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www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
2016<br />
<strong>Visit</strong><br />
<strong>NIDDERDALE</strong><br />
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty<br />
Follow us on<br />
Upper Nidderdale Lower Nidderdale Mashamshire Washburn Valley Ilkley & Otley West of Ripon<br />
© EM<br />
A protected landscape at the<br />
heart of the Yorkshire Dales!<br />
View towards Gouthwaite Reservoir<br />
PLACES TO VISIT THINGS TO DO EVENTS, SHOWS AND FESTIVALS LOCAL FOOD<br />
TOUR DE YORKSHIRE CYCLING HORSE RIDING WALKING HERITAGE WILDLIFE
44<br />
Welcome to Nidderdale AONB<br />
38<br />
46Dry stone walling © PHP<br />
Heather Moorland<br />
12<br />
Pateley Bridge<br />
34<br />
Kayaking on Scar House Reservoir © PHP<br />
36<br />
25<br />
Mountain Biking<br />
17<br />
Local produce © PHP<br />
34<br />
Studfold Trail © PHP<br />
8<br />
21<br />
Local artist at work © PHP<br />
Contents<br />
18<br />
Fewston Reservoir © PHP<br />
3 Welcome<br />
4 Did you know that ...<br />
5 About AONBs<br />
6 Planning your visit<br />
7 Area map and main attractions<br />
8 Upper Nidderdale<br />
12 Lower Nidderdale<br />
17 Shows and Festivals<br />
18 The Southern AONB & Washburn<br />
Valley<br />
21 An inspirational landscape<br />
22 Mashamshire<br />
25 Get on your bike - a Tour de<br />
Yorkshire special<br />
Curlew © <strong>Visit</strong>England/NYMNPA/Colin Carter<br />
29<br />
Horse riding © Sally Wilson<br />
29 Saddle up<br />
30 The East<br />
34 Great days out<br />
36 A special place for wildlife<br />
38 Moor than meets the eye<br />
40 Walk Nidderdale AONB<br />
42 Fishpond Wood - A Flagship Heritage Site<br />
44 A taste of Nidderdale AONB<br />
45 Befriend the AONB<br />
46 AONB Events<br />
51 Tell us what you think - prize draw<br />
Masham Sheep Fair © PHP<br />
40<br />
Walking in Upper Nidderdale © JH<br />
Welcome to Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural<br />
Beauty – one of Britain’s finest landscapes!<br />
Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty<br />
(AONB) is a dramatic landscape of contrasts which<br />
has been shaped over thousands of years by the<br />
people who have lived and worked here. Whichever<br />
part of the AONB you choose to visit you are sure to<br />
be amazed at its beauty.<br />
Discover the wonderful Nidderdale Valley - from<br />
the remote heather moorland landscape of upper<br />
Nidderdale, dotted with beautiful reservoirs and<br />
charming stone built villages, to the river valley of<br />
lower Nidderdale with its lush green pastures and<br />
rolling farmland crisscrossed by dry stone walls. The<br />
scattered remains of former mine workings and other<br />
rural industries throughout the Dale remind us of the<br />
area’s rich industrial heritage.<br />
Explore Mashamshire and the monastic heritage of the<br />
eastern part of the AONB with the magnificent World<br />
Toft Gate Lime Kiln, Greenhow © PHP<br />
Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal,<br />
and the stunning historic parks & gardens of Jervaulx<br />
Abbey and Hackfall. Delicious local produce can be<br />
found in abundance with ice cream, preserves and<br />
beer being just a few of the items on the menu.<br />
Enjoy the beautiful Washburn Valley in the south<br />
of the AONB, known to some as Yorkshire’s Lake<br />
District. This area is a haven for wildlife with pasture<br />
land, woodland, reservoirs, rivers and moorland, and<br />
offers plenty of opportunities for walking, fishing, bird<br />
watching and cycling.<br />
Read on for more information about the AONB and<br />
ideas for things to see and do, places to visit and events<br />
to take part in. Whether you are visiting for the first<br />
time or returning to a much-loved place Nidderdale<br />
AONB is a wonderful destination well worth taking<br />
the time to discover, explore and enjoy!<br />
Information in this guide is correct at the time of going to print (Jan 2016).<br />
Every effort has been made to ensure that information is accurate, however<br />
the AONB team cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. Principal photography by Paul Harris Photography (PHP). Other<br />
Inclusion in this guide is not a recommendation by the AONB team and is images by Janina Holubecki (JH), Eric Moss (EM), Ian Whittaker<br />
not an endorsement of quality. (IM) or as credited. Uncredited images are owned by the AONB.<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 3
Did you know ...<br />
Did you know that ...<br />
The AONB is 22 years<br />
old this year and was<br />
designated on the<br />
14 th February 1994.<br />
The AONB attracts<br />
around 1.2<br />
million visitors<br />
each year.<br />
In 2014/15 our conservation<br />
volunteers devoted around<br />
3,190 hours to conservation<br />
work in the AONB and our dry<br />
stone walling volunteers spent<br />
1,240 hours to repairing dry<br />
stone wallls across the AONB.<br />
About AONBs & the AONB Family<br />
About AONBs & Upper the AONB Nidderdale Family<br />
In the AONB there is:<br />
• 1 World Heritage Site<br />
• 14 Conservation Areas<br />
• 125 Scheduled Ancient Monuments<br />
• 574 Listed buildings<br />
• 3 Historic Parks and Gardens<br />
36%<br />
of the<br />
AONB is<br />
heather<br />
moorland.<br />
Nidderdale AONB<br />
covers 603km 2<br />
(233 miles 2 ) of<br />
land in the foothills of<br />
the Pennines in North<br />
Yorkshire.<br />
There are<br />
about<br />
200,000<br />
sheep in the<br />
AONB.<br />
There are<br />
914km (568<br />
miles) of public<br />
rights of way in the<br />
AONB.<br />
There are 11 reservoirs<br />
in the AONB. 7 are for<br />
water supply and 4 are<br />
compensation for water from<br />
the rivers Nidd, Washburn,<br />
Ure and Wharfe. When full<br />
they contain just under 11,000<br />
million gallons of water.<br />
The AONB has a population<br />
of around 16,000 people<br />
with 54 hamlets and villages<br />
- Pateley Bridge is the only town<br />
in the AONB.<br />
7%<br />
of the<br />
AONB is<br />
woodland.<br />
AONBs<br />
have the<br />
same level<br />
of protection as<br />
National Parks.<br />
Nidderdale<br />
AONB<br />
is one of<br />
a family of 46<br />
AONBs in the UK.<br />
95%<br />
of the AONB<br />
is in the<br />
Harrogate District and<br />
it is completely within<br />
the county of North<br />
Yorkshire.<br />
Nidderdale AONB is located on the eastern flanks of the Pennines in the heart of the Yorkshire<br />
Dales. It shares its western boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and stretches<br />
south towards the towns of Ilkley and Otley. To the north and east of the AONB are the towns of<br />
Masham, Knaresborough and Harrogate and the city of Ripon.<br />
“An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)<br />
is exactly what it says it is: an outstanding<br />
landscape whose distinctive character and<br />
natural beauty are so precious that it is in the<br />
nation’s interest to safeguard them.”<br />
www.landscapesforlife.org.uk<br />
England:<br />
1. Arnside & Silverdale<br />
2. Blackdown Hills<br />
3. Cannock Chase<br />
4. Chichester Harbour<br />
5. Chilterns<br />
6. Cornwall<br />
7. Cotswolds<br />
8. Cranborne Chase<br />
& West Wiltshire<br />
Downs<br />
9. Dedham Vale<br />
10. Dorset<br />
11. East Devon<br />
12. Forest of Bowland<br />
13. Howardian Hills<br />
14. High Weald<br />
15. Isle of Wight<br />
16. Isles of Scilly<br />
17. Kent Downs<br />
18. Lincolnshire Wolds<br />
19. Malvern Hills<br />
20. Mendip Hills<br />
21. Norfolk Coast<br />
22. North Devon<br />
23. North Pennines<br />
24. North Wessex<br />
Downs<br />
25. Nidderdale<br />
26. Northumberland<br />
Coast<br />
27. Quantock Hills<br />
28. Shropshire Hills<br />
29. Solway Coast<br />
30. South Devon<br />
31. Suffolk Coast &<br />
Heaths<br />
32. Surrey Hills<br />
33. Tamar Valley<br />
England and Wales:<br />
34. Wye Valley<br />
Wales:<br />
35. Clwydian Range &<br />
Dee Valley<br />
36. Gower<br />
37. Lleyn<br />
38. Anglesey<br />
Northern Ireland:<br />
39. Antrim Coast &<br />
Glens<br />
40. Causeway Coast<br />
41. Lagan Valley<br />
42. Mourne<br />
43. Binevenagh<br />
44. Ring of Gullion<br />
45. Sperrin<br />
46. Strangford Lough<br />
Upper Nidderdale © Ange Harker<br />
There are 46 AONBs in the United Kingdom and they<br />
cover 18% of our finest countryside. They were created<br />
alongside National Parks as a result of the ‘National Parks<br />
and Access to the Countryside Act 1949’.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.landscapesforlife.org.uk<br />
4 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 5<br />
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Map courtesy of www.landscapesforlife.org.uk
Planning your visit<br />
Map and main attractions<br />
Planning your visit<br />
Getting here<br />
Located in the heart of the<br />
Yorkshire Dales in North<br />
Yorkshire, close to Harrogate,<br />
Ripon, York and Leeds and<br />
bordering the Yorkshire Dales<br />
National Park, Nidderdale<br />
AONB is an ideal central point<br />
for exploring this beautiful part<br />
of the country.<br />
By bus: the Transdev Harrogate<br />
& District number 24 service runs<br />
regularly from Harrogate into the<br />
AONB through Lower Nidderdale<br />
to Pateley Bridge (www.<br />
harrogatebus.co.uk). Harrogate<br />
is easily accessible by bus from<br />
surrounding towns and cities such<br />
as York, Leeds and Ripon.<br />
By train: the nearest train station<br />
is Harrogate with regular services<br />
from Leeds and York.<br />
By plane: Leeds Bradford<br />
International Airport is about a<br />
10 minute drive from Otley at the<br />
southern end of the AONB or 30<br />
minutes from Harrogate. Regular<br />
bus services (737) run from the<br />
airport to Harrogate (737) or<br />
Otley (967).<br />
By road: the AONB is easily<br />
accessible from the A1(M) and<br />
the A61 to the east and the A65,<br />
A59, M65 and M62 to the south.<br />
The AONB is a 10 minute drive<br />
from Harrogate, 20 minutes from<br />
Skipton, 30 minutes from Leeds<br />
and only 45 minutes from the City<br />
of York.<br />
6<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
In 2015<br />
the Nidderdale<br />
Plus Office in Pateley<br />
Bridge relocated and<br />
combined with other services to<br />
create a brand new one-stop-shop.<br />
The office now combines visitor<br />
information services, the library,<br />
community transport, police, business<br />
information, council customer<br />
service points and more.<br />
A n e w o n e-stop com m u ni t y of fic e for Pa t e l e y Bridge<br />
If you need more<br />
information whilst<br />
visiting the area why<br />
not visit a Tourist Information<br />
Centre. The friendly<br />
and knowledgeable staff can<br />
provide a wide range of information<br />
to help you make the most of your trip.<br />
Harrogate TIC<br />
Royal Baths, Crescent Road,<br />
HG1 2RR<br />
T: 01423 537300<br />
E: tic@harrogate.gov.uk<br />
W: www.visitharrogate.co.uk<br />
Ilkley TIC<br />
Station Road, LS29 8HB<br />
T: 01943 602319<br />
E: ilkley.vic@bradford.gov.uk<br />
W: www.visitilkley.com<br />
Mashamshire Community Office<br />
7 Little Market Place, Masham,<br />
HG4 4DY<br />
T: 01765 680200<br />
E: info@visitmasham.com<br />
W: www.visitmasham.com<br />
Open: Monday 10-6, Tues<br />
to Fri 10-4, Sat & Sun<br />
10-1.<br />
Nidderdale Plus Community Office<br />
Station Square, King Street, Pateley<br />
Bridge, HG3 5LE<br />
T: 01423 714953<br />
E: admin@nidderdaleplus.org<br />
W: www.nidderdaleplus.org<br />
Otley Library & TIC<br />
Nelson Street, LS21 1EZ<br />
T: 01943 462485<br />
E: otleytic@leeds.gov.uk<br />
W: www.visitotley.co.uk<br />
Ripon TIC<br />
Town Hall, Market Place South,<br />
HG4 1DD<br />
T: 01765 604625<br />
E: ripontic@harrogate.gov.uk<br />
W: www.visitharrogate.co.uk<br />
Main attractions<br />
Upper Nidderdale<br />
1 Middlesmoor village<br />
and church<br />
2 Scar House and<br />
Angram Reservoirs<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
The South<br />
1 Thruscross, Fewston<br />
and Swinsty Reservoirs<br />
2 Low Dam<br />
3 Washburn Heritage<br />
Centre<br />
4 Otley<br />
5 Ilkley<br />
2<br />
Studfold Explore,<br />
Discover & Learn Trail<br />
How Stean Gorge<br />
Coldstones Cut<br />
Toft Gate Lime Kiln<br />
Stump Cross Caverns<br />
For more help planning<br />
your visit see www.<br />
nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
For information on<br />
exploring the wider<br />
Harrogate area visit www.<br />
visitharrogate.co.uk<br />
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Mashamshire<br />
1 Masham<br />
2 Black Sheep<br />
and Theakstons<br />
Breweries<br />
3 Jervaulx Abbey<br />
4 Bivouac<br />
5 Druids Temple<br />
The East<br />
1 Fountains<br />
Abbey &<br />
Studley<br />
Royal World<br />
Heritage Site<br />
2<br />
1<br />
Hackfall<br />
Lower Nidderdale<br />
1 Pateley Bridge<br />
2 King Street<br />
Workshops<br />
3 Nidderdale<br />
Museum<br />
4 Brimham Rocks<br />
5 Darley Mill<br />
Centre<br />
6 Nidderdale<br />
Llamas<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
i<br />
7
Upper Nidderdale<br />
Discov e r<br />
Upper Nidderdale<br />
Upper Nidderdale is characterised by its vast areas of moorland, sweeping<br />
views and reservoirs. It is home to several beautiful and traditional rural<br />
villages and some of the finest grouse moors in the country.<br />
8 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
View towards Gouthwaite Reservoir © JH<br />
Key to symbols<br />
£ i £<br />
Cashpoint /<br />
Post i Office<br />
£ i £ i<br />
<strong>Visit</strong>or<br />
information<br />
£ i £ i<br />
Regular<br />
bus route<br />
£ i £ i<br />
Doctors<br />
surgery<br />
£ i £ i<br />
Cafe /<br />
Tearoom<br />
£ i<br />
Pub<br />
MIDDLESMOOR<br />
Hotel / Inn<br />
Shop<br />
Toilets<br />
Petrol<br />
Food<br />
£ i£ i£ £ i<br />
A charming hamlet at the head of Nidderdale with<br />
cobbled streets and a real sense of tradition. Much<br />
of the hamlet dates from the 18 th century with few<br />
older buildings. This is one of Yorkshire’s highest<br />
settlements at just over 900ft above sea level.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
St Chad’s Church: there are excellent long<br />
distance views down Nidderdale from the<br />
churchyard and it is well worth a visit!<br />
LOFTHOUSE £ i£ i£ £ i<br />
£ i<br />
The village of Lofthouse grew out of a grange<br />
established by the monks of Fountains Abbey. Many<br />
of the houses in the village originate from the 18 th<br />
and 19 th centuries but the oldest dates back to 1676.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Meadowdale Dairy Ice Cream: a small family run<br />
business that has been producing fresh milk from<br />
their Friesian herd since 1952. They also produce<br />
and sell delicious ice cream which can be bought<br />
from local shops and from their small farmhouse<br />
shop in Lofthouse village. Opening times vary<br />
but the shop is often open on weekends from<br />
Easter to October.<br />
Studfold - The Nidderdale Experience: an award<br />
winning caravan & camping park and adventure<br />
trail with a range of fun and exciting activities<br />
that will keep children occupied for hours. Solve<br />
clues to find secret boxes, follow giant footprints,<br />
search the wildflower meadow maze to find its<br />
secret, use your imagination in the giant story<br />
telling chair, follow the trail to find the larger<br />
than life hedgehog, collect something from the<br />
trail to weave into<br />
Studfold’s Loom<br />
and much more.<br />
There is also a<br />
small shop, picnic<br />
and play area.<br />
Open: Easter<br />
to end Sept -<br />
weekends, bank<br />
holidays and<br />
school holidays<br />
10.30am-5pm (last admission<br />
Studfold<br />
