We had had to cancel this walk in January as the canal paths were icy and unsafe for the Group. Today the concern was mud! Nine of us found the path along the Leeds Liverpool canal not too bad but care was needed. 

Those arriving from Grassington had probably used the road that was improved by the Duke of Devonshire once the canal was built to transport his lead to market from Grassington. 

Gargrave is the most northerly point of the Leeds Liverpool canal and just beyond our destination of East Marton is its highest point. We also became aware that the canal makes the Aire Gap through the Pennines unique in that it has four means of transport, road, rail, river, and canal. All are very close together just beyond Gargrave. 

We actually pass 10 locks on our outward journey raising the canal around 201 feet, 61 metres. However between Newton Bridge and Green Bank there are no locks, instead the canal follows the contour making several loops and one notices the Mast “moving around”! The canal is wide enough to take the double width Wide Beam boats as well as Narrowboats and here features one or two larger pools to enable the canal boats to turn round. The towpath on which we walk was initially for the horses to travel while hauling the boats and their cargo. 

The Double Bridge carrying the A59 East Marton

The group approaching East Marton

Lock and turning pool beyond near Newton Locks Foot

The bridges over the canal reveal evidence of the vertical rollers that prevented the horse rope from snagging and fraying, one such is still in place near East Marton. Another feature are the mile posts, usually telling the distance travelled but occasionally reversing the information, perhaps representing a newer replacement?

Mile Post nearer Gargrave showing distance from

Mile post near East Marton showing distance to

More disappointing was evidence of modern road traffic causing damage to some of the road bridges, and at Bank Newton closing the path due the risk of falling masonry

The wildlife seen included, Mute Swans, Little Egret, Canada Geese, Moorhens and Mallards, Snowdrops and Celandines along with Hazel catkins and their very small red female flowers.

A pair of Goosanders on Leeds Liverpool Canal

Canada Geese

Mute Swans

Snowdrops on the canal bank

We finally lunched on bridge no 160 just beyond East Marton near the Church, having noted the Double Arched Bridge carrying the much used A59.

Bridge 160

Narrow Boat turning

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Despite it being Easter weekend, with many of our members away, a dozen walkers gathered at Grimwith Reservoir with our leaders Dave and Heide Wolstenhulme. In this extended spell of glorious weather, and noting how low the water level was, we followed the south-east edge of the reservoir to pass the thatched barn, and took the path up Rough Hill which led over desperately dry moorland to Nussey Knot, the typical extensive views displayed for us. Stump Cross Caverns were nearby, and Dave was able to show us a plan of the cave system below our feet. We continued gradually uphill on Black Hill Road (track), past shake holes and old mining shafts until we connected with Skyreholme Bank lane. The wonderful displays of blue and yellow wayside flowers, blackthorn blossoms and the haze of new green in the trees were not wasted on our group…..and we made our way to charming Parceval Hall (with more information from Dave), where we were showered with falling cherry blossom.

Skyreholme Beck led us northwards, past the old broken dam, as we approached Trollers Gill, where we enjoyed our lunch on the warm turf. From here a couple of walkers chose to take the alternative path as the rest of us scrambled up the dry Trollers Gill, (but we not impeded by trolls or the spectral hound), all to meet at the cave of Hell Hole. There were many rock climbers and abseilers exercising their skills in this dramatic gorge which was carved by glacial meltwater, and it is thought that the upper part of the gorge may well be a collapsed cavern. From Hell Hole, we joined New Road briefly before taking the northbound path to cross the Pateley Bridge road onto the track which returned us to Grimwith.

A hot sunny walk, in good company, through our amazing landscape and past numerous interesting features. Leaders: Dave and Heide Wolstenhulme.

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July 2017.  Grimwith Reservoir along the beck upstream to Trollers Gill, (glacial erosion?), past springs and water-sinks. Used the track down Black Hill to near Stump Cross Caverns, on to Nussey Knot and returned to the Reservoir, noting giant thistles and impressive orchids.
Keith Berrington.

Near Foulridge.
Photo: Upper Wharfedale Field Society.

August 2017.  Beating the Bounds of Foulridge, from Café Cargo Wharf to Lower Clough, Throstle Nest, by comical and challenging stiles, beck-crossings, and deep ghylls, on to County Brook Mill, the Canal One-Mile Tunnel by Foulridge Reservoir, back to the Wharf.
Lynda Sands and Kay Greenhalgh.

September 2017.  Scar House Reservoir road, Nidderdale, to Limley Farm, by the dry limestone riverbed to Thrope Farm (once Monastic granges), steep hill onto High Edge. West past shooting houses, ancient stone and mine shafts, historic interest on descent to river and cars.
Josephine Drake.

October 2017.  Long Preston’s historic church to the Beck, upstream to its confluence with Brook Gill Beck, (glacial outwash channels?), on to Langber Lane, crossed Craven Fault at Scaleber Force, onto Lamberts Lane, back to Long Preston along Edge and Green Lanes.
Jim Hutchinson

November 2017. Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale, through Bewerley Fishpond Wood, north onto Strawberry Hill, past Eagle Hall and Ladies Riggs. Down to Mosscarr Bottom, across Foster Beck to Heathfield, Wath, Gouthwaite Reservoir, Spring Wood Top and Scot Gate Ash quarries.
Phyllida Oates.

