Go through the gate on a path to the River Wharfe
The path leads down to the river. Walk beside the river. Depending on whether it has rained or not the river path is an enjoyable walk
Follow the River path
View of the River Wharfe
When you come to a fork in the path keep to the right to join the river again
Take the lower path to the right
Follow the path through stiles and there are plentiful picnic pitstops along the way
Head through the stile
Picnic pitstops!
Keep following the river as it bends which is called Ghaistrills Strid. When you come to a signpost follow it upwards over a stile
Tree beside the river
Follow the direction of the signpost
Keep to the riverside over the field which soon ends up at a ladder stile
Fell tree along the river path
View of the river bed
Ladder stile
Follow the path towards some steps in the wall
Go over the steps in the wall
Follow the river path until you come to a footbridge
Go over the footbridge
Follow the next field to the bridge into Grassington. Head to the left of the bridge
Head towards the bridge
Follow the path to the left of the bridge
Turn left on the road and then right again and back to the carpark
Grassington
Grassington is a market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. The population at the 2011 Census was 1,126.Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is situated in Wharfedale, about 8 miles (10 km) north-west from Bolton Abbey, and is surrounded by limestone scenery. Nearby villages include Linton, Threshfield, Hebden, Conistone and Kilnsey.
The Domesday Book lists Grassington as part of the estate of Gamal Barn including 7 carucates of ploughland (840 acres/350ha) including Grassington, Linton and Threshfield.The Norman conquest of England made it part of the lands of Gilbert Tison. But by 1118 Tison had suffered a demotion and his lands returned to the king then given to Lord Percy.Originally the settlement was spelt as Gherinstone and also was documented as Garsington or Gersington. The name Grassington derives variously from the Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon and Gothic languages and means either the town of the grassy ings or a farmstead surrounded by grass.
Grassington was historically a township in the parish of Linton in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It became a separate civil parish in 1866,and was transferred to North Yorkshire in 1974.
Although often described by local people as a village, Grassington was granted a Royal Charter for a market and fair in 1282 giving it market town status.The market was held regularly until about 1860. A change in land use from the early 17th century, when lead mining began to assume more importance, brought some prosperity, but Grassington's heyday arrived during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The opening of the Yorkshire Dales Railway to Threshfield in 1902 brought new visitors, many of whom settled, some finding work in Skipton or in the developing limestone quarries. The Old Hall at Grassington is reputedly the oldest house in Yorkshire, dating from the late 13th or early 14th century.
Grassington & Threshfield Golf Club (now defunct) was founded in 1908. The club continued until the Second World War.
Grassington is the main residential and tourist centre in Upper Wharfedale Centred on its small cobbled square are shops, public houses, the village museum, small cafes, restaurants and hotels. Grassington Folk Museum houses a collection which tells the story of Wharfedale. It is an independent museum run and managed by volunteers. Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, based in Grassington, is a voluntary mountain rescue organisation which rescues people in trouble on the surrounding fells and in caves.
Grassington Festival is a two-week-long annual event started in 1980, with music, performance and visual arts, held in a number of venues around the village.
Every September since 2011, Grassington has held a 1940s themed weekend. Events include war re-enactments, dances and a variety of military and civilian vehicles on display from the period.
In the winter Grassington holds the Dickensian Festival, with period costumes, Christmas activities and commercial selling.
A Yorkshire Dales National Park information centre is on Hebden Road.
Three miles north of Grassington, at Kilnsey, is the glacially carved overhang of Kilnsey Crag.
Grass Wood, an area of ancient woodland including the Iron-Age fort, Fort Gregory (also known as Gregory's Fort), is situated just over 3 miles (5 km) north-west of Grassington.
No comments:
Post a Comment