ad v en t u re trail<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
Upper Nidderdale<br />
3.30pm). Oct to Easter – closed. Prices: Adults<br />
£6, child £5, under 3s free. Concessions and<br />
family tickets also available. T: 01423 755084. E:<br />
info@studfold.com www.studfold.com<br />
How Stean Gorge: this spectacular 20 metre<br />
deep limestone gorge provides an action<br />
packed day out for all the family! At almost<br />
1km long it can be explored via a network of<br />
narrow paths, bridges, tunnels and caves. More<br />
adventurous visitors can challenge themselves<br />
with the Via Ferrata course - an aerial network<br />
of beams, ladders and cables - one of only two in<br />
England, or take part in outdoor activities such<br />
as climbing, canoeing or caving. There is also a<br />
tearoom serving<br />
delicious homemade<br />
food, a post office,<br />
a small shop, a<br />
children’s play area<br />
and a campsite.<br />
Open: daily 9am-<br />
6pm (closes at dusk<br />
in winter). Prices:<br />
Adult £5.75, child<br />
(5-16) £3.50, under<br />
5’s free, concessions<br />
£4, family £16. Additional charges apply<br />
for the Via Ferrata and outdoor activities, which<br />
must be pre-booked. T: 01423 755666. E: info@<br />
howstean.co.uk. www.howstean.co.uk<br />
How Stea n Gorge<br />
© PHP<br />
Scar House and Angram Reservoirs: located high<br />
up at the head of Nidderdale, Scar House and<br />
Angram are well worth a visit and are great for<br />
walking. Today they are well known for their<br />
peace and solitude, however that hasn’t always<br />
been the case. There is a fascinating history<br />
around the building of Scar House Reservoir<br />
and less than 100 years ago the site was a noisy<br />
9
Upper Nidderdale<br />
Upper Nidderdale<br />
and dangerous<br />
work site buzzing<br />
with activity.<br />
Huge amounts of<br />
manpower had<br />
to be drafted<br />
in to build the<br />
reservoir and<br />
as a result a<br />
whole village<br />
was created.<br />
You can still see<br />
RAMSGILL<br />
Sitting at the top of Gouthwaite Reservoir, Ramsgill<br />
is a pretty village and was the principal grange of<br />
Byland Abbey. It is thought that the name Ramsgill<br />
may date from the 12 th century and probably means<br />
a “gill or valley, grove, wood or hollow where wild<br />
garlic grew.”<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Sca r Hous e<br />
Reservoir<br />
the remains of where the village once stood and<br />
the landscape is scarred by the old quarries and<br />
railway lines. With a bit of imagination you can<br />
picture the thriving community that once lived<br />
there. Work on Scar House Reservoir began on<br />
5 October 1921 and took 15 years to complete.<br />
There is a large free car park and toilets.<br />
£ i £ i<br />
© EM<br />
Ramsgill Studio: a gallery and working studio<br />
selling a selection of quality and interesting arts<br />
and crafts, both traditional and contemporary.<br />
Ramsgill Studio also runs a series of full day<br />
workshops but these must be pre-booked. Open:<br />
Thurs to Sun 11am-4pm. T: 01423 755098. www.<br />
ramsgillstudio.co.uk<br />
The Yorke Arms: a historic 18 th century coaching<br />
house and shooting lodge - now home to a<br />
Michelin starred restaurant with rooms.<br />
Gouthwaite Reservoir: Although built to help with<br />
the supply of water, Gouthwaite Reservoir is also<br />
a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific<br />
Interest due to the vast range of wildlife that it<br />
supports. It is very popular with birdwatchers<br />
and there is a small viewing platform on the<br />
edge of the reservoir. A sandmartin wall has also<br />
recently been built to provide a valuable nesting<br />
habitat for these birds. Where: between Wath<br />
and Ramsgill on the road from Pateley Bridge to<br />
Middlesmoor. There is a small car park on the<br />
roadside near to Ramsgill village.<br />
WATH<br />
A small, picturesque and unspoilt hamlet with<br />
some interesting historic buildings. The name Wath<br />
probably comes from the Scandinavian meaning<br />
“ford”, referring to the crossing over the River Nidd<br />
at the position of the present bridge.<br />
GREENHOW<br />
Located high above Pateley Bridge at around 1300ft<br />
above sea level, Greenhow village sits on the shared<br />
boundary of Nidderdale AONB and the Yorkshire<br />
Dales National Park. It has extensive remains of the<br />
lead mining, quarrying and lime burning industries<br />
and is home to Coldstones Quarry which still<br />
operates today.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
© PHP<br />
£ i £ i<br />
Toft Gat e Li m e<br />
Ki l n<br />
Toft Gate Lime Kiln:<br />
the remains of this<br />
Lime Kiln, which was<br />
built in the 1860s,<br />
can be explored via<br />
a short trail with a<br />
series of information<br />
boards. Access is via<br />
a small car park on<br />
the outskirts of the<br />
village. Prices: Free.<br />
Open: 24/7.<br />
Coldstones Cut: this<br />
dramatic sculpture<br />
was designed<br />
to illustrate the<br />
connection between<br />
the landscape<br />
and the quarry.<br />
It also acts as a<br />
viewing platform<br />
offering superb<br />
long distance<br />
views over<br />
the surrounding landscape and down into the<br />
working quarry. Access: The Cut is signposted<br />
from Toft Gate car park from where it is a 500<br />
© PHP<br />
£ i<br />
Coldstones Cut<br />
metre, fairly steep walk. Prices: Free. Open: 24/7.<br />
www.thecoldstonescut.org<br />
Stump Cross<br />
Caverns: one of<br />
Britain’s premier<br />
show caves,<br />
discovered in 1860<br />
by miners who<br />
were looking for<br />
lead seams. The<br />
extensive cave<br />
system is filled<br />
with complex<br />
and colourful<br />
© PHP<br />
St u m p Cross<br />
Ca v e rns<br />
stalactite and stalagmite formations dating back<br />
up to 200,000 years. There is also a lecture theatre<br />
showing a 20 minute film about the cave and the<br />
surrounding area, a tearoom serving a variety<br />
of homemade cakes and meals, and a gift shop.<br />
Open: February half term to 30 November – daily<br />
10am-5.30pm (last admission 4.30pm). Please<br />
check website for winter opening times. Prices:<br />
Adults £7.50, child (4-14) £4.95, under 4’s free. T:<br />
01756 752780. www.stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk<br />
Provid ence Sm e l t<br />
Mi l l<br />
Greenhow Geology<br />
Trail: this route will<br />
take you on a journey<br />
back in time from<br />
the present day to<br />
the Ice Age, then to<br />
tropical conditions<br />
300-350 million years<br />
ago where you can<br />
discover fossils from<br />
the tropical seas<br />
and forests. You can<br />
look down 100m into the inside of the hill from<br />
the Coldstones Cut and then drop right down<br />
into the valley where you see the impact of man’s<br />
search for lead and fluorspar. You can also look<br />
for crystals of your own in the material the miners<br />
threw away as waste, before climbing back up<br />
the hill to the mining village of Greenhow where<br />
again the geology has been greatly disturbed<br />
by the miners. Start from Toft Gate Car Park.<br />
A route booklet is available for 50p from the<br />
Nidderdale Plus Office in Pateley Bridge.<br />
5 things you should do<br />
before you leave Upper<br />
Nidderdale ...<br />
1Go for a walk around Scar<br />
House Reservoir - enjoy<br />
the peace and solitude,<br />
see the remains of the village<br />
that once stood, explore the<br />
ruined hamlet of Lodge and<br />
keep your eyes and ears open<br />
for wildlife.<br />
2Find clues in secret boxes,<br />
search the wildflower maze<br />
and follow giant footprints<br />
at the award winning ‘Studfold -<br />
The Nidderdale Experience’.<br />
3Explore Greenhow village<br />
and its amazing industrial<br />
heritage - the Geology<br />
Trail, Toft Gate Lime Kiln and<br />
Coldstones Cut are a must.<br />
4Scramble along How Stean<br />
Gorge, traverse narrow<br />
bridges and pathways,<br />
explore Tom Taylor’s Cave, and<br />
brave the Via Ferrata.<br />
5Admire the spectacular<br />
view from Middlesmoor<br />
churchyard.<br />
© Leanne Fox<br />
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© PHP<br />
© JH<br />
10 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 11
Lower Nidderdale<br />
Discov e r<br />
Lower Nidderdale<br />
Key to symbols<br />
Cashpoint /<br />
Post Office<br />
<strong>Visit</strong>or<br />
information<br />
Regular<br />
bus route<br />
Doctors<br />
surgery<br />
Cafe /<br />
Tearoom<br />
Pub<br />
PATELEY<br />
BRIDGE<br />
A small picturesque town in the heart<br />
of the AONB with a range of shops,<br />
attractions and places to eat. Situated<br />
on the edge of the River Nidd, Pateley<br />
Bridge is the only town entirely within the AONB.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Hotel / Inn<br />
Shop<br />
Toilets<br />
Petrol<br />
Food<br />
King Street Craft Workshops: home to a small<br />
group of highly talented and skilled craftspeople<br />
who design and make exclusive pieces in a<br />
variety of materials including ceramic, stone,<br />
Lower Nidderdale<br />
glass, precious metals and gemstones. The<br />
workshops welcome visitors to browse, buy or<br />
even commission a special piece. Opening times<br />
vary. www.kingstreetworkshops.co.uk<br />
Number 6 Studio Gallery: a visual arts space<br />
where a varied programme of art courses and<br />
exhibitions take place throughout the year. It<br />
caters for all ages and abilities and is a great<br />
resource for all those interested and working in<br />
the visual arts. T: 01423 712216. www.numbersix.<br />
info<br />
Nidderdale Museum: this fascinating museum<br />
has 11 rooms which illustrate the rural life of<br />
Nidderdale, including an original cobbler’s<br />
shop, school room, and Victorian parlour. There<br />
is wheelchair access and toilets. Open: Easter<br />
to Oct – daily 1.30pm-4.30pm. Nov to Easter -<br />
weekends only 1.30pm-4.30pm. Prices: Adults<br />
£2, concessions £1, accompanied children free.<br />
T: 01423 711225. www.nidderdalemuseum.com<br />
Oldest Sweet Shop in England: take a step back<br />
in time in this charming sweet shop which sells<br />
a wonderful range of traditional old fashioned<br />
sweets. www.oldestsweetshop.co.uk<br />
The River Nidd is the central feature, flowing through the AONB’s<br />
principal town, Pateley Bridge, and on through traditional villages such as<br />
Glasshouses, Low Laithe, Summerbridge, Dacre and Darley. Much of this<br />
landscape has been shaped by its industrial past and a number of old mills<br />
and mill workers’ cottages still remain. The valley sides support large tracts<br />
of ancient semi-natural broad-leaved woodland and there are many tranquil<br />
riverside spots to enjoy a walk, picnic or the peace and quiet.<br />
12<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Lower Nidderdale © EM<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
13
Lower Nidderdale<br />
Lower Nidderdale<br />
Nidderdale Pool & Leisure Centre: a small<br />
swimming pool and fitness centre offering a<br />
range of activities. T: 01423 711442.<br />
BEWERLEY<br />
A small pretty village on the opposite side of the<br />
River Nidd to Pateley Bridge. It has a village green<br />
which looks stunning in spring when its cherry trees<br />
are covered in blossom.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Yorke’s Fol l y<br />
Yorke’s Folly: the Grade<br />
II listed Yorke’s Folly<br />
dominates the skyline<br />
above the village of<br />
Bewerley, and sits on<br />
the Nidderdale Way.<br />
It was commissioned<br />
by the Yorke family<br />
and like the Druid’s<br />
Temple (see page 23)<br />
it was constructed to<br />
provide employment in a recession.<br />
The three shafts that were originally built in<br />
the late 18 th century were designed to look like<br />
the ruin of an east window or church crossing.<br />
Locally known as ‘Two Stoops’, one of the shafts<br />
was blown down in a storm in 1893.<br />
Fishpond Wood: this is one of the area’s hidden<br />
secrets… loved by those in the know but<br />
overlooked by many. Tucked away in Bewerley,<br />
it is a rare and regionally important example of a<br />
designed landscape from the 18 th century. It has<br />
recently undergone some restoration work through<br />
the Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership (see<br />
p42), including repairs to the wonderful ice house<br />
and maintenance to the pond. Access: is from<br />
Bewerley village.<br />
GLASSHOUSES<br />
A small village just one mile from Pateley Bridge,<br />
which was once the centre of a thriving textile<br />
industry. Glasshouses is now a conservation area<br />
and it is thought that the name may come from the<br />
old English “glass hus”, meaning the house where<br />
glass was made.<br />
WILSILL<br />
A small village with some beautiful historic<br />
properties.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Nidderdale Llamas:<br />
a unique experience<br />
and a totally<br />
different way to<br />
enjoy the beautiful<br />
countryside of the<br />
AONB. Llamas<br />
are very friendly<br />
with amazing<br />
personalities. You<br />
© PHP<br />
Tre kking with<br />
Nidderda le Llamas<br />
can meet them, along with alpacas,<br />
and enjoy the stunning Nidderdale countryside if<br />
you book an experience or a trek. This activity is<br />
highly rated on Trip Advisor, in fact it has been<br />
the No.1 attraction in the Harrogate area for<br />
over 3 years! It’s a must do for adults or families<br />
with older children. There are a wide range of<br />
packages available but they ALL must be booked<br />
in advance. Not suitable for children under 7<br />
years. T: 01423 711052. www.nidderdalellamas.org<br />
The Firs Tearoom<br />
Summerbridge HG3 4JF<br />
Delicious home cooked<br />
food served all day<br />
Bed & Breakfast<br />
Judith Worth<br />
Tel: 01423 781715<br />
Village location close to Pateley<br />
Bridge and Brimham Rocks<br />
www.thefirssummerbridge.co.uk<br />
One of Yorkshire’s Top Attractions!<br />
Llama Trekking in the Yorkshire Dales!<br />
AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE<br />
Relax in stunning<br />
scenery accompanied<br />
by our amazing<br />
friendly animals<br />
Picnic treks Hen parties<br />
Family experiences<br />
Private parties welcome<br />
PRE-BOOKING ESSENTIAL<br />
web/email/telephone<br />
Suzanne Benson<br />
Nidderdale Llamas<br />
Kiln Farm, Wilsill,<br />
Pateley Bridge, Harrogate<br />
Tel. 01423 711052<br />
www.nidderdalellamas.org<br />
info@nidderdalellamas.org<br />
SUMMERBRIDGE<br />
One of the larger villages in the AONB with a range<br />
of local amenities.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
14<br />
Brimham Rocks:<br />
owned by the National<br />
Trust, this amazing<br />
collection of weird<br />
and wonderful rock<br />
formations is scattered<br />
over 50 acres of<br />
moorland and can<br />
be explored via a<br />
labyrinth of paths.<br />
Brimham Rocks<br />
enjoy spectacular views over<br />
the surrounding countryside and provide a great<br />
family day out. Facilities include a visitor centre,<br />
shop and a refreshment kiosk. Some paths are<br />
suitable for wheelchair users. Open: Rocks - daily<br />
(8am to dusk) all year round. <strong>Visit</strong>or Centre &<br />
Brimham Rocks<br />
exploring<br />
Brimham Rocks<br />
Discover nature's sculpture<br />
park, open to explore all<br />
year round. Formed more<br />
than 320 million years ago<br />
you can find us near<br />
Harrogate, HG3 4DW.<br />
01423 780688<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/brimhamrocks<br />
Refreshment Kiosk - daily 11am to 5pm from 28 th<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 15<br />
© PHP<br />
© National Trust Images. Registered Charity Number 205846.
