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Start: |
Pavilion cafe in the Bolton Abbey Estate |
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Start (OS ref): |
SE078552 |
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Map (1:25,000): |
OL2 Yorks Dales South & West |
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Parking: |
Parking available in the estate grounds (fees of up to £6 in 2008). Go round the back roads to Storiths or start from Barden Tower to avoid fees. |
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Distance: |
13.2 miles (21.3 km) |
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Time: |
5 - 6 hours |
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Difficulty: |
Hard |
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Climbing: |
764 metres |
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Hazards: |
None |
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Refreshments: |
Pavilion cafe near the start (expensive). Tea Rooms near Parceval Hall entrance (recommended but closed in winter) |
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Route Map: |
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Summary: This is a splendid walk with lots of interest to spark the imagination of most walkers. It has an initial climb of over 350m from your starting out point at Bolton Abbey to the highest point of 485m at Simon's Seat. The climb is well worth it as you walk through the scenic valley of desolation on to Barden Fell. At the highest point you reach Simon's Seat. It is a place that offers splendid views of the surrounding area on a clear day. After taking lunch here you can then look forward to descending to Parceval Hall and magnificent Troller's Gill. This is followed by a pleasant walk over to Appletreewick before continuing along the banks of the River Wharfe. Then you finish off with continuing to follow the Wharfe as it becomes agitated in the rapids and waterfalls that are to be found in the famous Strid Wood. This is a brilliant adventure and on the general course of the walk there are lots of subtle changes and features to make the walk truly memorable. |
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| The Story of the Walk: Starting out from the Bolton Abbey Pavilion Cafe cross the foot bridge adjacent to the tea shop and turn left to follow the River Wharfe upstream across a field. At the end of the field turn to the right. Cross over a stile and follow the tarmac road until you reach Waterfall Cottage. Here turn right and go through the gate and over the fields following a well marked path that leads you to the Valley of Desolation. The Valley of Desolation is a lovely walking area which you will enjoy by following the upstream route of a little beck in beautiful scenery. Make sure you visit the Posforth Gill waterfall as you walk through. You will be buzzing with the splendour of it already and yet there is lots more to come. A second waterfall in a quiet secluded spot near Dicken Nook must be visited too. Rest in this beautiful spot for a while as work is soon to be done.
All too abruptly, because of the becalming walk along the valley you leave the waters edge and climb into the darkness of the coniferous Laund Pasture Plantation. Drive on through this short spell of ennui and lo and behold you quickly hit the openness of the moor that leads to Simon's Seat. This section along a well walked bridleway can give you a little of a puff but the sights at the seat make it all worthwhile. Just hope its a clear day! The walk from Laund Pasture Plantation to Simon's Seat is 1.75 miles long and it's a tough haul up the moor to your objective. But as I said, it's a worthy effort for you will surely spend some time at Simon's Seat. So take your lunch here, you will not find a more scenic vantage point in the immediate area. After a break at the top to refresh yourself and take in the views head down the track that cuts through the gorse to Dalehead Farm and then across fields to Skyreholme.
After the village press on to Parceval Hall. Here you can visit the gardens for a small fee or go for tea at the pleasant little cottage cafe near the entrance. I recommend it because the ambience is good, the food is superb (and much cheaper than the overpriced Pavilion cafe in Bolton Abbey) and you can prepare for the superb walk from the cafe to the enchanting Troller's Gill, a gorge cut out from nowhere. The walk from the tea shop to the entrance to the Gill is splendid and whets the appetite for what is to come. Troller's Gill is fantastic and utterly beautiful. Watch out as you walk up the dry bed of the Gill as you will hit water just after looking right at the enchanting cave. The Gill is about 400 metres long and all too soon you will have to leave it behind and climb out up to Hell Hole. After climbing out of the gill cross a field that is well way marked to a road. When you reach the tarmac road turn left and then almost immediately right off the tarmac to head over moorland to Appletreewick. The walk over the moor is again breathtaking and is ended by a steep descent down a stone bridleway into the village.
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