A quiet afternoon, after our walk yesterday with Uncle Eric to tick off the remote Outlying summits.
Allen and Tetley were reading, when Shaun with Little Eric on his back and Grizzly arrived with tea and biscuits.
"Ooh great", cheered Allen. "Just the ticket."
Tetley had got the mugs, saying, "I'll give you a paw to fill them."
Thanks pal", replied Shaun.
Meanwhile the rest of us were rummaging in the biscuit tin. "There are Wagon Wheels, Shaun. Your favourites", called out Little Eric.
"And Chunky KitKats. Super", went on Allen.
So all content Shaun then said, "I bring news of our next walk. As you know it is very hard to find new places for walks in Yorkshire, but Dad has found two modest summits near to Skipton, which will be are start point. The first is Vicar's Allotment. East of there is Draughton Moor that is an area of access land rising to a summit that is named High Edge."
"Well done Dad, for finding them. It will be a new area to explore and add to our knowledge of my home county", cheered Tetley.
"We will be with Uncle Bob too", said Allen. "Always great to have his company."
"Has a date been decided?, asked Grizzly.
"Yes, this coming Sunday", replied Shaun. "The third walk in a week."
"How fortunate we are to have the very best Dad in all the world", cheered Little Eric. "Here's to Sunday."
Up early we got the picnic packed, then once Dad had his gear loaded, dashed out and settled in the car.
The journey was very familiar. Along the Lune valley, which we have driven countless times to get to the start of our adventures in Yorkshire. Then at Clapham we turned right onto the A65, and through Long Preston, Gargrave etc., and finally down into Skipton.
There is free parking on the setts along the main street on most days and this is where we met Uncle Bob.
"Hi", Tetley called out. "Good to see you, and looking forward to a cracking day with you."
"Nice to see you lads too", he replied.
While they got ready, we settled ourselves in Dad 's rucksack.
Shaun was studying the map. "We walk along the street away from the church to the roundabout and turn left, then take the right fork through a residential area."
At its end the road became a bridleway. This climbed, skirting right round a wooded area to come to a junction.
"We go right over the stile onto a path that climbs Jenny Gill", advised Shaun.
"That's a lovely view across Skipton and over to Sharp Haw the pointed top and Rough Haw to the right", said Allen.
"We climbed those with you Uncle Bob, on 18th May 2008", commented Tetley. "Another grand day."
"It was lad."
"Those horses will make a nice picture", suggested Little Eric.
After a stile, Shaun instructed, "take the clear path going left."
This climbed quite gently, leading directly to the trig point on summit of Vicar's Allotment.
"Come on pals", called out Grizzly, "time to sit on top of the trig point for our picture."
"Those fine tall cairns", are worth a picture", commented Little Eric
Dad snapped the shot with Uncle Bob beside them...
...as he took a picture of Dad taking this shot...
What are they like!
Having jumped back into the rucksack Shaun said, "we continue east."
The gentle descent brought us to a gate where beyond going left the descent steepened a bit towards the bridleway, our intention being to join it.
"Oh dear", said Grizzly, "the walls enclosing it are high."
"Not to worry", replied Shaun, "if we walk parallel with it we will come to a footpath that joins it."
In actual fact a partly broken wall with wire fence allowed us to climb over and get on to the bridleway, sooner.
We walked on and on passing through numerous gates.
Dad opened most of them prompting Uncle Bob to name him the 'Senior Master Gate Opener'. This we think is that although they are the same age, Dad is older by 10 days.
Eventually we came to a road. "Just look at that wonderful old milestone", called out Allen.
Trying to make sense of it, Grizzly said, "the front face reads Skipton 3 miles left, and Addingham 2 miles right." Looking at the map, "these are directions along the bridleway. Those directions on the side are along the road. The top part indicates that left it is 1 mile to Draughton. While at the bottom pointing right reads Silsden 3 miles."
"Well done pal", said Allen. "It resting against the wall, but if properly in place it would have to be turned 90 degrees right."
Shaun advised, "we go on along the bridleway"
Looking left, Tetley said, "that's a fine view of Chelker Reservoir." Then peering at the map, "the hill behind must be Beamsley Beacon. We climbed that on 20th April 2008."
Once clear of walls, Shaun said, "now climb right over Draughton Moor to High Edge."
This was over very rough terrain, something Dad and Uncle Bob are well used to. The summit was a flat area and no cairn marked it, so using the GPS Dad established the likely spot, where we sat for our picture, amongst the heather.
Uncle Bob once again captured the action.
"Pointing at the map Shaun said, "we want to get onto this bridleway."
"I suggest we take that path heading north-east", said Uncle Bob.
The easy descent led to a gate beyond which we entered a wide grassy field, cutting across this to a gate onto the bridleway.
Tetley warned, "keep as high up as possible in the field as the area below is named 'The Bogs' on the map!"
The bridleway led to the same road we had crossed earlier by the old milestone, but further south.
"Turn left, then take the footpath right", instructed Shaun.
This led through a succession of buildings, once farms now converted to homes. Haygill Farm, Middlebrough House and High Edge.
"Where's the path now?", said Little Eric, looking about.
Dad and Uncle Bob cast about, then Uncle Bob said, "here it is tucked away over this low wall and then down to that tiny bridge over the stream."
Around here we encountered these inquisitive cows.
The terrain was rather rough for a while as we crossed High Bradley Moor the final part being by the wall to a corner and stile.
"We want the path going right", advised Shaun.
From a clear waymarked route led over Millstone Hill then dropping to cross the stream called Black Sike. Climbing again the path ran by a wall on the left and into the lower part of Vicar's Allotment. Then running parallel with the wall left, reached the stile we had crossed on the outwards route at Jenny Gill.
"Another super view of Skipton with Great Wood Reservoir", commented Grizzly.
"Just a matter of retracing our outwards route now", said Shaun.
"A nice walk", said Allen. "Thank you for devising it Dad."
"You're welcome lad. I have enjoyed exploring yet another area of Yorkshire."
We settled in the car to have another picnic, while Dad and Uncle Bob went to the bakery just by the cars. Here tea and cake refreshed them. Uncle Bob's treat too.
"Thanks Bob", said Dad. "another good day walking together."
"You're welcome, Gerry. A cracking day."