Lower Nidderdale<br />
May to 2 nd October. Weekends, bank holidays and<br />
local school holidays from October to May. Prices:<br />
Admission is free but there is a charge for car<br />
parking. T: 01423 780688. www.nationaltrust.org.<br />
uk/brimham-rocks<br />
Birchfield Family<br />
Dairies: this family<br />
run farm is home<br />
to award winning<br />
real jersey dairy<br />
ice cream and<br />
farmhouse butters<br />
made on the<br />
premises, using<br />
milk from their<br />
own herd. There<br />
is an ice cream<br />
parlour and tearoom selling over 20 flavours of<br />
ice cream, a variety of other dairy products and<br />
light refreshments. Events and activities take place<br />
through the year as well as a maize maze, which<br />
is open in the summer. T: 01423 781792. www.<br />
birchfieldicecream.co.uk<br />
DACRE<br />
This village has two parts - known locally as Dacre<br />
Banks and Dacre Top.<br />
DARLEY<br />
A large village in central Nidderdale which was part<br />
of Knaresborough Forest in the 12 th century. The<br />
name Darley is thought to mean ‘deer glade’ and the<br />
village is home to a number of listed buildings with<br />
an interesting history.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
© Darley Mill<br />
Da rl e y Mill<br />
Centre<br />
© PHP<br />
Darley Mill Centre: a<br />
Grade II listed 17 th<br />
century corn mill<br />
that sits on the banks<br />
of the River Nidd<br />
and operates as a<br />
retail outlet selling<br />
a wide range of<br />
home furnishings<br />
including linens,<br />
homeware and gifts.<br />
The building retains<br />
many original features including its huge<br />
16 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Enjoying ice cream<br />
at Birchfield Farm<br />
water wheel, which has been fully restored to<br />
working order. There is also a children’s play area,<br />
restaurant and free on site parking. The ground<br />
and first floor are wheelchair accessible. Open:<br />
9.30am-5.30pm Mon to Sat and 11am-5pm on<br />
Sunday. T: 01423 780857. www.darleymill.com<br />
BIRSTWITH<br />
Sitting on the edge of the AONB Birstwith is a lovely<br />
village with a strong community feel.<br />
5 things you should do<br />
before you leave Lower<br />
Nidderdale ...<br />
1Try a delicious pork pie<br />
from each of the local,<br />
award winning butchers,<br />
and decide which is your<br />
favourite.<br />
2Take a short walk from<br />
Pateley Bridge to Bewerley<br />
and discover Fishpond<br />
Wood and the newly restored<br />
ice house.<br />
3Explore the weird and<br />
wonderful rock formations<br />
at Brimham Rocks - with<br />
a Nidderdale Llama as your<br />
companion if you choose.<br />
4Watch the crafts people in<br />
action at the King Street<br />
Workshops in Pateley<br />
Bridge, and treat yourself to<br />
something beautiful to take<br />
home.<br />
5<strong>Visit</strong> the Nidderdale<br />
Museum and learn about<br />
the story of Nidderdale.<br />
© PHP<br />
© PHP<br />
© PHP<br />
Local events and festivals<br />
You’ll never be short of things to do in Nidderdale AONB but as well as a great range of<br />
attractions there is a whole host of special events that take place throughout the year.<br />
Tour de Yorkshire: Fri 29 April to Sun 1 May<br />
A three day cycling event for the worlds best cyclists. On<br />
day one the race will come right through Nidderdale. See<br />
p26.<br />
Otley Walking Festival: Sat 25 June to Sun 3 July<br />
A range of guided walks exploring the wonderful<br />
countryside in and around Otley. With short town-based<br />
walks, themed walks, strenuous moorland hikes and a<br />
full evening programme of events there is something for<br />
everyone. www.otleywalkingfestival.co.uk<br />
Masham Steam Engine & Fair Organ Rally: Sat 16 &<br />
Sun 17 July<br />
A celebration of the country’s finest engineering and<br />
agricultural heritage. You will find traction engines, steam<br />
wagons, rollers, tractors, fair organs and much more. www.<br />
spanglefish.com/mashamsteamrally<br />
Pateley Bridge 1940s Weekend: Fri 29 to Sun 31 July<br />
The atmosphere of Wartime Britain is created through a<br />
host of wartime entertainment in the town including living<br />
military re-enactors, displays of military vehicles, 1940s<br />
singers, brass bands, period stalls and much more. www.<br />
nidderdale.co.uk/event/pateley-bridge-1940s-weekend-2016<br />
NiddFest: Fri 5 to Sun 7 August<br />
A unique, family friendly festival, offering a weekend of<br />
talks and outside events for nature lovers of all ages. Come<br />
and be inspired by some of the UK’s leading writers talking<br />
about all things wild and wonderful. Join us for guided<br />
walks across the remotest reaches of the moor, for ambles<br />
along the river or on foraging expeditions in the woods.<br />
Full details and tickets at www.niddfest.com<br />
Nidd Art Trail: Fri 19 to Mon 29 August<br />
This annual event encourages local people and visitors to<br />
explore the AONB, as the work of more than 50 artists and<br />
SHOW<br />
Diary<br />
Otley Show<br />
Sat 21 May<br />
www.otleyshow.org.uk<br />
Askwith & District<br />
Show<br />
Sat 11 June<br />
Local events and festivals<br />
craft makers is shown in the artists’ own studios, galleries<br />
and community centres. www.niddart.org.uk<br />
Pateley Bridge Walking Festival: Thur 22 to Sun 25<br />
September<br />
With a selection of walks each day designed to tempt<br />
even the most reluctant walkers to pull on their boots<br />
and explore the countryside on foot, this festival offers<br />
something for everyone. www.pbwf.co.uk<br />
Masham Sheep Fair: Sat 24 & Sun 25 September<br />
This fantastic event commemorates Masham’s long history<br />
of sheep sales, whilst raising much money for charity.<br />
For two days Masham market square is filled with many<br />
different breeds of sheep and the town is filled with ‘sheepy’<br />
fun and entertainment including judging, events, trade<br />
stands, crafts, demonstrations and exhibitions. www.<br />
mashamsheepfair.com<br />
Fountains Abbey Events<br />
A range of events take place throughout the year including<br />
Abbey tours, photography workshops, wildlife walks<br />
and childrens crafts. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk/<br />
fountainsabbey for a full listing.<br />
Get a real taste of rural life at one of the area’s many agricultural<br />
shows and country fairs. With livestock and produce judging, trade<br />
and craft stalls, games, entertainment, fantastic local food and much<br />
much more, they are not to be missed!<br />
Birstwith Show<br />
Sat 30 Ju l y<br />
www.birstwithshow.com<br />
Ripley Show<br />
Su n 14 August<br />
www.ripleyshow.co.uk<br />
Masham Sheep Fair © PHP<br />
Nidderdale Show<br />
Mon 19 September<br />
www.nidderdaleshow.<br />
co.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
17
The Southern AONB & Washburn Valley<br />
Discov er the<br />
Southern AONB &<br />
Washburn Valley<br />
Explore the Washburn Valley, known to some as Yorkshire’s Lake District,<br />
with its charming villages and hamlets, and the traditional towns of Ilkley<br />
and Otley with their vast range of shops, restaurants and attractions.<br />
The Valley encompasses a wide range of habitats including pasture land,<br />
woodland, reservoirs, rivers and moorland. With its rich heritage, vast<br />
range of flora and fauna, and various opportunities for recreation, it is a<br />
truly delightful area to explore.<br />
18 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Fewston Reservoir © PHP<br />
Key to symbols<br />
Cashpoint /<br />
Post Office<br />
<strong>Visit</strong>or<br />
information<br />
Regular<br />
bus route<br />
Doctors<br />
surgery<br />
Cafe /<br />
Tearoom<br />
Pub<br />
ILKLEY<br />
A Victorian spa town on the edge of the AONB with<br />
a wonderful range of shops, eateries and attractions.<br />
www.visitilkley.com<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Manor House Art Gallery & Museum: this<br />
museum and art gallery, in one of Ilkley’s<br />
oldest buildings, gives visitors a glimpse into<br />
Ilkley’s past and its development as a Victorian<br />
spa town. Open: Wed to Sat 11am-5pm, Sun<br />
1pm-4pm. Price: free. T: 01943 600066. www.<br />
bradfordmuseums.org/venues/visit/manor-houseart-gallery-museum<br />
OTLEY<br />
Hotel / Inn<br />
Shop<br />
Toilets<br />
Petrol<br />
Food<br />
A traditional Yorkshire market town<br />
located on the banks of the River<br />
Wharfe. It has a good range of shops,<br />
eateries and attractions and is the host<br />
of the country’s oldest agricultural show. It is also a<br />
‘Walkers are Welcome’ town. www.visitotley.co.uk<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Otley Courthouse: an arts and resource centre in a<br />
redundant 19 th century magistrates’ court, which<br />
hosts a varied programme of events, exhibitions<br />
and activities. There is also a café (open Mon to<br />
Sat 10am to 3pm). Open: 7 days a week. T: 01943<br />
467466. www.otleycourthouse.org.uk<br />
BLUBBERHOUSES<br />
A small hamlet on the edge of Fewston Reservoir.<br />
A perfect starting point for exploring the wonderful<br />
Washburn Valley.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
The Southern AONB & Washburn Valley<br />
Mackenzies Smokehouse: offers an extensive<br />
range of smoked food products including cheese,<br />
fish, bacon, ham, poultry and game. It has its<br />
own food and gift shop and a restaurant where<br />
you can sample some of their food first hand.<br />
Open: Mon to Sat 9am-4.30pm, Sun 10am-<br />
4pm. T: shop - 01943 810001, restaurant - 01943<br />
810000. www.yorkshiresmokehouse.co.uk<br />
Low Dam: located<br />
alongside the River<br />
Washburn between<br />
Blubberhouses and<br />
Thruscross, the<br />
Low Dam area is a<br />
haven for wildlife,<br />
combining<br />
wooded slopes,<br />
standing water<br />
and the river<br />
itself. It has some<br />
wonderful historical features<br />
and is designated as a Site of Importance for<br />
Nature Conservation (SINC) due to its richness<br />
in flora and fauna. It is very popular with<br />
walkers, canoeists and naturalists. Access is via<br />
a public footpath opposite Fewston Reservoir<br />
car park on the A59 at Blubberhouses or from<br />
Thruscross Reservoir car park.<br />
TIMBLE<br />
A beautiful, sleepy village situated close to Swinsty<br />
and Fewston reservoirs.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Low Da m<br />
Timble Ings: a large<br />
area of woodland<br />
on the western side<br />
of the Washburn<br />
Valley, owned<br />
and managed by<br />
Yorkshire Water.<br />
‘Ings’ is an old<br />
Norse word<br />
for ‘seasonally<br />
flooded<br />
land’, and<br />
the site is designated as a Site of<br />
Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) due<br />
to its rich variety of habitats and wide range of<br />
Ti m b le Ings<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
19
The Southern AONB & Washburn Valley<br />
An inspirational landscape<br />
flora and fauna. Access: there are public rights of<br />
way through the woodland and on the adjacent<br />
moorland - we recommend that you use OS map<br />
297 for details of the routes. Limited car parking is<br />
available opposite Anchor Farm at grid reference<br />
SE170542 or along the dirt track at SE165530.<br />
FEWSTON<br />
A tiny village with a scattering of properties on the<br />
edge of Swinsty Reservoir.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Washburn Heritage Centre: adjoining Fewston<br />
Church, with access from Swinsty Reservoir, this<br />
Heritage Centre displays exhibitions about the<br />
area’s heritage, hosts a varied events programme<br />
and provides a venue for community events<br />
and concerts. There is also a café serving light<br />
refreshments. Open: Apr to Oct – Sat & Sun<br />
11am-4.30pm. Nov to Mar - Sun 11am-4pm. Also<br />
open Bank Holidays (excluding Christmas Day,<br />
Boxing Day). Price: free. www.washburnvalley.<br />
org<br />
More things to do in the<br />
Washbu rn Valley ...<br />
© PHP<br />
Fewston Res e rvoi r<br />
Reservoirs: during the<br />
18 th and 19 th centuries,<br />
the cities of Leeds<br />
and Bradford grew<br />
rapidly and demand<br />
for water was high.<br />
As a result four<br />
reservoirs were built<br />
in the Washburn<br />
Valley between<br />
1869 and 1966.<br />
The creation of<br />
Lindley Wood, Swinsty,<br />
Fewston and Thruscross reservoirs changed the<br />
landscape forever as villages, mills and land<br />
were all lost to the rising waters. Today the<br />
reservoirs and surrounding area are a haven for<br />
wildlife and also provide fantastic opportunities<br />
for recreation, including walking, fishing and<br />
canoeing. Owned by Yorkshire Water, they have<br />
good public access and are well worth exploring<br />
via a network of paths. Walk routes and podcasts<br />
can be downloaded from www.yorkshirewater.<br />
com<br />
Moorland: the moors on the western side of the<br />
Washburn Valley are wild and beautiful. They are<br />
designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest<br />
(SSSI) and are internationally important for birds.<br />
The moorland supports plants such as bilberry,<br />
cowberry, sundew, cotton grass and cross-leaved<br />
heath, which in turn supports bird species like<br />
Red Grouse, Curlew, Merlin and Golden Plover.<br />
Access: there is a network of rights of way across<br />
farmland onto the moors and once the unenclosed<br />
land is reached much of it is accessible on foot in<br />
accordance with Open Access.<br />
5 things you should<br />
do before you leave the<br />
Southern AONB and<br />
Washburn Valley ...<br />
1<br />
Stretch your legs and<br />
walk around Thruscross,<br />
Fewston and Swinsty<br />
Reservoirs. Fewston and<br />
Swinsty have surfaced paths<br />
and Swinsty is accessible for<br />
wheelchairs and pushchairs.<br />
2<strong>Visit</strong> an exhibition at<br />
the Washburn Heritage<br />
Centre, take part in an<br />
event and enjoy tea & cake in<br />
the cafe.<br />
3Explore the spa town of<br />
Ilkley and the market town<br />
of Otley.<br />
4Discover the vast array of<br />
wildlife at Low Dam and<br />
Timble Ings.<br />
5Sample some delicious<br />
produce from Mackenzies<br />
Smokehouse.<br />
An inspirational landscape<br />
For centuries the stunning landscape of the<br />
Yorkshire Dales has provided inspiration for<br />
writers, artists and poets. Perhaps one of<br />
the greatest is JMW Turner (1775-1851) who<br />
painted over 100 watercolours of the Yorkshire<br />
Landscape, a number of which were in the<br />
AONB.<br />
Dob Park Lodge, Washburn<br />
Valley: an early 17 th century<br />
lodge north of Otley which is<br />
now in ruins. Work by Turner:<br />
‘On the Washburn, under Folly<br />
Hall’. the focus of the painting<br />
is the river but the ruined towers can be seen in the<br />
distance. Grid ref of viewpoint: SE 190513<br />
Fountains Abbey: a wonderful<br />
Cistercian Abbey ruin on the<br />
outskirts of Ripon. Work by<br />
Turner: A number of sketches<br />
and paintings including ‘The<br />
Dormitory and Transept of Fountain’s Abbey -<br />
Evening’ and ‘Interior of Fountains Abbey’.<br />
Grid ref: SE 275682<br />
© T J Blackwell<br />
Hackfall: a stunning Grade<br />
1 listed woodland garden<br />
near Masham, with follies,<br />
grottos, waterfalls and surprise<br />
views. Work by Turner: Many<br />
sketches and paintings including<br />
‘Hackfall, near Ripon’, ‘The River Ure at Hackfall,<br />
near Ripon’ and ‘Mobray Lodge, Ripon’.<br />
Grid ref: SE 235775<br />
Jervaulx Abbey: a beautiful<br />
ruined Cistercian Abbey near<br />
Masham. Work by Turner: a<br />
number of sketches.<br />
Grid ref: SE 172857<br />
Masham Market Place: an<br />
attractive market town with<br />
Yorkshire’s largest market<br />
square. Work by Turner: a<br />
number of sketches.<br />
Grid ref: SE 225807<br />
Discover more of the places across Yorkshire that<br />
inspired Turner at www.yorkshire.com/turner<br />
20 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
21
Mashamshire<br />
Discov e r<br />
Mashamshire<br />
Mashamshire lies to the north east of the AONB where the landscape is<br />
gentle and rolling, with ancient woodlands and hedgerows in place of dry<br />
stone walls. The area is rich in history with ancient abbeys, historic parks<br />
and gardens and grand country estates - all fascinating to explore.<br />
22<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Masham Market Place<br />
Key to symbols<br />
Cashpoint /<br />
Post Office<br />
<strong>Visit</strong>or<br />
information<br />
Regular<br />
bus route<br />
Doctors<br />
surgery<br />
Cafe /<br />
Tearoom<br />
Pub<br />
MASHAM<br />
A traditional market town located on<br />
the north-eastern edge of the AONB.<br />
Masham boasts the largest market<br />
square in Yorkshire surrounded by<br />
impressive Georgian houses. Traditionally the market<br />
square was the site of an annual sheep sale where as<br />
many as 70,000 sheep were sold every year. The town<br />
is also home to a wide range of attractions, eateries,<br />
shops and galleries.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Hotel / Inn<br />
Shop<br />
Public<br />
toilets<br />
Petrol<br />
Food<br />
MARKET<br />
DAY<br />
Wed and Sat<br />
Uredale Glass: watch the craftsmen in action as<br />
they make vases, bowls, paperweights, tableware<br />
and gifts. Where: off Masham market square,<br />
behind the Kings Head Hotel. HG4 4EF. Open:<br />
Thurs to Sun 10.30am-4.30pm. T: 01765 689780.<br />
www.uredale.co.uk<br />
ArtisOn: try your hand at one of the many short art<br />
and craft skills workshops and learn anything from<br />
print making to willow weaving, jewellery making<br />
to glass blowing. Masham is home to a number of<br />
very talented crafts people and this superb venue is<br />