December 2017.  Pre-Christmas walk from Grassington, onto icy Moor and Bare House. northwards, sunlit fells ahead, to ancient Bycliffe and Scot Gate, descended to Conistone, the old road back to Grassington, cutting through Lower Grass Wood and Cove Lane.
Kay Greenhalgh.

January 2018.  New Year short walk, followed by Fountaine Inn lunch with other members. From Linton by the river to Hebden’s suspension bridge, across the bridge and uphill, snowy landscape, to approach historic hamlet of
Thorpe, and return to Linton.
Wendy and Keith Berrington.

Near Scaleber on Mid Craven Fault.
October, 2017.

February 2018.  Stirton’s Bog Lane, across to Thorlby Springs Wood, on northwards to Septeria Gill, into ancient Flasby, across fields to join the Hetton road and on to the Canal at Holme Bridge and the towpath south to Thorlby Bridge, back through Thorlby and Stirton.
Phyllida Oates.

March 2018.  Unfortunately the walk from Salterforth to Weets Hill in Lancashire was cancelled as the wintry blast from the east returned with snow and bitter winds.
Frances Bland will lead this walk in June.

April 2018.  From Hard Gate, above Skirethorns, Threshfield, to Wood Nook, Heights, swung north above Bordley to Mastiles Lane, eastwards to Howgill, then bridleway south back to Hard Gate. Summery sun, glorious limestone moorland, spring flowers and birds, and a hare.
Josephine Drake.

May 2018. Downham, Lancs, past Warren Hill, up Worsaw Hill to appreciate huge landscape. Summer heat, limestone lushness, blossoming hawthorn and abundant wayside flora to Hook Cliffe, Lane Head and Twiston Beck through bluebells, wild garlic, past mills, and scampering hares.
Jim Hutchinson.

We are grateful to leaders of our shorter Monday afternoon walks through the summer.

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With waterproofs already on, we left the canalside at Salterforth and climbed across fields to Letcliffe Park and joined the ancient cobbled route leading to the outskirts of Barnoldswick.  The millworkers’ way led us past weavers’ cottages and the deep caul carrying water into the cleverly diverted stream which once fed the waterwheel at Ouzledale Mill, now in ruins. This route continued towards the famous Bancroft Mill and up the Forty Steps, giving us a good view of the huge Mill complex.  The steep Folly Lane led onto an incline of fields to eventually reach the triangulation point on Weets Hill, 1302 ft. We should have had a 360 degree view from here of at least Smearsett Scar, Ingleborough, Penyghent and Fountains Fell but heavy mist and rain prevented that. From the summit we progressed downhill to Gisburn Old Road, once the main road from Barrowford to Gisburn, and lunched here in some shelter and with at least a view of Pendle Hill.  From Weets House Farm, (the alpacas out of the weather somewhere), we could see the folly of Blacko Tower, then headed over the moor to the isolated Duck Pond Farm where is a display of huge plaster sculptures by a once-occupant art teacher. A brighter sky and downhill hereon we picked out some distant fells and landmarks as we tracked on to join Lister Well Road, onto a green pathway leading to High Lane, and through fields. An old quarry nearby used to provide the setts which were taken by canalboats to build the streets of Burnley.  We arrived at the canal and crossed a packhorse bridge where there was once a cornmill, close to a millpond which used to serve the 34ft. waterwheel at County Mill. The mill yard still retains an axle from the waterheel, and the mill was restored by the Mitchell family in 1907 to, currently, weave deckchair material and top-end upholstery fabric. We followed the lush canal banks back to Salterforth and called in at the Anchor Inn. This Inn has an interesting history dating from 1655 when it accommodated drovers and salters. When the canal was dug between 1770 and 1816 the original inn was below the waterline, so a new inn was built on top, and part of it can still be seen in the damp cellars where amazing straw stalactites grow to lengths of two metres  – a most interesting walk led by Frances.

Phyllida Oates. 

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On a glorious day, we set off from the pretty village of Downham in the Forest of Bowland, led by Jim who told us that the Manor had been held by the Assheton family of Downham Hall since 1558.  Although many properties are now privately owned, much of the farmland and buildings are still excellently estate-managed by the Asshetons. We walked southwards to pass Worsaw End (a farm prominent in the film ‘Whistle Down the Wind’) and passed Warren Hill with its pillow mounds, to climb up the meadow-rich Worsaw Hill.  Great views from the summit, and Jim pointed out various landmarks, also the recognised burial ground on the hill. Our descent was to Hookcliffe, past colourful wayside flora and blossoming hawthorn. A track led to Lane Head where we veered north and crossed fields onto high ground which overlooked Downham, and reached Twiston Beck which was a delightful place to stop for lunch and be entertained by a pair of herons, a tree-creeper and a hare.  We followed the pretty beck westwards to pass lush woodland, bluebells and wild garlic, to an old humped-back bridge and the restored complex of Twiston Mill, which was documented as being an Assheton water-powered cotton mill in 1782. A dazzling display of marigolds and a bullrushed millpond heralded Downham Mill which had been a working corn mill for centuries, water driven. On our way to Downham Green (a hill) we were impressed by a vast stock of pine timber on the trackside.  Apparently the Assheton family also run a woodchip business on the estate, which would explain the timber stockpiling. The final climb up Downham Green took us past a dramatic limestone outcrop and allowed a view of the well-managed farmland, more hares and a buzzard, before the approach of Downham village again. Refreshments at the handsome Assheton Arms pub concluded Jim’s excellent seven-mile walk.

Phyllidia Oates.

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