Wednesday 16th August 2017
I left home and drove 9 miles to Pateley Bridge to do the first stage of The Nidderdale Way. It was a dry, warm day with sunny spells. The outward journey to Lofthouse was a delight. Easy, level walking along the banks of the River Nidd then along the side of Gouthwaite Reservoir and through fields to Lofthouse.
As I sat in The Crown Hotel enjoying a pint of Black Sheep Bitter I recalled a blog I had recently read by somebody who had done this stage of the walk and had claimed that it was a gruelling walk. Must be a "southern softie" I thought, "this is easy.
How wrong was I ! The return journey was more like an endurance course. The first part was fine as I passed over fields to the village of Ramsgill. Then followed about 2 miles of road walking and a very long steep climb up a track. This was followed by a descent to the caravan sites at Heathfield then another steep climb up on to the moors. After crossing the moors the path descended to the finish at Pateley Bridge.
In the Yorkshire Dales lies the Nidderdale Way, a 53-mile circular walk that encompasses a landscape unchanged in millennia, and outstanding in its natural beauty.
Gouthwaite Reservoir's sole purpose is a compensation reservoir for the River Nidd, i.e. it maintains the downstream flow of the river during periods of lower rainfall. It is also the reservoir featured on the opening credits of Emmerdale.
Gouthwaite Reservoir
I was a bit wary of passing this beast. Fortunately, it wasn't the least bit interested in us.
Pippa, enjoying the walk.
The Crown Hotel, Lofthouse.
Looking back down Nidderdale.
Ramsgill
Old mine workings on the moors.
A very welcome pint of Theakston's Best Bitter at the end of the walk.