run by a group of them. Where: High Burton, near<br />
Masham, HG4 4BS. T: 01765 689637. www.artison.<br />
co.uk<br />
Masham Swifts: discover the series of Swift<br />
sculptures as you explore this beautiful market<br />
town. The Masham Swifts were commissioned as<br />
the legacy project of the Masham Arts Festival.<br />
(2000-2013). A trail leaflet is available from the<br />
Masham Community Office.<br />
Theakstons Brewery: founded in 1827 it started as a<br />
small family business, which grew rapidly as their<br />
beer became popular. Following several changes<br />
of hands it is now an independent family business<br />
once more with a visitor centre, shop and guided<br />
brewery tours. See website for prices and opening<br />
times. T: 01765 680000. www.theakstons.co.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
Mashamshire<br />
Black Sheep Brewery: established in Masham<br />
in October 1992, this brewery is now a year<br />
round attraction with informative and amusing<br />
brewery tours, a shop and a bistro serving home<br />
cooked food. Where: Masham, HG4 4EN. Open:<br />
Mon to Wed 10am-5pm, Thurs to Sat 10am-<br />
11pm, Sun 10am-5pm. T: 01765 680101. www.<br />
blacksheepbrewery.com<br />
Swinton Park Birds<br />
Of Prey: Swinton<br />
Park Birds of<br />
Prey Centre<br />
offers a wide<br />
range of falconry<br />
experiences for<br />
families, groups<br />
and individuals.<br />
Open to both<br />
hotel guests and<br />
non-residents<br />
but pre-booking is essential.<br />
Falcon ry session<br />
at Swinton Pa rk<br />
Where: Swinton Park, Masham, HG4 4JN. T: 01765<br />
680900. www.swintonpark.com/falconry<br />
ILTON<br />
Things to do ...<br />
DALES ACCOMMODATION<br />
Masham<br />
Hollybreen - 4* B&B<br />
Poppy Cottage - 4* Self Catering<br />
T: 01677 460216<br />
dalesaccommodation@gmail.com<br />
www.dalesaccommodation.org.uk<br />
© Leanne Fox<br />
Swinton Bivouac: part of the Swinton Park estate,<br />
this wonderfully rustic and sustainable site has<br />
a range of ‘off grid’ accommodation including<br />
six original, hand crafted, timber frame shacks<br />
tucked away in beautiful woodland, eight canvas<br />
Yurts burrowed into the hillside and a cosy bunk<br />
barn that can sleep up to 12 people. There is also<br />
a café serving delicious food and drinks, and a<br />
variety of events and activities throughout the<br />
year. T: 01765 535020. www.swintonbivouac.co.uk<br />
Druid’s Temple: situated next to Bivouac in the<br />
middle of a pine forest, this folly was created<br />
Bank Villa<br />
Guest House<br />
Masham, HG4 4DB<br />
Award winning AA 4 star<br />
Gold accommodation.<br />
Immaculate rooms offer<br />
comfort with style.<br />
Quality breakfast using<br />
local produce.<br />
Perfect location in Masham.<br />
Contact us on 01765 689605<br />
stay@bankvilla.com<br />
www.bankvilla.com<br />
23
Mashamshire<br />
by William Danby<br />
in the early 1800s<br />
to look something<br />
like Stonehenge.<br />
It features an oval<br />
of altars, menhirs,<br />
dolmens and sarsens,<br />
and several solitary<br />
standing stones line<br />
an avenue that leads<br />
to the temple. It is<br />
thought that this<br />
labour-intensive work was to relieve<br />
some of the unemployment in the area and workers<br />
were paid a shilling a day. There are wonderful<br />
views towards Leighton Reservoir. Swinton Estate,<br />
owners of the Temple and surrounding plantation,<br />
welcome considerate visitors.<br />
©EM<br />
Druid’s Te m p l e<br />
JERVAULX<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Brymor Ice Cream Parlour: a family business<br />
for over 30 years. This delicious ice cream is<br />
produced using only milk from their own herd<br />
of pedigree Guernsey cows that graze nearby<br />
pastures. The parlour sells over 35 flavours of ice<br />
cream and sorbets for cones and sundaes, as well<br />
as ice cream gateaux. They also serve hot drinks<br />
and light snacks and there is a childrens indoor<br />
and outdoor play area. Where: High Jervaulx<br />
Farm, HG4 4PG. Open: Daily 10am-6pm. T:<br />
01677 460337. www.brymordairy.co.uk<br />
Jervaulx Abbey:<br />
founded in 1156 by<br />
Cistercian Monks<br />
who had arrived<br />
from France<br />
following the<br />
Norman Conquest,<br />
this enchanting<br />
Abbey eventually<br />
became one<br />
of the busiest<br />
and wealthiest<br />
religious houses.<br />
It takes its name from the medieval word for<br />
valley, and the River Ure or Yorre, ‘Jur’. Now in<br />
private ownership, this beautiful site is carefully<br />
managed with conservation in mind and it is<br />
noted for more than 180 species of wild flowers<br />
and shrubs growing amidst its ruins. It is a place<br />
of great beauty, tranquillity and history and is<br />
a wonderful site to visit. The Abbey also has a<br />
24 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Je rva u l x Ab b e y<br />
tearoom, which has a scale model of how the<br />
Abbey would have looked. Where: Jervaulx,<br />
HG4 4PH. Open: Abbey - daily during daylight<br />
hours. Tearoom - February to November, 10am<br />
- 4/5pm. Prices: £1 for car parking. £3 per adult<br />
- visitors are asked to use the honesty box at the<br />
abbey entrance. www.jervaulxabbey.com<br />
FEARBY<br />
Fearby is first mentioned in the Domesday Book as<br />
Federbi, with a population of eight villagers and one<br />
smallholder. The element -by is of Old Norse origin,<br />
meaning “village”, and it is thought that the name<br />
means either “four villages” or “feather village”.<br />
5 things you should<br />
do before you leave<br />
Mashamshire ...<br />
1Get creative at a craft<br />
workshop at ArtisOn<br />
and then visit Masham’s<br />
galleries to see the wonderful<br />
work of local crafts people. Why<br />
not buy a piece to take home!<br />
2Try a delicious ice cream<br />
from Brymor. Allow plenty<br />
of time though to choose<br />
from the 35 flavours on offer!<br />
3Explore Druid’s Temple<br />
and try some delicious<br />
home made food at The<br />
Bivouac.<br />
4Tour the local breweries<br />
and sample their beer in<br />
the local pubs.<br />
5<strong>Visit</strong> the stunning ruins<br />
of Jervaulx Abbey with<br />
its many species of<br />
wildflower.<br />
© <strong>Visit</strong> England/Diana Jarvis<br />
© PHP<br />
© EM<br />
© PHP<br />
Get on your bike<br />
A four page cycling special in celebration of the<br />
Tour de Yorkshire 2016<br />
In April 2016 the Tour de Yorkshire will bring<br />
over 100 of the world’s best cyclists to the roads<br />
around Nidderdale.<br />
On the 29 April Stage One of the three day Tour<br />
will see the race start in Beverley on the east coast,<br />
and travel West across country to its finish in<br />
Settle. The riders will pass through Wetherby and<br />
Knaresborough before entering the AONB near<br />
Ripley. They will then head along the Nidderdale<br />
Valley, past the spectacular Brimham Rocks, and<br />
down Pateley Bridge high street before taking on the<br />
gruelling climb of ‘Cote de Greenhow Hill’.<br />
© EM<br />
This is the first big climb of the race and the dramatic<br />
270m ascent gives outstanding views over the AONB.<br />
The summit also has King of the Mountains status,<br />
which means that the first riders over the top will get<br />
points for the Mountains Category jersey. As this is<br />
the only categorised climb of the day the first rider<br />
over Greenhow will be awarded the King of the<br />
Mountains jersey at the end of the day.<br />
It looks set to be a spectacular day and we will<br />
definitely be watching as the riders make their way<br />
through the AONB. We hope you will join us!<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
25
Planning your visit for the<br />
Tour de Yorkshire<br />
The weekend of the 29 April looks set to be a great one and the<br />
AONB is the perfect place to base yourself as the route goes right<br />
through Nidderdale. The only King of the Mountains stage on day<br />
one is also in the AONB so you can be sure that this is a great<br />
place to watch the race. To make the most of this fantastic event<br />
here is some useful information to help you plan your visit.<br />
The route - stage 1<br />
Stage 1 Map © ASO<br />
Road closures<br />
Most road closures will be rolling<br />
road closures lasting no more<br />
than an hour. However there will<br />
be some closures that are longer<br />
than this such as at the start and<br />
finish and on some climbs. Road<br />
closures will be managed by the<br />
police and will be announced<br />
nearer the race weekend.<br />
Race timings<br />
Section of the race<br />
through the AONB<br />
Times for the race had not been<br />
announced when this guide went<br />
to print but full details will be<br />
available at www.letour.yorkshire.<br />
com<br />
Where to stay<br />
Accommodation in the AONB<br />
caters for everyone with luxurious<br />
hotels, cosy country cottages,<br />
family run B&Bs, caravan &<br />
camping sites and bunk barns. If<br />
you fancy something a little bit<br />
different you could even try a Yurt<br />
or a woodland shack!<br />
Places are likely to fill up fast<br />
for the time around the Tour de<br />
Yorkshire so we recommend you<br />
book as early as possible so you<br />
aren’t disappointed.<br />
To find out where to stay visit www.<br />
yorkshire.com or www.visitharrogate.<br />
co.uk<br />
Full details at letour.yorkshire.com<br />
Please help us to<br />
look after the special<br />
landscape of the<br />
AONB by following<br />
the Countryside and<br />
Moorland Codes:<br />
Respect other people<br />
• Consider the local<br />
community and other people<br />
enjoying the outdoors<br />
• Leave gates and property<br />
as you find them and stick to<br />
public footpaths unless wider<br />
access is available<br />
Protect the natural environment<br />
• Leave no trace of your visit<br />
and take litter home<br />
• Keep dogs under close<br />
control and off the moors<br />
Enjoy the outdoors<br />
• Be safe – plan ahead and be<br />
prepared<br />
• Follow advice and local signs<br />
and respect any warning signs<br />
Help prevent uncontrolled<br />
moorland fires<br />
• Never light fires on moorland<br />
– including BBQs<br />
• Dispose of used cigarette<br />
ends carefully<br />
• Respect any warning signs<br />
Also:<br />
• Please don’t climb on walls<br />
or fences<br />
• Camp and park in<br />
designated sites only – please<br />
don’t park on the grass verges or<br />
moors as they are home to rare<br />
plants and animals.<br />
• Take care to protect the<br />
historic environment<br />
Cycle Nidderdale AONB<br />
Nidderdale AONB is an area well worth exploring on two wheels.<br />
There is a vast network of quiet country lanes, breathtaking<br />
scenery and some challenging climbs as well as an abundance of<br />
tearooms which welcome cyclists.<br />
Road cycling: Cycling is a great<br />
way to get around the AONB and<br />
there is a huge choice of routes.<br />
Its rural nature means there is an<br />
abundance of quiet roads and lanes,<br />
and some breathtaking scenery<br />
along the way. We’ve put a couple of<br />
routes on www.nidderdaleaonb.org.<br />
uk. Alternatively you can plan your<br />
own route using Ordnance Survey<br />
Explorer maps 297 or 298.<br />
Family cycling: If you’re new to cycling,<br />
have a young family or would just prefer a<br />
short, quiet ride away from traffic, there are<br />
a few options.<br />
• The Nidderdale Greenway is a 4 mile<br />
(6.5km) bridleway (also very popular<br />
with walkers and horse riders)<br />
which connects Ripley, on the edge<br />
of the AONB, to Harrogate and<br />
Knaresborough on a fantastic converted<br />
railway line. www.sustrans.org.uk<br />
Mountain biking: Whether<br />
you’re a beginner or an<br />
experienced rider, the AONB<br />
is a fantastic place for a spot of<br />
mountain biking. There’s an<br />
extensive network of off road<br />
routes in the AONB and a<br />
selection of suggested routes are<br />
available on the AONB website at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
• Yorkshire Water have created cycle routes near Swinsty Reservoir in the<br />
Washburn Valley, and at Scar House Reservoir in Upper Nidderdale.<br />
The routes are short and use varied surfaces, including short sections<br />
of tarmac, hard stoned tracks and grassed areas which can be soft and<br />
muddy. www.yorkshirewater.com<br />
Yorkshire<br />
Cycle Hire,<br />
Masham<br />
T: 07939 972485<br />
www.yorkshirecyclehire.co.uk<br />
Nidderdale Cycles,<br />
near Pateley Bridge<br />
T: 07821 463853<br />
www.nidderdalecycles.co.uk<br />
VOC Cycles, Darley<br />
T: 07595 460465<br />
www.voc.bike<br />
Don’t hav e a bike o f you r own?<br />
W h y n ot h i r e o n<br />
26 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
e!<br />
© Sally Wilson<br />
Fa m il y cyc ling<br />
at Sca r Hous e<br />
VO ern verton<br />
Cycling<br />
Way of the Roses<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale<br />
Covering a total distance of 170<br />
miles this coast to coast route<br />
starts from Morecambe Bay in<br />
the west, crossing the red rose<br />
county of Lancashire and the<br />
white rose county of Yorkshire,<br />
to Bridlington Bay in the east.<br />
It is a challenging cycling<br />
adventure that runs through<br />
some of the most beautiful<br />
countryside in northern<br />
England. The route follows<br />
cycle paths, country lanes and<br />
quieter roads and has varied<br />
and stunning scenery.<br />
A series of public artworks can<br />
be found at points on the route,<br />
including the wonderful ‘Pillars<br />
Past’ in Pateley Bridge.<br />
Full details can be found at<br />
wayoftheroses.info and a route<br />
map can be purchased from the<br />
Sustrans online shop at www.<br />
sustrans.org.uk/shop<br />
© PHP<br />
Pillars Past,<br />
Pat e l e y Bridge<br />
27
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale<br />
Tour de Nidderdale<br />
The Tour de Nidderdale is a legacy of July 2014 when the Tour<br />
de France Grand Depart came to Yorkshire.<br />
The terrain in Nidderdale mirrors much of that encountered by the<br />
Grand Depart with a combination of sweeping valleys, interspersed<br />
with pretty villages and tumbling streams. There are some steep<br />
gradients and plunging descents, which open up magnificent vistas of<br />
the open moors and fells.<br />
The route centres on Pateley Bridge and it can either be tackled on<br />
a single ride (the ‘Yellow Jersey’ route), or split into two shorter rides<br />
(the Green Jersey Route and the Polka Dot Jersey Route). It has been<br />
designed with the experienced cyclist in mind.<br />
The two loops are quite different in character - the ‘Green Jersey’<br />
route (27 miles) takes in the Nidd Valley, passing through many of its<br />
charming villages, whilst the ‘Polka Dot Jersey’ route (31 miles) is a<br />
much sterner test.<br />
A booklet which contains full route descriptions is available from the<br />
Nidderdale Plus Community Office in Pateley Bridge.<br />
This route was devised by Nidderdale Plus and Sport Nidderdale. Please<br />
bear in mind that many of the roads are narrow, twisty, steep and<br />
flanked by dry-stone walls so take the utmost care at all times.<br />
28 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
KILLER CLIMBS<br />
Trapping Hill, Lofthouse<br />
Distance: 1.3 miles<br />
Total climb: 677ft<br />
Avg gradient: 10%<br />
Steepest gradient: 20%<br />
Traffic volume: low to med (higher<br />
at weekends and peak holiday<br />
times). Please take care.<br />
Start point: grid ref SE102735<br />
Starting from the Crown Hotel<br />
this climb is probably the most<br />
gruelling and relentless in the<br />
Dale. As you leave the village the<br />
gradient increases to 10% and will<br />
only briefly drop below that until<br />
you emerge onto the moor at the<br />
top of the hill. The first corners are<br />
nasty but the straight that follows<br />
traversing back across the hill side<br />
should be used as a recharge point.<br />
From the next left hand corner<br />
the road goes straight up the hill<br />
with some agonising twists until<br />
eventually it very slowly begins to<br />
level out with the last third of a mile<br />
being under 10%.<br />
Peat Lane, Bewerley<br />
Distance: 2 miles<br />
Total climb: 711ft<br />
Avg gradient: 7%<br />
Steepest gradient: 22.5%<br />
Traffic volume: low all year round<br />
but please take care.<br />
Start point: grid ref SE154644<br />
Starting at the locally famous False<br />
Tooth Bridge this climb gets very<br />
serious, very quickly and it just<br />
never ends. It climbs over 700ft<br />
and over one third of that in the<br />
first quarter of a mile. Warm legs<br />
are certainly advised for this beast.<br />
This quiet back lane starts with<br />
two tightly walled corners at nearly<br />
20% each and then giving just the<br />
shortest of respite before hitting you<br />
with the rest of the hill, with 100yds<br />
of more than 20% climb. The next<br />
corner doesn’t make it much easier<br />
with the gradient only dropping<br />
very slightly. Once this painful bit<br />
is over the hill presents you with<br />
three long straights of ever lessening<br />
gradient, the last being almost flat,<br />
before one last sprint climb.<br />
Saddle up<br />
© PHP<br />
© PHP<br />
RIDING CENTRES<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale Saddle up<br />
With a bridleway network of more than 170km<br />
there are a number of opportunities to explore<br />
Nidderdale AONB on horseback, from leisurely<br />
guided treks for beginners to advanced hacks<br />
for the more experienced. Whatever your<br />
ability, horse riding is a very enjoyable and<br />
relaxing way to see the stunning scenery<br />
and countryside of the AONB.<br />
If you have your own horse you can plan a<br />
route using Ordnance Survey Explorer maps<br />
