The Herriot's Way 2010
Day Four: 12th April
Weather: A cool start, but sunshine all the way
Route: Reeth to Aysgarth - 16.4 miles on GPS
The day dawned, I yawned and looked out of the window. Outside there was a misty hillside, but the sky promised another dry day and it didn't let us down. We said our goodbyes to the B&B and strolled down the road into Reeth and the village green. Today was the longest day so we stocked up with sandwiches, juice and snacks to see us through the 16 miles to the B&B in Aysgarth - all very nice miles as well. The initial route took us out of Reeth along the road before cutting across the floodplain on a well trodden green path. There were lots of people around for a Monday morning which was surprising, quite a few groups setting out, and a few DofE walkers loaded down with heavy packs. We flirted very briefly with the Swale before going up some steps and along the road into Grinton. The Bridge Inn here has a big sheep on the roof, but how it got there I've no idea. Past the local church we ventured uphill through green fields and stiles towards the YHA at Grinton Lodge. Many of the lambs were gambolling around the fields and some took such a keen interest in us that they climbed over a bit of tumbledown wall to get closer, followed by their mums - just like sheep.
Grinton Lodge YHA high on the hill
We paused to look back down on Reeth in the morning haze as
we passed by the YHA. We had a careful study of the guide
and then just followed eveyone else along the road - luckily
it was the right way. Soon enough the route turned onto
another stony track to the west., the first of many miles
along gravelled paths, with bright sunshine making it
thirsty work. There were a few groups up ahead and behind,
so we spaced out nicely to avoid treading on each others
toes too much, although we did leapfrog now and again. The
first mile or two along the track was a steady pull up to
Harker Hill and some more old mine workings. We passed
through a linear bank of stones that was probably an old
trackway, and suddenly we had far reaching views down
Swaledale and a good look across the valley to day 3 route.
It looked like they were continuing to burn heather across
the valley and a walker we passed mentioned he hadn't seen
many Grouse. As soon as the words were out of his mouth
several broke cover just ahead and settled on one of the
shooting butts - irony at it's best.
the views open up over Swaledale after Harker Hill
As we walked around Harker Hill Swaledale below us looked
splendid in the sunshine, and Reeth didn't look so big from
up here. Ahead of us lay more evidence of mining and another
impressive hush - they must have got a rush watching the
hush. We were joined on the track by a very concerned
Grouse, trying to sheppard us away from his chosen ground.
So I and the Grouse conversed a little while and he agreed
to pose for a photo or two. Eventually he trotted off into
the heather, and at the same time a group of dishevelled D
of E's came out of some heather the other side. I like
watching these young ones - various looks of joy and despair
in equal measure, with much wailing and cajoling taking
place. A little further on was a large shooters hut which
was 2 ended - one for the toffs and one for the beaters. I
know which end I'd sit in for the entertainment. We took
some refreshment and juice on board and sat in the glorious
sunshine for a while even though we could have gone into the
hut. We looked at the guide to see if there were any major
diversions to our route coming our way and noted where we
had to leave the track. We carried on along the dusty way
with Swaledale spread out down to our right and up ahead
another lime kiln built into the hillside. a too friendly Grouse
the long road down to Dent Houses
Shortly after the kiln we were meant to turn off to the left
at a stone cairn. My short distance is 100yds or so, but it
turned into about 1/4 mile before we saw the cairn. It's
unmistakeable so don't think you may have missed it. We
could have carried on along the tracks and around but we
followed the guide and walked up past several well
constructed butts up a quiet valley. This was where we
stopped for lunch, at the #2 butt (not that #2, that
wouldn't be nice) a great spot for lunch, sheltered and
peaceful. Refreshed we continued up the valley to intersect
the shooters track again to begin our walk down to the south
east in Apedale. This was another wide moorland valley with
a steady descent to Dent's Houses. I turned off my brain for
the next 3 miles as no navigation was required, and today
was turning out to be the bluest sky and the best weather of
the 4 days - pleasantly warm. It was very quiet down here
and we met up with 4 other walkers doing the Herriot's Way,
so we swapped notes and had a good natter all the way down
to Dent's Houses. They stopped to sit in the sun by the farm
sheds, while we popped into the shooters hut for MrsRP to
avail herself of the facilities.
