WALKING BOLTON ABBEY

DIRECTIONS Appletreewick

Leave the campsite via its main 1entrance and turn right, following the signs for ‘Strid Wood and lavatories’. Walk Stepping Howgill past the toilets and continue ahead Drebley Stones through the trees. At a path junction, turn left in the Hole 2direction of Barden Bridge and then, House having reached the river, turn left again (signposted ‘Barden Bridge’). At the impressive bridge, veer left up some wooden steps (signposted ‘Dales Way’ – Barden Fell white arrow) and cross the bridge. Then Lower Fell continue straight ahead and leave the Plantation towpath (signposted ‘Permissive FootpathARDEN B6160 – Cony Warren access point’). Go over the P wall at the top using the stone steps and keep to the right up the next field. Climb Holme House over the wall in front of you and turn left Barden Tower (remains) Laund Pasture along the lane. Plantation

At the road junction, keep right and 3continue straight ahead along the road. Just past Houghmill Farm, turn left P Yorkshire Dales START (signposted ‘Dales Way Footpath – Barden National Park Bridge 1 mile’). Go past the farm buildings and the green static caravan and continue along the track as it bends to the left, following a stone wall. Ignore the signpost INFORMATION TOURISM ‘Drebley via Stepping Stones’. Skipton TIC, 35 Coach Street, You are now following the river on Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1LQ. 4your right. Go through two kissing Tel 01756 792809 gates, over a rickety old stile, through another kissing gate and then through a wooden gate. Keep right, adjacent to the riverside, which is now on your left. Walk road, to continue along the footpath, still under the bridge and continue. Go past keeping the wall to your left and the river the Bolton Abbey sign and back over the to your right. small bridge, keeping the main river to your left. Go through the car park and over the When you get to the path junction, 5bridge (if you’re lucky there will be an 6turn right (signposted ‘Strid Shop and ice cream van here). At the other side of Car Park’). At the T-junction, turn right the bridge, turn immediately left through afollowing a yellow arrow. Walk past the STRID-INGSTRID-ING OUTOUT wooden gate and continue along the toilets and retrace your steps to the site. JO VAUGHAN TALKS YOU THROUGH A GENTLE RIVERSIDE WALK IN THE BEAUTIFUL BOLTON INFORMATION ATTRACTIONS Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6EX. ABBEY REGION OF NORTH YORKSHIRE Tel 01756 718009. Cost: £6 per vehicle to visit the ❖ estate. Open 9am to 6pm HERE’S MOREthan the rules about keeping to the right side of the Lower Heugh Cottage Garden, 14 Kirk Lane, Eastby, obvious reason to enjoy a stay at road and wearing bright clothing that can INFORMATION GENERAL Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6SH. A private, non- The Caravan Club’s Strid Wood easily be seen by drivers. commercial, one-acre Japanese Kaiyushiki garden that T CLUB SITE: Strid Wood Caravan Club won a Yorkshire in Bloom Gold Award in both 2007 and Ordnance Survey site. Apart from the fact that Bolton I had my little dog, Dino, with me but if Landranger Map 104 Abbey is just down the road, the site is you haven’t got a canine you could try an Site, Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North 2008. Tel 01756 793702. Adults £4. Open by also situated on the river Wharfe – a alternative route, continuing straight aheadYorkshire BD23 6AN. Tel 01756 710433. appointment only so a one-hour tour can be arranged, scenic waterway that has footpaths onto the moors instead of turning left ontoOpen 27 March to 4 January as well as tea and cake running for miles along its length. the lane at the end of instruction 2. Use theDISTANCE: 4.1 miles/6.6km Hesketh Farm Park, Hesketh House, Bolton Abbey, I don’t usually walk along lanes (I find it Bolton Abbey walking map, as supplied byTERRAIN: Half lane, half good footpaths Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6HA. This modern can often be tedious territory), but this the campsite for £1.50, to find your way toNUMBER OF STILES: 3 working farm enables visitors to interact with the ramble does follow a strip of tarmac for Howgill. Keep between woodland and ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT: Ordnance animals and has indoor and outdoor play areas for all The Club currently quite some distance as the views over the Earl Seat before turning left into Howgill Survey Explorer Map OL2, long trousers ages.Tel 01756 710444 or see heskethfarmpark.co.uk. offers a 30% discount valley make it worthwhile. Traffic is very and then rejoin our route by the river, LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy Adults and children £4.50, under-2s £2. Family tickets on Ordnance Survey REFRESHMENTS: Possibly at light and shouldn’t be travelling fast on turning so the water is on your right and available. Full disabled access. Open 4 April to 6 Landranger and Barden Bridge September from Tuesday to Sunday, and selected Explorer Maps – see these narrow lanes, but stick to the usual you’re heading roughly south. caravanclub.co.uk/ TOILETS: Car park beside campsite dates at other times books for details

46 THE CARAVAN CLUB MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2009THE CARAVAN CLUB MAGAZINE47