297 or 298, which cover most of the AONB.<br />
Alternatively the riding centres in the AONB may<br />
be able to help you plan a route, ride out with you or<br />
stable your horse overnight.<br />
Bewerley Riding Centre, near Pateley Bridge:<br />
offer a range of riding experiences from<br />
trial rides for beginners to short hacks for<br />
people keen to experience the countryside on<br />
horseback, as well as riding lessons, pony club and<br />
horse riding holidays. T: 01423 712249.<br />
www.bewerleyridingcentre.co.uk<br />
Bogs Hall Stables, Kirkby Malzeard: primarily<br />
a teaching stables and livery yard, but also<br />
offers escorted rides out to visiting riders.<br />
They run a Pony Club and a Saddle Club for<br />
enthusiastic youngsters who want to get more<br />
involved in caring for horses. T: 01765 658184. E:<br />
bogshallstables@yahoo.co.uk<br />
www.bogshallstables.com<br />
Masham Riding & Trekking Centre: trekking<br />
and basic riding lessons for all skill levels and<br />
ages of rider. Treks are always supervised by<br />
an experienced member of staff. (Minimum<br />
age of 7). T: 01765 689636. E: info@<br />
mashamridingcentre.com<br />
www.mashamridingcentre.com<br />
For more information<br />
on horse riding in<br />
Yorkshire please visit<br />
www.rideyorkshire.org<br />
Bewerley School<br />
of Horsemanship<br />
Riding for all ages,<br />
all levels, and all disciplines.<br />
Pony rides - pony club lessons -<br />
adult beginner lessons - jumping -<br />
stable management<br />
Residential riding holidays, as well as<br />
trekking and hacking.<br />
Come and see us at this excellent set<br />
up - in the beautiful countryside in<br />
the heart of the Nidderdale.<br />
01423 712249/07900 692250<br />
bewerley.riding@btconnect.com<br />
www.bewerleyridingcentre.co.uk<br />
29
The East<br />
Discov er the<br />
Eastern AONB<br />
This area marks the transition between the flatter arable land in the<br />
Vale of York to the east and the vast expanse of moorlands to the west.<br />
The countryside is shaped by its monastic past and is dominated by the<br />
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal World Heritage Site.<br />
30<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Kirkby Malzeard<br />
Key to symbols<br />
Cashpoint /<br />
Post Office<br />
<strong>Visit</strong>or<br />
information<br />
Regular<br />
bus route<br />
Doctors<br />
surgery<br />
Cafe /<br />
Tearoom<br />
Pub<br />
KIRKBY MALZEARD<br />
Kirkby Malzeard is first mentioned in the 1086<br />
Domesday Book as ‘Churchei’, meaning ‘church in the<br />
clearing’. The village has a strong history in its buildings<br />
with 20 Grade II listed. It also has one Grade I listed<br />
building: St Andrew’s Church was first built in 1150 and<br />
continued to be extended until it was mainly destroyed<br />
by fire in 1908. Restoration work took two years and<br />
cost £5500. Today Kirkby Malzeard is an attractive<br />
village with a strong community feel.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Crackpots Mosaic<br />
Trail: this enjoyable<br />
trail around part of<br />
Dallowgill is marked<br />
with 22 mosaics<br />
depicting local scenes<br />
of flora and fauna<br />
which might be<br />
encountered along the<br />
route. It was created<br />
as a celebration of<br />
the designation of<br />
the AONB. The trail is 7 miles (11km)<br />
long. Where: the route starts from Tom Corner,<br />
Dallowgill, near Kirkby Malzeard. A route map can<br />
be downloaded from www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
GREWELTHORPE<br />
Hotel / Inn<br />
Shop<br />
Toilets<br />
Petrol<br />
Food<br />
Bl ue b e l l mosaic<br />
A pretty little village with a beautiful village green<br />
and large duck pond. Its name comes from the Danish<br />
‘thorpe’ meaning farm or secondary settlement<br />
(hamlet), and “Grewel” which either refers to the gravel<br />
found locally or to the finely ground flour milled in the<br />
area.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Himalayan Garden: this 20 acre woodland garden<br />
and sculpture park, open only for a few weeks<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
The East<br />
each year, is home to an extensive collection of<br />
rare Rhododendrons and Himalayan plants, set<br />
amongst swathes of spring bulbs and perennials.<br />
There is also a tearoom serving light refreshments.<br />
Where: Hutts Lane, Grewelthorpe, HG4 3DA.<br />
Open: 24 th April to 12 th June 2016 (see website for<br />
times). Prices: £5 per person, under 12’s free. T:<br />
01765 658009. www.himalayangarden.com<br />
Hackfall Cafe: a community cafe in the village hall<br />
run by volunteers offering home baked food for<br />
your enjoyment and toys and games for children.<br />
Open: Mon, Wed & Fri 10am to 2pm, Tues &<br />
Thurs 12pm to 2pm, 3.15pm to 5.15pm, Sat & Sun<br />
11am to 3pm. www.grewelthorpe.org.uk<br />
Hackfall: a wonderful<br />
area of ancient seminatural<br />
woodland<br />
set within a steep,<br />
rocky gorge of<br />
the River Ure. It<br />
is registered as a<br />
Grade I site in the<br />
English Heritage<br />
‘Register of Historic<br />
Parks and Gardens<br />
of special historic<br />
interest in England’,<br />
highlighting its exceptional interest.<br />
© EM<br />
Rustic Te m p le at<br />
Hackfa l l<br />
Bought in 1731 by the Aislabie family, Hackfall<br />
was gradually developed by William Aislabie into<br />
a fashionable picturesque woodland garden with<br />
follies, grottoes, surprise views and waterfalls.<br />
Today Hackfall is owned by the Woodland Trust,<br />
managed by the Hackfall Trust and is open to<br />
all who want to explore it. Many of the garden’s<br />
features have been restored, thanks to funding<br />
from the Heritage Lottery Fund, making it a truly<br />
beautiful place to explore at any time of the year.<br />
Hackfall is also a fascinating place for the keen<br />
naturalist and is designated as a Site of Special<br />
Scientific Interest because of the large number<br />
of birds, plants and invertebrates that make their<br />
home here.<br />
Access: you can walk to Hackfall alongside the<br />
River Ure from Masham or on public rights of way<br />
from Grewelthorpe. There is also a small car park<br />
on the Grewelthorpe to Masham Road. Open:<br />
every day of the year. Price: entry is free but please<br />
take care - streams, mud and slippery paths are<br />
all features, along with some steep drops. www.<br />
hackfall.org.uk<br />
31
The East<br />
The East<br />
GALPHAY<br />
This beautiful village dates back to the 11 th century<br />
and it is thought that its name means “gallow<br />
enclosure”. Records from 1189 suggest that it was<br />
owned by Fountains Abbey.<br />
GRANTLEY<br />
A small but beautiful village with a country inn<br />
dating back to the 17 th century.<br />
SAWLEY<br />
This village dates back to Saxon times and moved to<br />
its current location to join up with an old Norse and<br />
Tudor settlement in Lowgate Lane. Sawley appears in<br />
the Domesday Book record of 1085-1086 with the first<br />
recorded landowner at Sawley being the Archbishop<br />
of York. Sawley has a picturesque village green and<br />
wildlife garden and is an ideal starting point for many<br />
walks.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Picking Gill: this small community nature reserve<br />
has a surprising variety of habitats and supports an<br />
astonishing variety of insects, amphibians, mammals<br />
and bird life. Where: at the junction of the B6265<br />
and Sawley Moor Lane. Open: daily. Price: free.<br />
G & T’s Ice Cream Parlour: real dairy ice cream<br />
made on the premises in a variety of flavours.<br />
Also serves drinks and cakes. Open: daily. Where:<br />
Risplith (on the B6265 near Sawley). T: 01765<br />
620101. www.gantsicecream.co.uk<br />
STUDLEY ROGER<br />
A small conservation area village adjoining Fountains<br />
Abbey & Studley Royal World Heritage Site. It is<br />
believed that the name Studley derives from ‘Stodlege’,<br />
Old English around 1030, or later ‘Stodleah’ meaning<br />
‘pasture for horses’.<br />
Things to do ...<br />
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal World Heritage<br />
Site: Veiled in a secluded valley, this National Trust<br />
property promises to surprise and captivate with<br />
its vast Cistercian abbey ruins, Georgian water<br />
garden, a medieval deer park, Elizabethan Hall<br />
and Gothic church.<br />
From humble beginnings this magnificent abbey<br />
grew to be wealthy and powerful. In Porter’s Lodge<br />
uncover the story of the monks who founded the<br />
abbey in search of a simpler life, hear a tale or two<br />
on a free guided<br />
tour and see the mill<br />
created by these<br />
skilful masters of<br />
machinery. This<br />
year Swanley<br />
Grange will be<br />
brought back to<br />
life with a new<br />
vegetable garden,<br />
sheep, hens, bee<br />
hives and heritage<br />
crafts.<br />
© Chris Lacey<br />
Founta ins Ab b e y<br />
Studley Royal Water Garden is an outstanding<br />
example of the ‘English’ garden style that swept<br />
across Europe during the 18 th century, and is<br />
in fact what makes this magnificent estate a<br />
World Heritage Site. Elegant ponds and cascades<br />
entwined with rustic bridges, classical temples and<br />
statues enthral today’s visitor just as they would the<br />
pleasure-seeking Georgians.<br />
In the water garden this year, Folly! will be taking<br />
on a brand new twist with internationally renowned<br />
artist Mat Collishaw creating immersive and otherworldly<br />
artistic interpretations in the Banqueting<br />
House and the Temple of Piety – a nod towards the<br />
garden’s intriguing past.<br />
Open year-round, Fountains is fantastic for walks<br />
and each season brings its own unique delights<br />
to see. Watch wildlife awaken in the springtime,<br />
catch the colourful wildflowers during summer,<br />
enjoy autumnal splendour by floodlight and wrap<br />
up warm to see the atmospheric ruins sparkle with<br />
frost as winter returns.<br />
Open: all year except 24/25 December and Fridays<br />
in November, December and January. 10am to<br />
6pm from 25 th March to 29 th October. 10am to<br />
5pm from 30 th October to 24 th March. Price: Adult<br />
£13, Child £6.50. Last admission one hour before<br />
closing. National Trust members, English Heritage<br />
members and under 5s free. T: 01765 608888. www.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/fountainsabbey<br />
5 things you should<br />
do before you leave the<br />
Eastern AONB ...<br />
1Discover the beautiful<br />
Fountains Abbey &<br />
Studley Royal World<br />
Heritage Site, and walk along<br />
the Valley of the Seven Bridges.<br />
West Leas<br />
Farm<br />
Find us on<br />
Facebook<br />
Get a friendly welcome @ West Leas Farm<br />
2Explore Hackfall with its<br />
stunning follies, beautiful<br />
waterfalls and vast array of<br />
wildlife and plants.<br />
Six self catering cottages - each one unique<br />
Large garden with beautiful views over Nidderdale<br />
Free wifi - escape the bustle of life yet keep in touch<br />
Short breaks / Full week Walks in every direction<br />
3Stop for some delicious<br />
local food and drink at one<br />
(or more!) of the many<br />
country pubs.<br />
4<strong>Visit</strong> Picking Gill Nature<br />
Reserve and see how<br />
many species of animal<br />
and plant you can find, before<br />
enjoying an ice cream at G & Ts.<br />
www.westleas.co.uk<br />
West Leas Farm, Galphay, Ripon, HG4 3PB<br />
01765 658416<br />
5Walk the Crackpots<br />
Mosaic Trail and find the<br />
22 wonderful mosaics that<br />
way mark the route.<br />
32 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
33
Great days out<br />
Great days out ...<br />
Nidderdale AONB really does have something for everyone. Whether you like to just sit back and<br />
take it easy, have fun with your family, get the adrenaline pumping or soak up some heritage and<br />
culture we are certain you will find something to enjoy. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:<br />
... to see wonderful<br />
wildlife<br />
Take an early morning trip to<br />
Upper Nidderdale to see if you<br />
can spot the elusive Black Grouse<br />
on moorland around Scar House<br />
Reservoir. En route back down<br />
the Dale visit the viewing point at<br />
Gouthwaite Reservoir, a Site of<br />
Special Scientific Interest, and see<br />
how many species of bird you can<br />
spot.<br />
34<br />
© EM<br />
Gou thwait e<br />
Reservoir<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> the deer park at Studley<br />
Royal which is home to over 500<br />
wild Red, Fallow and Sika deer.<br />
Amazing at any time of year but<br />
especially in the autumn during<br />
the rutting season.<br />
Spend some time exploring<br />
the Washburn Valley. With a<br />
wide range of habitats including<br />
pasture land, woodland,<br />
reservoirs, rivers and moorland,<br />
there is a vast range of wildlife<br />
to see. Timble Ings and Low<br />
Dam are especially good in the<br />
summer months as they are home<br />
to many species of Dragonfly.<br />
Take a walk in Hackfall which is<br />
a fascinating place for the keen<br />
naturalist. It is designated as a<br />
Site of Special Scientific Interest<br />
because of the large number of<br />
birds, plants and invertebrates<br />
that make their home here.<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
... for families<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> one of the three<br />
ice cream parlours<br />
in the AONB - or<br />
try them all and<br />
decide which is your<br />
favourite. You’ll be<br />
spoilt for choice with<br />
a huge choice of<br />
flavours and the kids<br />
will have great fun trying<br />
out the play areas and activities<br />
that are on offer.<br />
Buy some delicious local food from<br />
Pateley Bridge and have a picnic in<br />
the large play area.<br />
Great for kids and big kids alike,<br />
the weird and wonderful rock<br />
formations at Brimham Rocks are<br />
a giant natural playground. See<br />
if you can find the Dancing Bear,<br />
The Eagle and The Gorilla, crawl<br />
through The Smartie Tube and<br />
balance on the Rocking Stones.<br />
Studfold Explore, Discover and<br />
Learn Trail will keep the kids<br />
occupied for hours with its range<br />
of fun and exciting activities.<br />
Solve clues to find secret boxes,<br />
follow giant footprints, search the<br />
wildflower meadow maze to find<br />
its secret, use your imagination in<br />
the giant storytelling chair, follow<br />
the trail to find the larger than life<br />
hedgehog and much more.<br />
Go<br />
underground<br />
at Stump Cross<br />
Caverns and<br />
explore this<br />
extensive cave<br />
system which<br />
is filled with<br />
complex and<br />
colourful stalactite<br />
Birchfield Farm<br />
ice cream parlour<br />
© Chris Lacey<br />
Stud l e y Roya l<br />
Wat e r Gard e n<br />
© PHP<br />
and stalagmite<br />
formations dating<br />
back up to 200,000<br />
years.<br />
Explore the 20 metre<br />
deep limestone gorge<br />
that is How Stean. At<br />
almost 1km long it<br />
can be explored via<br />
a network of narrow<br />
paths, bridges, tunnels<br />
and caves and provides an actionpacked<br />
day out for all the family!<br />
Discover the history of Nidderdale<br />
at the Nidderdale Museum. With 11<br />
rooms which illustrate the rural<br />
© PHP<br />
Nid d erd a l e<br />
Mus e u m<br />
life of Nidderdale, including an<br />
original cobblers’ shop, school<br />
room, and Victorian parlour, it is<br />
a fascinating place to visit.<br />
Fountains Abbey and Studley<br />
Royal is a wonderful day out<br />
with something for all<br />
the family. Explore the<br />
abbey ruins, admire the<br />
beautiful water gardens,<br />
enjoy a picnic, take part<br />
in crafts and activities<br />
and see if you can spot<br />
the deer in the deer<br />
park.<br />
... if you love to be active<br />
Trek with a llama at Nidderdale<br />
Llamas and see the countryside in<br />
a really unique way. The llamas<br />
will become your companion for<br />
the duration of your trek and will<br />
even carry your kit for you.<br />
© PHP<br />
Llama tre kking<br />
Challenge yourself at How Stean<br />
Gorge with the Via Ferrata -<br />
an aerial network of beams,<br />
ladders and cables - or take part<br />
in outdoor activities such as<br />
climbing, canoeing or caving.<br />
Lace up your hiking boots and<br />
explore some of the amazing<br />
walking territory in the AONB.<br />
From long distance routes to easy<br />
strolls there is something to suit<br />
everyone’s ability and interest.<br />
Hire a bike (or bring your own)<br />
and explore the AONB on two<br />
wheels. With a vast network of<br />
quiet roads, country lanes and off<br />
road routes it is a cyclist’s dream.<br />
Explore the AONB on horseback.<br />
You don’t need to have your own<br />
horse or be an experienced rider<br />
as riding centres such as those<br />
at Bewerley and Masham offer<br />
guided treks for beginners.<br />
Hors e riding i n<br />
Bew erley<br />
... if you like a bit of history<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> the stunning ruins of Jervaulx<br />
Abbey, near Masham. This<br />
wonderful site is a place of great<br />
beauty, tranquillity and history. It<br />
is privately owned and carefully<br />
managed with conservation in<br />
mind and has over 180 species of<br />
wild flowers and shrubs growing<br />
amidst its ruins.<br />
Fountains Abbey and Studley<br />
Royal World Heritage Site is a<br />
must! The site is home to a wealth<br />
of historic monuments including<br />
Cistercian abbey ruins, a Georgian<br />
water garden, a medieval deer<br />
park, an Elizabethan Hall and a<br />
Victorian church.<br />
Discover Yorke’s Folly which is a<br />
Grade II listed<br />
Folly that sits on<br />