Here the route turns south and climbs steadily up over Black
Hill, with Castle Bolton the next stop along the way. About
this time MrsRP feet were playing her up but she continued
to suffer in silence, while I walked on. You should really
speak up when something goes amiss in the footwear
department before it gets too late. It was a pleasant change
to be finally walking on a grassy surface once more, quite
springy as it was so dry. Spread out before us was the wide
pasture of Wensleydale once more, the River Ure down in the
valley, and the Heights of Hazely across the way - looking
hazy actually. To our left was a limestone scar of an old
quarry, and down below us Castle Bolton sneaked into view
once we were past Bullpark plantation - a grand name for a
small copse. It would be boggy down here when it has rained
but there are plenty of reeds for hopping about on to avoid
the worst, and you'll probably hear plenty of Curlews cries
as they take flight or it could be fright. We crossed over a
stone slab and into a narrow walled lane, with the bees
humming away merrily, a perfect day for walking. As we
reached Castle Bolton MrsRP was suffering and really she
should have stopped here to wait for me to come back with
the car from Aysgarth - but she soldiered on with a very
sore looking heel - I shoud have stopped her - but you
can only try. There were some tearooms and toilets here but
time was ticking by and we wanted to get back to Aysgarth at
a reasonable time for the drive home to Manchester.
this shows how wide Wensleydale really is
There was a short section of road walking before
disappearing into someone's back garden along a sunken path
- nice that the owners have provided a good route through.
Another tight green lane led us out to another road before
walking back into the fields again. There are good views
back to Castle Bolton sitting proudly in the landscape, and
positively glowing in the afternoon sunshine. We didn't see
much wildlife again today, and I think the harsh winter we
have had has decimated the bunny population - not much food
around for a couple of cold months. There's not many berries
out either yet, so only a few songbirds flitting around,
although there are quite a few swallows and martins swooping
around - a good sign for the summer? Through more fields and
stiles we steadily marched on, and passed by the muddiest
stretch of the walk according to the guide - thankfully it
was fairly dry. That was along Thoresby Lane, another old
route between wall and hedgerow, and it was nice to have
some dappled sunlight. Out into more fields we sat down near
a farm to inspect the damage to MrsRP's heel - ouch red and
raw, and the only option now was to hobble along to the
visitor centre at the falls and wait for me there.
Of all the falls encountered during the walk the Aysgarth
falls are by far the biggest and they have a good flow of
water. You can hear the falls before you see them, but
unfortunately for me the prime time to photograph the falls
is first thing in the morning to get the sunlight behind the
lens - in the late afternoon it's in your face. But I walked
and climbed down to view the lower falls along the ledges of
the river. There are some great fluvial features to see and
the roar of the falls is ever present. The lower falls
offered the opportunity to get up close, but you have to be
very careful with the footing, and it would be very slippery
after rainfall. After snapping off a few shots, we rambled
up to the middle falls where the River Ure tumbles over huge
square slabs of limestone - it looks like the edge of a saw.
In the background the church at Aysgarth stands higher on
the hillside amongst the still leafless trees. We were
nearly done now and I left MrsRP at the visitors centre,
walked down to Yore Bridge past the old mill and steeply up
the road before reaching a stile that would take me back
across the fields to the B&B. A few squeeze stiles later and
plenty of leaping lambs and I was back at the war memorial
where we had started a few days earlier. Appropriately
inscribed on one side of the stone work is the word 'Live' -
never a truer word. A very enjoyable short long walk helped
by good weather on each day - spring in the UK is brilliant.
I usually have a flora and fauna page, but there wasn't a
whole lot around except for the lambs!
One last word of thanks to S.W.Greig author of the guidebook
which proved to be very reliable over the 4 days - the maps
weren't bad either 
