Onwards to test more socks and to put aside the often repeated idea that 'March means Serious Business', only fancying modest distances whilst the boots still need breaking in, and my physical eagerness is somewhat lacking. No trouble with the mental enthusiasm, though, getting my route planned and me onto the train that drops me off at New Pudsey station at just after 10am, where I get spotted by my colleague AS, and her husband PD and I suppose it had to happen eventually, what with me traveling county wide for the last 4+ years! First steps are made away to the edge of the Ring Road, a rather in auspicious start for a day that will turn out to be remarkably rural and leafy, going as far as the footbridge that crosses over to Priesthorpe School, and then the Priesthorpe Lane bridleway can lead us off into that rural space that has endured between Leeds and Bradford without development encroaching upon it, where even the old roads are largely un-adopted. The Woodhall Hills golf course has been a useful buffer to keep this land as Green Belt, but it's still a surprise to find working farms out here, as well as uninterrupted views down into Airedale, especially once Shell Lane is met to slip over the rise towards Calverley. It's all to easy to think od Calverley as a street in Leeds, rather than a place in its own right, but it's pretty substantial, still separated from Leeds and Bradford, and looking like the sort of place where a Victorian merchant might once his fortune was made, at least judging by the quarter of the town which we first meet. It's grown a lot since then but remains immensely characterful, and impressions remain good as we move from Woodhall Lane and onto the A657 Carr Road to pass St Wilfred's church and note that even the local Day Nursery has an impressive period building. All the way we go to the top left corner of the town, not tempted by the bridleways through Calverley's wood, because I want to walk down Calverley Cutting, found at the end of a long tree-lined avenue and cut straight through the rock out crop high above the Aire, I'd always assumed that it was an industrial tramway or incline, judging by its steepness and heavy engineering, but in reality it's a product of Victorian residential speculation proving that not all entrepreneurs of that period were blessed with the vision thing.
So that's a place to add to the list of 'Favourite Places that No one Else Seems to Know About', and once at the bottom we find ourselves at a familiar spot, as the Leeds Country Way and the Leeds & Liverpool canal are both met at the edge of Apperley Bridge, but this time around, I'll make for the crossing on the 18th century bridge over the Aire. Note the George & Dragon and the Stansfield Arms in short succession as I move along the side of the A658 Harrogate Road, and also see the new railway station and the Moody Cow in the original station hotel, and find myself hatching a plan to get a social pub crawl coming this way in the not too distant future. away from the road and back to nature as we meet the bridleway that runs into the narrow strip of woods that runs between the railway line to Ilkley and the extensive site of Esholt waterworks, which must do the reprocessing work for Bradford and everywhere else up Airedale judging by its size, so whilst we're not far beyond civilisation, it's certainly a tranquil spot, the rough track proving easy going as you wander alone with your thoughts. Meet Gill Lane, an equally out of the way track, and the problem with this area starts to emerge in one's mind, as there are many trails in these woods and around the sewage works, but no rights of way are advertised on most of them, so you have to rely on fences and signage get an impression of where you are supposed to be, or let the presence of other people around to be your guide? Stay above the odd lane of concrete hurdles for as far as I can go, before I find the path that leads into Spring Wood, where it rises above Guiseley beck in away that seems much more purposeful, though you can't be entirely sure if you are on the distant grounds of Esholt Hall or not, but a firm surface clearly directs you the way you want to be going, up close to Belmont wood tunnel on the line coming up from Leeds and then under the skew bridge under the railway that came up via Baildon. Dotted green lines on the map show the PROW exists on the broken track up to Coach Road at the bottom edge of Guiseley, then following the path that has remained despite the building of Silverdale drive, and that takes us to the A65 and the retail park that sits adjacent to the island, and I'll have a 40 minute break from the trail here, as I've got another Mountain Warehouse voucher weighing heavy in my wallet.
That spent, it's back to the path, armed with a fresh supply of socks, and new sleeping bag, as that's a sensible thing to buy, and carry, when you've still got another three miles to walk, but set off anyway, up The Green, between the Aireborough Leisure Centre and the theatre which used to be the town hall, and passing the parish church of St Oswald, and meeting the memorial garden at Town Gate, gives me the impression that this was once the village centre before the road and railway shifted its centre of gravity southwards(a look at an old OS map proves my impression is correct!). Follow the lane up and out of the town, ending at the Mount Pleasant terrace, and once sightlines south are gained you can look back over Airedale to enjoy the view over to Hawksworth cliff, Baildon Moor and Idle hill in one direction, and to a completely fresh view over Billings Hill and Hunger Hills in the other direction. Lose the footway and it's sketchy road walking as we hit the hillside walk into Wharfedale, slightly missing the point of traversing the Aire-Wharfe gap, soon passing the path I took to Otley the last time I came this way, but there's no need to go over the Chevin this time, instead sticking to the road to the Rombalds Moor profile evolve and to see the familiar wrinkles of Wharfedale emerge. A nicer day would have made this high walk better, but once we've met the Dales Way link path, the down hill track from Moor Top Lane is made, angling out to meet West Chevin Road to follow the track below the looming side of the Chevin's hillside and getting views down to Otley and the river as we go. Chevin Hall looks like it has the best views from up here, though the most desirable residences up here would have the obvious problem of a punishing ascent (or descent) to access them, and my feet feel like they've had enough as I spot the remains of the Otley Branch line below, still unexplored oddly, and sadly unlikely to be revived as it was obliterated by the A660 bypass. Level going beyond that, though, pacing past Waitrose and All Saints church, which seem determined to hide behind trees from nearly all viewable angles, and then we hit the town centre, which is positively thronging along Bondgate. Don't run into either of my former colleagues who live in Otley, as that would have made the day odd beyond words, but roll on to the bus stand, for a short wait for the X84, all done at 2.10pm, and this is the place to lament that despite its proximity in mileage to Leeds, in terms of minutes travelled, Otley is so damned far away.
5,000 Miles Cumulative Total: 2059.7 miles
2016 Total: 45.3 miles
Up Country Total: 1886 miles
Solo Total: 1829.6 miles
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| Priesthorpe Lane. In the Leeds - Bradford hinterland there are ancient roads that the modern world still hasn't claimed, and Hurrah for that fact, I say. |
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| St Wilfrid's Calverley. The Victorian gentleman had certainly arrived if he found himself living here, that's for sure. |
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| Calverley Cutting, it really is a lane hewn through rock and leading to a steep incline that was thought ideal for access to a 19th century housing development. |
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| Apperley Bridge, the old one. Welcome to Upper Airedale, with the thought to ponder, Where is Apperley itself? |
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| Esholt Waterworks, the major landholder in this quarter, and it's a tough nut to crack, just how accessible are all these wooded lanes meant to be? |
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| Spring Wood and Guiseley Beck, an appealing looking track from the Ilkley train, even more appealing on the ground! |
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| St Oswald's Guiseley, and my ancient village sense spots the old orientation of the settlement before I checked out the map, all those years of watching Time Team counted for something! |
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| Moor Top road, above the Aire - Wharfe gap, and this view deserved a better day to see it. I feel like I've made a thousand trips into Wharfedale, and I'm still to tire of looking at it. |
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| West Chevin Road, one of the most alarmingly slanted road walks I have ever done, and I doubt there's a path into Otley from the south that isn't completely unforgiving. |
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| All Saint's Otley, hidden by trees, even in Winter conditions, and clad in Evergreens on the eastern side, it's enough to make you wonder if this town is embarrassed by its church? |
Next on the Slate: Down Country for a week of being useful at My Parents' house,
and I think I feel another village circuit coming on...
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