the Nidderdale<br />
Way on the hillside<br />
above the village<br />
of Bewerley. Built in<br />
the late 18 th century<br />
it was designed to<br />
look like the ruin<br />
of an east window<br />
or church crossing.<br />
© PHP<br />
... if you like local crafts<br />
Toft Gat e Li m e<br />
Ki l n<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> the King Street Workshops<br />
in Pateley Bridge, which is home<br />
to a small group of highly talented<br />
and skilled craftspeople who<br />
design and make exclusive pieces<br />
in a variety of materials including<br />
ceramic, stone, glass, precious<br />
metals and gemstones. Here<br />
you will also find the Number 6<br />
Studio Gallery - a visual arts space<br />
where a varied programme of art<br />
courses and exhibitions take place<br />
throughout the year.<br />
Ramsgill Studio is a gallery and<br />
working studio selling a selection<br />
of quality and interesting arts<br />
and crafts, both traditional and<br />
contemporary. They also run a<br />
series of workshops which can be<br />
pre-booked.<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
Great days out<br />
One of<br />
the shafts<br />
was<br />
blown<br />
down in<br />
a storm<br />
in 1893<br />
and it<br />
is now<br />
known<br />
locally<br />
known as ‘Two Stoops’.<br />
Fishpond Wood is well worth<br />
exploring. Tucked away in<br />
Bewerley village it is a rare and<br />
regionally important example of a<br />
designed landscape from the 18 th<br />
century. It has recently undergone<br />
some restoration work including<br />
repairs to the icehouse and<br />
maintenance to its large<br />
pond.<br />
Toft Gate Lime Kiln,<br />
which was built in the<br />
1860s, can be explored<br />
via a short trail with a<br />
series of information<br />
boards. Access is via a<br />
small car park on the<br />
outskirts of Greenhow.<br />
Masham is home to a wide range<br />
of craftspeople and their work can<br />
be viewed and purchased in one of<br />
the town’s<br />
many<br />
galleries.<br />
If you<br />
would<br />
like to get<br />
hands<br />
on why<br />
not book<br />
on one<br />
of the<br />
Yorke’s Fol l y<br />
© <strong>Visit</strong> England/Diana Jarvis<br />
Masham<br />
Ga l lery<br />
many short art and craft skills<br />
workshops at ArtisOn and learn<br />
anything from print making to<br />
willow weaving, jewellery making<br />
to glass blowing. Uredale Glass -<br />
one of the longest running glass<br />
makers studios in England - is also<br />
worth a visit!<br />
35
A special place for wildlife<br />
A special place for wildlife<br />
A special place for<br />
wildlife<br />
The AONB is home to many rare species<br />
of plants and animals and it is the mixture<br />
of habitats such as heather moorland,<br />
grassland, rivers and reservoirs, flowerrich<br />
meadows and geological sites that<br />
make it such a special place. It is an<br />
important breeding ground for many birds,<br />
including grouse, curlew and lapwing<br />
- which nest on the ground - as well as<br />
home to many other species such as deer,<br />
adder, dragonflies and butterflies.<br />
Curlew © <strong>Visit</strong>England/NYMNPA/Colin Carter<br />
THE SPECIAL HABITAT OF GREENHOW<br />
The Carboniferous limestone outcrop that lies<br />
beneath Greenhow and the surrounding area creates<br />
a very special and unique habitat.<br />
On the acid moorland you can always see heather<br />
and bilberry, as well as tormentil with its fourpetalled<br />
yellow flowers, the shorter blue spikes of<br />
heath milkwort and the dense flower spikes of heath<br />
speedwell. In the damper patches you may find<br />
northern marsh orchid and, if you are lucky, the<br />
insectivorous butterwort with its sticky leaves and violet<br />
like flower.<br />
The thin, well drained soils on the limestone outcrops<br />
and mining spoil heaps are ideal for many beautiful<br />
small plants such as the mountain pansy. In spring<br />
there are plenty of cowslips and meadow saxifrage,<br />
while in early summer you can see early purple,<br />
twayblade, fragrant and frog orchids.<br />
Spring sandwort (also known as leadwort) grows near<br />
the old lead mines as does the slightly taller fairy flax<br />
with its larger leaves. Bird’s-foot trefoil abounds and is<br />
the larval food plant for the common blue butterfly.<br />
Later in the summer harebells, thyme, small scabious<br />
and the felwort (a member of the<br />
gentian family) can be found on the<br />
stony soil.<br />
During early spring, birdsong<br />
increases with the arrival of waders<br />
Bird’s-foot trefoil<br />
from the lowlands and the coast.<br />
Lapwing, curlew and snipe breed<br />
on Greenhow and their song and<br />
display flights can be seen and<br />
heard throughout spring. The small,<br />
streaky brown meadow pipit is<br />
known to breed on the moors and Scabious © EM<br />
is characterised by its parachuting<br />
display flight. The less common<br />
wheatear with its distinctive white<br />
rump doesn’t fly very far when<br />
disturbed and the song of the<br />
skylark can sometimes be heard.<br />
Short-eared owls can also be seen<br />
around Greenhow. The owl hunts in the daylight and<br />
can sometimes be spotted quartering low over rough<br />
pasture looking for small mammals.<br />
Snipe © Margaret Holland<br />
Lapwing<br />
One of the most distinctive birds<br />
to breed in the AONB in the<br />
summer months is the Lapwing.<br />
Sometimes called Peewit because<br />
of its strained weet or ee-wit call,<br />
it is the only species with a wispy<br />
crest, broad wings and a black<br />
and white appearance. Both male<br />
and females have a crest, and<br />
beautiful dark green and purple<br />
iridescent backs. Its flight pattern<br />
is a unique ‘flappy’ wingbeat<br />
that shows alternating white and<br />
dark plumage, sometimes turning<br />
abruptly in a flamboyant display.<br />
Adder<br />
Adders can be found in areas of<br />
rough, open countryside and on<br />
the woodland edge. The best time<br />
to see them is in early spring when<br />
they emerge from their hibernation<br />
dens and they are often seen<br />
around Scar House and Angram<br />
Reservoirs. They are venomous -<br />
the only venomous snake native<br />
to Britain - but will only use their<br />
venom as a last means of defence,<br />
usually if caught or trodden on. A<br />
bite is likely to make you poorly<br />
so if you see one please be careful<br />
and leave it alone!<br />
Grouse<br />
The heather moorland of the<br />
AONB is home to the red grouse<br />
which has a plump body, a short<br />
tail and a slightly hook-tipped bill.<br />
It is a reddish-brown colour, with<br />
its legs and feet covered in pale<br />
feathers. Male red grouse have<br />
a bright red stripe above their<br />
eye, which is very obvious in the<br />
breeding season. Females don’t<br />
have this red eye stripe and are a<br />
little paler in colour. They have<br />
a distinctive call and fly fast and<br />
low above the heather. They feed<br />
mainly on the shoots, seeds and<br />
flowers of the heather.<br />
Dragonflies<br />
Dragonflies and Damselflies can be<br />
found in the summer months near<br />
still water, such as ponds, especially<br />
on hot summer days. This amazing<br />
group of beautifully coloured<br />
creatures has been on Earth for<br />
300 million years, since the time of<br />
the dinosaurs. Today’s dragonflies<br />
are much smaller than their distant<br />
relatives who had a wingspan<br />
of 70 cm! Contrary to folklore<br />
dragonflies cannot sting and will<br />
not bite. However, some species are<br />
inquisitive and may approach you<br />
closely. Species you may see in the<br />
AONB include Common Hawker,<br />
Common Darter, Black Darter and<br />
the Common Blue Damselfly.<br />
Deer<br />
If you are out and about early in<br />
the morning or at dusk, you may be<br />
lucky enough to see a roe deer. One<br />
of our two native species (the other<br />
is the red deer), roe are relatively<br />
small, standing 60-75cm at the<br />
shoulder, and in the summer months<br />
are a chestnut red-brown colour<br />
with a white rump patch. Only the<br />
males (bucks) have antlers which<br />
they shed and re-grow in the winter.<br />
The females (does) become pregnant<br />
during the rut in July/August and<br />
the kids are born in May and June.<br />
Twins are common and the new<br />
born kids lie among bracken or<br />
long grass with the doe returning to<br />
suckle them several times a day.<br />
Curlew<br />
Another distinctive summer visitor<br />
is the curlew with its long downcurved<br />
bill and plaintive call,<br />
a repeated “cur-lew”. Its song is<br />
described as beginning slowly and<br />
accelerating into a “rich, ecstatic,<br />
bubbling trill”. It has a strong and<br />
steady gull-like flight pattern and<br />
may often be seen gliding down<br />
to the ground as it calls. Curlews<br />
nest in upland fields in the spring<br />
and summer months, returning to<br />
shorelines for the winter.<br />
© <strong>Visit</strong>England/NYMNPA/<br />
Mike Nicholas<br />
36<br />
© Leanne Fox © AONB Volunteers<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 37
Moor than meets the eye<br />
Moor than meets<br />
the eye<br />
About a third of Nidderdale AONB is<br />
covered with some of the finest heather<br />
moorland in the country, which is<br />
internationally important for wildlife. These<br />
vast, open moors can be a great antidote<br />
to our busy, modern lives - perhaps<br />
because they seem wild and unmanaged<br />
– and offer a great escape. But although<br />
the heather moorland looks natural it is<br />
the result of careful management for red<br />
grouse and provides a livelihood for many<br />
farmers and gamekeepers, bringing in a<br />
great deal of money to the local economy.<br />
Where’er you roam<br />
<strong>Visit</strong>ors to the AONB are able to walk freely over more than 50 square miles of moorland, designated as<br />
Access Land. All Access Land in the AONB is privately<br />
38<br />
uppernidderdale.org.uk<br />
Moorlands:<br />
People, Places, Stories<br />
An exciting new oral history project<br />
exploring people’s relationship with<br />
Upper Nidderdale’s moorland.<br />
Share your stories<br />
Help record stories<br />
Find out more by contacting the<br />
Upper Nidderdale Landscape<br />
Partnership team on T: 01423<br />
712950 or E: uppernidderdale@<br />
harrogate.gov.uk<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
S. Wilson<br />
H. Jones<br />
I. Whittaker<br />
Follow us on:<br />
Heather © Graham Megson<br />
owned and is home to internationally important<br />
wildlife. With superb views across the landscape the<br />
experience is unforgettable but we suggest you check<br />
up on a few things before you set out:<br />
Access land<br />
• You can walk freely on mapped areas of mountain,<br />
moor, heath, downland and registered<br />
common land, known as Access Land,<br />
without having to stay on paths.<br />
• You can walk, ramble, run, explore,<br />
climb and watch wildlife<br />
• You can’t cycle, horse ride, drive a vehicle or camp.<br />
Maps<br />
• Always carry an orange Ordnance Survey<br />
‘Explorer’ map that shows Access Land in pale<br />
yellow. Nidderdale AONB is covered by the<br />
following ‘Explorer’ maps:<br />
• Lower Wharfedale & Upper Washburn<br />
Valley (297)<br />
• Nidderdale (298)<br />
• Yorkshire Dales - Northern & Central Areas<br />
(OL 30)<br />
Wildfire!<br />
It is all too easy for uncontrolled fires on the moors to start. A dropped<br />
match, smouldering cigarette ends or even a carelessly discarded bottle<br />
can set the dry heather, and the peat underneath, ablaze. The open and<br />
often windy conditions of moorland mean that fires can easily burn out<br />
of control and can go unnoticed for miles causing vast devastation.<br />
Moorland fires can be deadly to all the wildlife in their path - moorland<br />
birds can be devastated, plant life destroyed and the landscape ravaged<br />
- as well as having a detrimental effect on the local economy. The cost of<br />
fighting a moorland fire can easily cost in excess of £50,000 and when<br />
the value of lost income is added to this figure a big fire can cause at least<br />
£300,000 worth of damage. The effects can last for decades.<br />
Please follow these few simple rules to help avoid this devastation:<br />
X• Never light a fire on moorland - that<br />
includes gas stoves and barbecues.<br />
X• Never leave broken glass or<br />
discarded bottles behind on moorland.<br />
X• Never stub cigarettes out on<br />
moorland or throw smoking materials<br />
out of a car window. Always take<br />
cigarette ends and spent matches home.<br />
X• Respect all warning signs.<br />
If you see a moorland fire at any time outside of the heather burning<br />
season call 999 and alert the fire brigade. If possible also report the fire at<br />
the nearest house but do not attempt to fight the fire without assistance.<br />
Closures & restrictions<br />
• Landowners can close their<br />
moors for up to 28 days a year<br />
to protect ground-nesting birds<br />
from disturbance during the<br />
breeding season and walkers<br />
from risks that might be<br />
caused by heather burning and<br />
shooting.<br />
• Closures are administered by<br />
Natural England and details are<br />
available from their website or<br />
from the Open Access Contact<br />
Centre. The information is<br />
updated daily.<br />
Dogs<br />
• Moorland owners have the right<br />
to exclude dogs at all times.<br />
Please check beforehand by<br />
checking the Natural England<br />
website or ringing the Open<br />
Access Contact Centre and look<br />
out for signs when you’re out on<br />
the moors.<br />
• Where dogs are welcome, they<br />
must be kept on short leads<br />
of no more than two metres<br />
between 1 March and July to<br />
protect ground nesting birds<br />
from disturbance, or at any<br />
time of year when you are near<br />
livestock.<br />
Fire<br />
• Access Land is sometimes<br />
closed due to the risk of<br />
Wildfire. Large areas of<br />
moorland in the AONB have<br />
been lost to wildfires in the past<br />
and the risk increases as the<br />
summer unfolds.<br />
• Closures due to fire risk are<br />
administered by Natural<br />
England in consultation with<br />
the Met Office and the latest<br />
information is available from<br />
the Natural England website or<br />
from the Contact Centre. If you<br />
see a fire outside the burning<br />
season, please ring 999.<br />
For more information and details<br />
of closures:<br />
www.naturalengland.org.uk<br />
T: Open Access Contact Centre<br />
- 0845 1003298<br />
E: openaccess@naturalengland.<br />
org.uk<br />
Moor than meets the eye<br />
IMPORTANT DATES<br />
Ground Bird<br />
Nesting Season:<br />
March to July<br />
Ground-nesting<br />
birds are rearing<br />
their young chicks and this time<br />
of year is critical for upland birds.<br />
Disturbance - particularly from<br />
loose dogs - can have a negative<br />
impact on the success of the<br />
breeding season.<br />
Lambing Season:<br />
March to May<br />
Lambing in upland<br />
areas tends to<br />
happen later than<br />
in the lowlands. Your presence on<br />
the moor during this time should<br />
not be detrimental to lambing.<br />
However, loose dogs can cause<br />
serious problems so should be<br />
kept on a short lead at all times.<br />
Grouse Shooting<br />
Season:<br />
12 August to 10<br />
December<br />
Most of the<br />
moorland in the AONB is<br />
managed for grouse shooting<br />
and during the shooting season,<br />
some moors may be closed while<br />
shooting takes place. If a moor<br />
remains open there should not be<br />
any danger to you, as long as you<br />
do not get too close to the shoot.<br />
Heather Burning<br />
Season:<br />
October 1 to April 15<br />
Carefully controlled<br />
fires are purposely<br />
lit by experts to encourage fresh<br />
heather shoots to grow, providing<br />
food for birds and sheep. It is<br />
important to realise that this burn<br />
is very carefully controlled and it<br />
is the uncontrolled fires that can<br />
cause devastation to moorland.<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
© Ian Whittaker<br />
39
Walk Nidderdale AONB<br />
Walk Nidderdale AONB<br />
Walk routes<br />
NEW!! The Yorkes of Bewerley<br />
This walk takes you around what<br />
were once the extensive gardens<br />
and grounds surrounding Bewerley<br />
Hall which, until it was demolished<br />
in the 1920s, was the home of<br />
the influential Yorke family. The<br />
designed landscape, developed in<br />
the 18 th to 20 th centuries, included<br />
parkland, pleasure gardens,<br />
woodlands, ponds, walled kitchen<br />
gardens - and a folly. Nearest town:<br />
Pateley Bridge Length: 5 miles<br />
(8.5km) Time (approx): 2-3 hours<br />
Difficulty: moderate.<br />
Crackpots Mosaic Trail<br />
This enjoyable trail around part<br />
of Dallowgill is marked with 22<br />
mosaics depicting local scenes<br />
40<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Walkers on the Nidderdale Way<br />
near Scar House Reservoir<br />
of flora and fauna which might<br />
be encountered along the route.<br />
Nearest village: Kirkby Malzeard.<br />
Length: 7 miles (11km). Time<br />
(approx): 4 hours. Difficulty:<br />
moderate/strenuous.<br />
Jervaulx Abbey to Thornton<br />
Steward<br />
Starting and finishing at the<br />
fascinating ruins of Jervaulx<br />
Abbey, this walk takes you<br />
through stunning parkland, over<br />
lush pasture fields and through<br />
the historic village of Thornton<br />
Steward. Nearest town: Masham.<br />
Length: 7 miles (11km). Time<br />
(approx): 3-4 hours. Difficulty:<br />
moderate.<br />
There are 568 miles (914km) of<br />
public footpaths and bridleways in the<br />
AONB. From long distance routes to<br />
easy strolls there is something to suit<br />
everyone’s ability and interest. Here are<br />
just a few of our favourites to get you<br />
started.<br />
Reservoir Walks<br />
Yorkshire Water has developed<br />
a series of circular walks around<br />
many of the reservoirs in the<br />
AONB. For routes please visit www.<br />
yorkshirewater.com<br />
Download free route maps from<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk or<br />
purchase our Victorian Gardens<br />
or Greenhow Geology Trail<br />
booklets from local information<br />
centres or the AONB office in<br />
Pateley Bridge.<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Follow us on<br />
Geology Trail<br />
Greenhow<br />
£1.00<br />
wALKS<br />
50p<br />
Walks<br />
£1.00<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Fo low us on<br />
Victorian Gardens<br />
PATELEY BRIDGE<br />
One of the<br />
AONB Family<br />
Victoria Gardens<br />
PATELEY BRIDGE<br />
WALKS<br />
£1.00<br />
One of the<br />
AONB Family<br />
£1.00<br />
50p<br />
Long distance trails<br />
Six Dales Trail: this<br />
long distance linear<br />
trail traverses the full<br />
length of the AONB.<br />
It runs for 38 miles<br />
(61km) from Otley,<br />
in Wharfedale,<br />
northward to<br />
Middleham, in<br />
Wensleydale. Along<br />
its way it crosses<br />
the five watersheds that separate the six dales that<br />
give the trail its name. From Wharfedale it passes<br />
over into Washburndale, then into Nidderdale,<br />
Colsterdale, Coverdale and finally Wensleydale.<br />
More information and a route guide can be found at<br />
www.waw-otley.org.uk<br />
Six Da les Trail<br />
Nidderdale Way: a 53 mile<br />
(85km) circular walk from<br />
Pateley Bridge which takes<br />
you through beautiful and<br />
contrasting countryside from<br />
the spectacular uplands around<br />
Scar House Reservoir to more<br />
gentle, rolling pasture fields and river<br />
valleys along the course of the Nidd. The route<br />
follows well used public footpaths, bridleways and<br />
roads and has its own unique way marker, which<br />
you will see along the way. The full route is shown<br />
on the Ordnance Survey Explorer 298 map. There<br />
is also a handy waterproof map (by Harvey Maps)<br />
specifically on the Nidderdale Way, which includes<br />
useful information on the local area.<br />
Ripon Rowel: a 50 mile route around the ancient<br />
city of Ripon and the eastern part of the AONB,<br />
taking in villages, historic sites and wooded valleys.<br />
Some of the highlights include Markenfield Hall,<br />
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal World Heritage<br />
Site, Eavestone Lakes and the quaint Druids<br />
Temple. In addition it takes in the tranquil Valley<br />
of the Seven Bridges on the River Skell, the lovely<br />
valleys of the Rivers Burn and Ure along with<br />
Hackfall wood. Most of the route is shown on the<br />
Ordnance Survey Explorer 298 map, with small<br />
sections on the 299 and 302 maps.<br />
COWS AND WALKERS<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
Walk Nidderdale AONB<br />
Walkers should be aware that cows, particularly those<br />
with calves, can be dangerous, especially if you are<br />
accompanied by a dog. By following this simple advice,<br />
issued by the NFU and the Ramblers Association, walkers<br />
can minimise the risk of an incident happening:<br />
Don’t<br />
X Don’t hang onto<br />
your dog - if cattle<br />
threaten you let it go<br />
and the cattle will<br />
chase the dog.<br />
X Don’t get between<br />
cows and their calves.<br />
X Don’t put yourself at<br />
risk - find another way<br />
round the cattle and<br />
rejoin the footpath as<br />
soon as possible.<br />
X Don’t panic or run<br />
- most cattle will stop<br />
before they reach you.<br />
If they follow just walk<br />
on quietly.<br />
© PHP<br />
Do<br />
p Do be prepared for<br />
cattle to react to your<br />
presence, especially if<br />
you have a dog with you.<br />
p Do move quickly and<br />
quietly and if possible<br />
walk around the herd.<br />
p Do keep your dog<br />
close and under effective<br />
control.<br />
p Do report any<br />
problems to the highway<br />
authority.<br />
41
Fishpond Wood<br />
Fishpond Wood<br />
Fishpond Wood:<br />
Flagship Heritage Site<br />
Fishpond Wood Icehouse<br />
One of the most remarkable<br />
features of Fishpond Wood is an<br />
early 19 th century icehouse, rarely<br />
seen for the last hundred years<br />
because no path ventures near it.<br />
It has now been repaired, an old<br />
path restored, and is now open for<br />
viewing.<br />
Th e icehous e<br />
Want to find<br />
out more? Come along<br />
to our event:<br />
Family Fun at Fishpond Wood<br />
Saturday 11 June<br />
11am to 2pm<br />
Full details on p48.<br />
It was one of Nidderdale’s earliest tourist attractions, but has guarded its secrets closely<br />
for the better part of a century. Now Fishpond Wood, in Bewerley near Pateley Bridge,<br />
is again throwing open its gates, and its long and colourful history, to the public.<br />
There’s a temptation to think of woods as wild places,<br />
untamed by human hand. But you don’t have to wander<br />
far into Fishpond Wood before you notice signs of<br />
previous human activity.<br />
There has been a wood on this site since at least the<br />
Middle Ages, perhaps much longer. For centuries the hills<br />
around the village would have rung with the sound of<br />
the woodman’s axe as the trees were managed for fuel,<br />
building materials and toolmaking. Mysterious mounds<br />
and dells among the trees show that Fishpond Wood once<br />
also echoed to the sound of pickaxe and shovel as men<br />
quarried for stone.<br />
Fishpond Wood was<br />
owned by the Yorke<br />
family of Bewerley Hall,<br />
one of Nidderdale’s<br />
most influential land<br />
owning dynasties. In the<br />
18 th century John Yorke<br />
set about refashioning<br />
the wood to suit contemporary ideals of the picturesque.<br />
He replanted parts of the wood and laid out a network of<br />
woodland walks. He may also have dammed a stream to<br />
create the pond that gives the wood its name, although<br />
according to popular belief the pond was originally the<br />
work of the monks of Fountains Abbey.<br />
By the time Fishpond Wood was inherited by John<br />
Yorke’s nephew, also John, it was becoming a popular<br />
tourist attraction. But it was the arrival of the railway in<br />
Nidderdale in the mid-19 th century that put Fishpond<br />
Wood on the tourist map. Special trains brought visitors<br />
from neighbouring industrial centres to visit the gardens<br />
at the Yorke’s home, Bewerley Hall, before promenading<br />
up through the trees to take pleasure boats out on the<br />
pond.<br />
The Yorke family lost their estates after the First World<br />
War, and Fishpond Wood sank back into obscurity.<br />
Although walkers on public footpaths through the wood<br />
continued to enjoy its tranquil atmosphere, the rest of<br />
Fishpond Wood remained out of bounds to visitors until<br />
2012, when it was bought by its current owner, Peter<br />
Brambleby. As an NHS doctor and a former Director<br />
of Public Health for North Yorkshire, Peter was keen<br />
‘Fishpond Wood, a delightful retreat, where man’s efforts, in<br />
the formation of the lake, have most nearly imitated nature.<br />
Encircling the pond is a footpath, shaded by fine beeches,<br />
which at places overhang the road, and, dipping the tips of<br />
their branches into the water, form natural arches.’<br />
E. Bogg, From Edenvale to the Plains of York, 1895<br />
for more people to<br />
experience the benefits<br />
to health and wellbeing<br />
that spending time in<br />
the woods can bring.<br />
In 2014 he and the<br />
Upper Nidderdale<br />
Landscape Partnership,<br />
along with a dedicated team of conservation volunteers,<br />
set about opening up the wood to visitors and restoring<br />
the look and feel of John Yorke’s designed landscape.<br />
The woodland walks have been re-established, the<br />
pond has been dredged, and the trees brought back into<br />
management for the sake of wildlife conservation.<br />
Whether you have an interest in archaeology, a love<br />
of woodland or simply a hankering for an hour or<br />
two’s peace and fresh air, you are very welcome to visit<br />
Fishpond Wood.<br />
Explore ....<br />
Why not take a walk to explore this beautiful and tranquil site for yourself. You can either walk from Pateley<br />
Bridge through Bewerley and back, or take a more circular route. Both walks pass the restored 15 th century<br />
Bewerley Grange Chapel which is certainly worth a visit.<br />
A public right of way runs through the wood and is joined by a series of permissive paths. These are<br />
highlighted on a panel at the entrance and can be downloaded from uppernidderdale.org.uk, along with an<br />
audio trail that guides you through some of the highlights of this special place.<br />
Fishpond<br />
Wood<br />
© Crown copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100019628<br />
Fishpond Wood is one of four flagship heritage sites being conserved and brought to life under the<br />
Heritage Lottery funded Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership Scheme (2014–2018).<br />
To find out more visit uppernidderdale.org.uk<br />
P<br />
Pateley<br />
Bridge<br />
Walk length<br />
The full circular<br />
walk and the walk<br />
to Fishpond Wood<br />
and back through<br />
Bewerley are both<br />
approx. 1.25 miles<br />
(2km).<br />
We suggest you<br />
allow 1-2 hours to<br />
enjoy the walk and<br />
the woodland.<br />
Important<br />
information<br />
• Please keep to<br />
the paths.<br />
• Stout footwear<br />
is advisable as<br />
the wood can be<br />
muddy.<br />
• Please use<br />
Ordnance Survey<br />
Explorer map<br />
298 to plan your<br />
route fully.<br />
42 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
43
A taste of Nidderdale<br />
Local produce you can<br />
try ...<br />
www.niddaonbfriends.org.uk<br />
Become a Friend today<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale<br />
Friends<br />
of<br />
A taste of<br />
Nidderdale<br />
The AONB’s farmed landscape makes<br />
it the perfect place for delicious, fresh<br />
local produce. Local shops, pubs,<br />
restaurants and accommodation take<br />
great pride in the high quality produce<br />
that can be found locally. Nidderdale<br />
Lamb, grouse from the moors, locally<br />
brewed beer and delicious ice cream<br />
are just a few of the specialities on<br />
offer so why not try them for yourself.<br />
Why buy local?<br />
• It supports the farmers who<br />
manage our landscape and protects<br />
the environment by encouraging<br />
traditional farming practices, helping<br />
to maintain the diverse farmed<br />
landscape that characterises the area.<br />
44 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
© PHP<br />
• Products travel a shorter distance<br />
reducing congestion and pollution on<br />
our roads.<br />
• Local food is fresher and healthier<br />
as it is less likely to need processing<br />
and use preservatives.<br />
• It reduces stress for livestock<br />
(caused by transportation) and food is<br />
Meat, Fish & Cheese:<br />
There are a number of butchers<br />
and farm shops around the<br />
AONB which sell a wonderful<br />
range of meat products, sourced<br />
from local farms. They also<br />
sell delicious award-winning pork pies and local<br />
delicacies, such as grouse and pheasant, providing<br />
the perfect opportunity to try something a little bit<br />
different.<br />
Ice Cream: If you like ice<br />
cream you’ll be spoilt for choice.<br />
Why not try them all:<br />
»»<br />
Brymor - Jervaulx<br />
»»<br />
Birchfield - Summerbridge<br />
»»<br />
Meadowdale - Lofthouse<br />
»»<br />
G & T’s - Risplith, near Sawley<br />
Preserves: Rosebud<br />
Preserves at Healey, near<br />
Masham, is a small familyrun<br />
business that prepares<br />
© PHP<br />
and cooks a wonderful line of<br />
preserves from its own kitchen. Products are available<br />
by mail order and from local retailers. www.<br />
rosebudpreserves.co.uk<br />
Flour: ‘Sunflours’ flour is<br />
made in the north of the AONB,<br />
near Masham. Traditional<br />
methods of slow milling between<br />
two mill stones are used to<br />
produce high quality products<br />
including organic and gluten free flours. Available<br />
from local retailers.<br />
Beer: If you are partial to a<br />
good pint then Masham is the<br />
place to go as it is home to two<br />
breweries, Black Sheep and<br />
Theakstons (see p23).<br />
© PHP<br />
© PHP<br />
tastier (stress can affect the quality of<br />
their meat).<br />
• We have a better understanding of<br />
how and where our food is produced.<br />
• Supporting local shops and<br />
suppliers supports local jobs and the<br />
wider rural economy.<br />
The ‘Friends of Nidderdale AONB’ is a registered charity, run by unpaid trustees<br />
who, like you, are committed to protecting this special landscape for generations<br />
to come. Help us protect the area we love by becoming a Friend today!<br />
Membership benefits include: • High quality newsletter • Regular e-newsletter updates • 50% off many AONB events • Car sticker<br />
and map • Opportunities to visit projects your money has funded • Satisfaction of supporting wildlife and heritage projects<br />
Don’t delay, join today!<br />
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To the Friends of Nidderdale AONB – “I would like the Friends of<br />
Nidderdale AONB to treat the donation I make today, all donations<br />
I make in the future and donations I have made during the last<br />
four years (if any) as Gift Aid donations. I confirm I have paid or<br />
will pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax for each<br />
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<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 2014<br />
Follow us on:<br />
45
Events<br />
Events<br />
events 2016 • walks • explore • discovery • craft • adventure • family fun • heritage • wildlife • foraging • talks • traditional skills • www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>NIDDERDALE</strong> AONB<br />
Events 2016<br />
A host of countryside events for all the family<br />
Discover more about the AONB’s beautiful countryside and the<br />
special qualities of the area through our programme of exciting events.<br />
Your AONB Enjoy Wildlife & Habitats<br />
Get Involved Living & Working Heritage<br />
Important information<br />
Booking: most events must<br />
be booked in advance. Where<br />
booking is not essential it is highly<br />
recommended to guarantee your<br />
place. Your safety and enjoyment<br />
are very important to us and<br />
we therefore have to adhere to<br />
guidelines on group numbers.<br />
Unfortunately this means that we<br />
might have to turn people away<br />
but we ask that you respect the<br />
decision of the event leader.<br />
Please note that bookings are<br />
nonrefundable unless the event is<br />
cancelled by the AONB.<br />
Cancellation of events:<br />
sometimes circumstances beyond<br />
our control may lead to an event<br />
being cancelled. Every effort will<br />
be made to contact people that<br />
have booked but if you haven’t<br />
booked we recommend that you<br />
contact us to check the event is<br />
still going ahead.<br />
We reserve the right to postpone<br />
or cancel any events.<br />
Meeting point: please ensure<br />
that you know where the meeting<br />
point is before the event. Some<br />
events are in remote locations but<br />
directions are always available<br />
from the AONB office.<br />
46 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Food & drink: if you need a<br />
packed lunch it will say in the<br />
event details but you may want<br />
to bring a drink and snack to all<br />
events.<br />
Clothing & equipment: it is<br />
essential that you come dressed/<br />
equipped accordingly for the<br />
event and the weather conditions.<br />
The weather can be very different<br />
on higher ground so please come<br />
prepared. Event leaders can<br />
only accept participants who are<br />
prepared for the conditions.<br />
Always bring:<br />
• sturdy footwear, preferably<br />
walking boots<br />
• waterproofs<br />
• warm, layered clothing<br />
Children are welcome unless it<br />
says otherwise, but under 16s must<br />
be accompanied by an adult.<br />
Dogs: unfortunately dogs are<br />
not allowed unless stated due to<br />
health & safety reasons. When<br />
dogs are allowed they must be<br />
well behaved, kept on a short lead<br />
at all times and be fit enough for<br />
the terrain.<br />
Toilets: many events are in<br />
remote locations with no toilets.<br />
Book online via www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
T: 01423 712950 or E: aonbevents@harrogate.gov.uk<br />
More events online at www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
© ??<br />
© Graham Spooner<br />
© Ros Evans<br />
© Ros Evans<br />
Become a ‘Friend’ of<br />
Nidderdale AONB and<br />
get 50% off most AONB<br />
events. See p45 or visit<br />
www.niddaonbfriends.<br />
org.uk<br />
March 2016<br />
Reading the<br />
archaeological landscape<br />
Saturday 12, 10.30am to 3.30pm<br />
Have you ever walked through a<br />
landscape and seen strange lumps<br />
and bumps or the remnants of<br />
long-forgotten ruined stonework?<br />
The countryside is one giant<br />
archaeological site and these<br />
features are the ‘fingerprints’ of<br />
the generations of people who<br />
have lived and worked in it for<br />
thousands of years. Join us to<br />
learn the basics of reading and<br />
recording the historic landscape<br />
with archaeologist Jim Brightman.<br />
After an indoor introductory<br />
session, we’ll head out to put<br />
these skills into practice. Please<br />
bring lunch, and suitable outdoor<br />
clothing and footwear. The<br />
session will be suitable for adults<br />
and young people over the age<br />
of 14, (14-18 year olds must be<br />
accompanied by an adult). Meet:<br />
Pateley Bridge Council Chamber.<br />
Cost: £5 per adult, under 18s free.<br />
Booking essential.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 19, 10am to 12pm<br />
Spring will nearly be here<br />
(hopefully!) so we’ll be finding<br />
out about birds eggs, nests and<br />
having crafty fun. For children<br />
age 5 to 11. At: Broadbelt Hall,<br />
Glasshouses. Cost: £1 per child,<br />
adults free. Booking not required.<br />
Events are part of the<br />
‘Upper Nidderdale<br />
Landscape Partnership’ - a<br />
Heritage Lottery Funded project to<br />
conserve and celebrate the heritage<br />
of Upper Nidderdale. More info:<br />
www.uppernidderdale.org.uk<br />
April 2016<br />
Updale to Scar House<br />
Reservoir for Spring<br />
Upland Birds<br />
Friday 8, 8.30am<br />
Join members of Nidderdale<br />
Birdwatchers for a half day trip up<br />
Nidderdale from Pateley Bridge to<br />
Scar House Reservoir, looking for<br />
early spring migrants and hopefully<br />
Ring Ouzel and raptors. Travel by<br />
car with stops en route, including<br />
Gouthwaite, before reaching Scar<br />
House Reservoir, where there<br />
will also be a short walk. Please<br />
bring binoculars and wear suitable<br />
clothing and footwear for a short<br />
walk. Meet: Pateley Bridge. Cost:<br />
£5 admin charge per person<br />
for non-members of Nidderdale<br />
Birdwatchers. Booking essential.<br />
Stargazing Night<br />
Saturday 9, 7.30pm<br />
Join members of the York<br />
Astronomical Society for a night<br />
under the stars. A short presentation<br />
inside the newly built Lime Tree<br />
Observatory followed by observing<br />
through a range of telescopes. Given<br />
good weather we expect to see a thin<br />
crescent Moon, the planets Jupiter<br />
and Mercury, and we may even<br />
have a visit from the International<br />
Space Station. All ages and abilities<br />
are welcome. At: Lime Tree Farm,<br />
Hutts Lane, Grewelthorpe, HG4<br />
3DA. Cost: £5 per adult, under 16s<br />
free. Booking essential.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 16, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Events are part of the ‘Flowers<br />
of the Dales Festival’ - a<br />
fantastic range of wildflower inspired<br />
events and activities throughout the<br />
Yorkshire Dales. Full programme:<br />
www.ydmt.org<br />
WW1 Family<br />
History Training<br />
Saturday 16, 10am to 12.30pm<br />
Events are part of<br />
‘Nidderdale AONB<br />
& the First World War’ - a WW1<br />
Centenary project funded by the<br />
Heritage Lottery Fund. More info:<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016 2014<br />
Events<br />
Do you have an ancestor who was<br />
involved in the First World War but<br />
don’t have more than a few details<br />
or know where to find out more?<br />
Bring along medals, regimental<br />
details or other memorabilia<br />
you may have and find out how.<br />
Suitable for adults. At: Harrogate<br />
Library (IT suite). Cost: £4 per<br />
person. Booking essential.<br />
Moorlands: People, Places,<br />
Stories – Project Launch<br />
Saturday 16, 10.30am to 12.30pm<br />
Come and hear about our<br />
exciting new oral history<br />
project exploring people’s<br />
relationship with Upper Nidderdale’s<br />
moorland. For leisure, for inspiration,<br />
for work – our moorlands are<br />
special places. Join the team from<br />
the University of York and Upper<br />
Nidderdale Landscape Partnership<br />
to hear about their history, and find<br />
out how you can volunteer with the<br />
project to share your stories or to<br />
record other people’s stories. Meet:<br />
Pateley Bridge Council Chamber.<br />
Cost: Free. Booking recommended.<br />
The Leeds Pals Trail<br />
Saturday 23,<br />
3pm to 5pm<br />
Come along on this guided walk<br />
with volunteers who have been<br />
researching the buildings and places<br />
in the city centre associated with the<br />
Leeds Pals battalions who enlisted,<br />
mustered and trained there during<br />
the First World War. At: Leeds -<br />
meeting place details on booking.<br />
Cost: Free. Booking essential.<br />
47
events 2016 • walks • explore • discovery • craft • adventure • family fun • heritage • wildlife • foraging • talks • traditional skills • www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
May 2016<br />
WW1 and a Small<br />
Dales Community<br />
Saturday 7, 10am to 12pm<br />
Join this walk around Glasshouses<br />
village with volunteers who<br />
have been researching the men<br />
listed on the war memorial who<br />
served during the First World<br />
War: find out about their war<br />
record and where they and their<br />
families lived and worked. Meet:<br />
Glasshouses - meeting place<br />
details on booking. Cost: Free.<br />
Booking essential.<br />
Discover Wath Mill<br />
Saturday 14, 10.30am to<br />
1.30pm<br />
Find out about the fascinating<br />
history of Wath Mill, see the<br />
fabulous surviving machinery,<br />
and find out about the work<br />
being carried out as part of the<br />
Upper Nidderdale Landscape<br />
Partnership. The mill is privately<br />
owned and is not normally open to<br />
the public. Part of National Mills<br />
Weekend. There are no facilities at<br />
Wath Mill, and parking is limited.<br />
At: Wath Mill, Wath, near Pateley<br />
Bridge. Cost: Free. Drop in –<br />
booking not required.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 21, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Otley Show<br />
Saturday 21, All day<br />
Come and visit the AONB stand<br />
and find out more about our work.<br />
48<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Bat Walk<br />
Friday 27, 8.30pm to 10.30pm<br />
Join John Drewett of North<br />
Yorkshire Bat Group and<br />
discover these wonderful<br />
night time creatures in the<br />
stunning surrounds of Hackfall.<br />
Approx 3 miles. Paths are steep<br />
in places and can be muddy/<br />
slippery. Please bring a torch.<br />
Meet: Hackfall car park, on the<br />
Grewelthorpe to Masham Road.<br />
Cost: £5 per adult, under 16s<br />
free. Booking essential.<br />
June 2016<br />
Wildflower Meadow Walk<br />
Wednesday 8, 5.30pm to 7.30pm<br />
Join us for a walk around<br />
the beautiful and extensive<br />
wildflower meadows at<br />
Duck House Farm. The vast<br />
range of flowers in these lovely<br />
meadows also makes it a haven<br />
for wildlife so it is sure to be a<br />
delightful evening. At: Studley<br />
Royal - directions on booking.<br />
Cost: £5 per adult, under 16s<br />
free. Booking essential.<br />
Family Fun at Fishpond<br />
Wood<br />
Saturday 11, 11am to 2pm<br />
Help us celebrate the work at<br />
Fishpond Wood that has seen it<br />
transformed throughout 2015 –<br />
the wood has been opened up,<br />
the pond has been dredged, the<br />
icehouse repaired, and the feel of<br />
the 19 th century designed landscape<br />
is once again evident. Time Spies<br />
and Nature Detectives can try<br />
their hand at an archaeological<br />
excavation, discover what lurks<br />
in the murky pond waters, and<br />
explore the hidden heritage of the<br />
woods. Open to all. There are no<br />
facilities in the wood, and parking<br />
is limited. Please park in Pateley<br />
Bridge and enjoy the short walk<br />
to Bewerley. Cost: Free. Drop in –<br />
booking not required.<br />
© PHP<br />
Heritage Skills: Dry<br />
Stone Walling Taster Day<br />
Wednesday 15, 10am to 4.30pm<br />
Learn about the history of dry stone<br />
walls, some of their features and the<br />
theory behind this traditional skill,<br />
before heading out into the AONB<br />
for a hands-on walling session with<br />
the Nidderdale AONB Walling<br />
Group. Not suitable for under 16’s.<br />
You will need: Sturdy footwear<br />
(steel toe caps if possible) and old<br />
clothes. At: Heathfield, near Pateley<br />
Bridge. Exact location on booking.<br />
Cost: £10 per person (includes<br />
buffet lunch). Booking essential.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 18, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
July 2016<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 16, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Gouthwaite Farm<br />
Heritage Walk<br />
Wednesday 20, 5.30pm to 8.30pm<br />
Join us for an evening walk<br />
through the history of Gouthwaite<br />
Farm, by kind permission of Mr<br />
John Rayner. The walk takes in<br />
sites from prehistory right through<br />
to the building of the reservoirs<br />
in the 19th century, and enjoys<br />
spectacular views over Nidderdale.<br />
Finish with supper overlooking<br />
Gouthwaite Reservoir. The walk<br />
is approximately 7km (4.5 miles)<br />
and involves stiles and some steep<br />
terrain off rights of way. Part of<br />
the Festival of Archaeology. Meet:<br />
Car park adjacent to Gouthwaite<br />
reservoir (SE124698). Honesty<br />
box parking. Cost: £7.50 per adult<br />
(includes buffet supper). Under 16s<br />
£3.50. Booking essential.<br />
© PHP<br />
Big Dig: The Lost<br />
Village of Lodge<br />
Tuesday 12 to Saturday 23<br />
Help us to unravel the story of the<br />
abandoned village of Lodge as<br />
part of a community archaeology<br />
excavation led by archaeologists<br />
from Solstice Heritage. The Big<br />
Dig is open to adults and young<br />
people over the age of 12 (12 to 18<br />
year olds must be accompanied<br />
by an adult). Full on-site training<br />
will be provided. Bring lunch,<br />
waterproofs and enthusiasm.<br />
Watch out for some introductory<br />
sessions ahead of the Big Dig. Full<br />
details at uppernidderdale.org.<br />
uk or contact the AONB Office.<br />
Cost: Free. Booking essential.<br />
Excavation Open Day:<br />
The Lost Village of Lodge<br />
Saturday 16, 11am to 3pm<br />
See how the excavations are<br />
progressing at Lodge village.<br />
Please park in the Scar House<br />
reservoir car park and walk<br />
to the site (approx. 30 minutes<br />
along a rough track). Cost: Free.<br />
Drop in – booking not required.<br />
August 2016<br />
Coldstones Quarry<br />
Geology Walk<br />
Tuesday 2, 6pm to 8pm<br />
Take a look at the geology of<br />
Coldstones Quarry from the inside<br />
on this fascinating guided walk.<br />
The walk will be on rough ground<br />
and it may be muddy. Walking<br />
boots and wind proof clothing are<br />
recommended. Hard hats will be<br />
provided. Meet: Coldstones Quarry<br />
Offices, Greenhow. Entrance off<br />
the B6265 at the Pateley Bridge side<br />
of Greenhow. Cost: £5 per adult,<br />
under 16s free. Booking essential.<br />
NiddFest<br />
Friday 5 to Sunday 7<br />
NiddFest is a unique, new, family<br />
friendly festival, offering a weekend<br />
of talks and outside events for<br />
nature lovers of all ages. Come and<br />
be inspired by hearing some of the<br />
UK’s leading writers talking about<br />
all things wild and wonderful. Join<br />
our rangers on guided walks across<br />
the remotest reaches of the moor,<br />
for ambles along the river or on<br />
foraging expeditions in the woods.<br />
Full details and tickets at www.<br />
niddfest.com<br />
Ripley Show<br />
Sunday 14, All day<br />
Come and visit the AONB stand<br />
and find out more about our work.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 20, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
September 2016<br />
Heritage Open Day:<br />
Discover Wath Mill<br />
Thursday 8, 10.30am to 1.30pm<br />
Find out about the fascinating<br />
history of Wath Mill, see the<br />
fabulous surviving machinery,<br />
and find out about the work being<br />
carried out as part of the Upper<br />
Nidderdale Landscape Partnership.<br />
The mill is privately owned and is<br />
not normally open to the public.<br />
Part of Heritage Open Days. There<br />
are no facilities at Wath Mill, and<br />
parking is limited. At: Wath Mill,<br />
Wath, near Pateley Bridge.<br />
Cost: Free. Drop in –<br />
booking not required.<br />
Heritage Open Day: ‘Witch of the<br />
Woods’ Cottage<br />
Saturday 10, 11am to 3pm<br />
This enchanting 17 th century<br />
cottage is nestled amongst<br />
woodland just over a mile from the<br />
village of Galphay. It is privately<br />
owned and isn’t normally open<br />
to the public. It can be visited<br />
as part of a 3.5 miles/5.5km<br />
circular trail which also takes in<br />
Azerley, Hubber Lane and returns<br />
to Galphay via the beautiful<br />
Braithwaite Hall. A route map<br />
can be downloaded from www.<br />
nidderdaleaonb.org.uk. There are<br />
no facilities at Witch of the<br />
Woods. Cost: Free. Drop in<br />
- booking not required.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 17, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale <strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2014 2016<br />
© Tony Hudson<br />
49
events 2016<br />
• walks • family fun • foraging • www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Nidderdale Show<br />
Monday 19, All day<br />
Come and visit the AONB stand<br />
and find out more about our work.<br />
Masham Sheep Fair<br />
Saturday 24, All day<br />
Come and visit the AONB stand<br />
and find out more about our work.<br />
October 2016<br />
Fungi Foray<br />
Sunday 2, 10am to 2pm<br />
Join local expert Chris Bax<br />
on this fascinating foraging<br />
session where you can learn<br />
to find and identify edible fungi.<br />
The event will include a short walk<br />
followed by a tasting session where<br />
Chris will cook up some of your<br />
findings for you to sample. Over<br />
escaping<br />
the everyday<br />
Fountains Abbey<br />
& Studley Royal<br />
Discover the spirit of a great<br />
abbey and the elegance of a<br />
Georgian water garden at this<br />
World Heritage Site.<br />
Members and under 5s go free<br />
01765 608888<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/fountainsabbey<br />
National Trust<br />
50 www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
16s only. At: Bewerley - meeting<br />
point given on booking. Cost: £10<br />
per person. Booking essential.<br />
Heritage Forum: The<br />
Lost Village of Lodge<br />
Saturday 8, 10am to 4.30pm<br />
Find out about the settlement of<br />
Lodge, abandoned in the 1920s,<br />
and hear about this summer’s<br />
community excavations. Talks in<br />
the morning will be followed by<br />
an opportunity to visit the remains<br />
of the abandoned settlement in<br />
the afternoon. Registration and<br />
refreshments from 9.30am. At:<br />
Lofthouse Memorial Hall. Cost:<br />
£7.50 per adult, under 16s £3.50<br />
(includes refreshments and lunch).<br />
Booking essential.<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 15, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
November 2016<br />
Wildlife Watch<br />
Saturday 19, 10am to 12pm<br />
Fun for 5-11 year olds. Details at<br />
www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk<br />
Explore Greenhow’s Mine<br />
Date TBC, 6pm to 8.30pm<br />
Follow in the footsteps of the<br />
Greenhow miners on this trip<br />
down Gillfield Mine. Mainly<br />
walking along a level passage<br />
way with ladders to an upper<br />
level. Wellington boots are<br />
essential and old waterproofs<br />
are recommended. Hard hats<br />
with lamps will be provided.<br />
Not suitable for under 12s. Meet:<br />
Coldstones Quarry Offices,<br />
Greenhow. Entrance off the<br />
B6265 at the Pateley Bridge side<br />
of Greenhow. Cost: £5 per adult,<br />
under 16s free. Booking essential.<br />
© National Trust Images/Chris Lacey. Registered Charity Number 205846.<br />
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3. How much has this guide increased<br />
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and what makes it such a special place?<br />
6 5 4 3 2 1<br />
A lot<br />
4. What was your favourite part?<br />
5. Was there anything you didn’t enjoy?<br />
Not at all<br />
6. Is there anything you would like to see in next<br />
years guide?<br />
If you would like to be entered into the free prize draw please enter your details below<br />
(closing date for entries is 31 December 2016).<br />
Name<br />
Address<br />
Tel<br />
Email<br />
Heather moorland © Graham Megson<br />
Studfold Trail © PHP<br />
Farmer at work© PHP<br />
Coldstones Cut © PHP Sanders & Wallace Glassblowers © PHP Rosebud Preserves © PHP<br />
Please return this form to:<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016,<br />
The Old Workhouse, King Street,<br />
Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5LE<br />
Red Grouse © <strong>Visit</strong>England/<br />
NYMNPA/Mike Nicholas<br />
Than k you!<br />
Your comments are<br />
important to us.<br />
The information you provide will be held by Nidderdale AONB in<br />
accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.<br />
<strong>Visit</strong> Nidderdale AONB 2016<br />
WIN<br />
£50<br />
51
HowStean<br />
EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF NATURE<br />
Are you<br />
up for...<br />
Via Ferrata & Climbing Course | Caving<br />
Gorge Scramble | Abseiling | Canoeing<br />
How Stean Gorge is a great<br />
day out for families.<br />
Wander through the gorge, explore the<br />
caves by torchlight and enjoy home cooked<br />
meals and delicious cakes in our café.<br />
Our exciting activities are also ideal for stags &<br />
hens, school residential visits and corporate days.<br />
No minimum number required for outdoor activities<br />
How Stean Gorge, Lofthouse, Harrogate HG3 5SF<br />
Tel: 01423 755666 Email: info@howstean.co.uk<br />
howstean.co.uk<br />
Get in touch:<br />
Nidderdale AONB,<br />
The Old Workhouse,<br />
King Street,<br />
Pateley Bridge,<br />
Harrogate, HG3 5LE<br />
Supported by:<br />
T: 01423 712950<br />
E: nidderdaleaonb@harrogate.gov.uk<br />
W: www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk