I have been lucky enough to hike this route in the lovely Yorkshire Dales twice recently, once with a local walking group and once with my sister. In fact I blogged about the beautiful bluebells here last Spring too. Who wouldnt wish to return….
A meandering path traverses the bluebell carpeted hillside above the Dales Village of Austwick , through hazel tree woodland and limestone scenery and on to the tiny hamlet of Feizor, where there is a cafe ( Elaine’s Tea Room) for refreshments. Then a shorter ramble along a bridleway adorned with hedgerow flowers, leads back into Austwick. Here are a few photos from both outings.
An information board about the area of Oxenber & Wharfe Woods. The bluebells on the hillside. Green 💚 veined white. Limestone pavement. Early Purple Orchid. In the past Early purples have been used as an aphrodisiac and as a hangover cure, apparently. Myself and sister. Bluebells and stitchwort. Cowslips. Rocky outcrop.A surprise encounter! This is actually a tame Harris Hawk out with its trainer. Common Rock Rose / Helianthemum is a low growing creeping flower of rocky grasslands. At Elaine’s with some of the walking group.
The 4 to 5 mile walk is quite well way-marked with a few rocky tree rooted paths through woodland & limestone. Very well worth it for the stunning scenery and array of wildflowers.
I recently returned to the limestone rich countryside of Austwick and Feizor in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. The wander through Oxenber and Wharfe Woods was a group walk organised by The Clitheroe Naturalists. Walking with folk who understand when you get distracted by a butterfly or a burrowing mining bee….. is quite liberating. 😂
The woodland actually covers where Austwick once worked a village quarry and is now an SSSI ( Site of Special Scientific Interest) and habitat for a variety of wildflowers, especially during Spring. Because the weather has been so dry, the bluebells out in the open looked a bit parched, but other plantlife was thriving.
Here are a few photos from the walk, in no particular order.
Bluebells looking a little worse for ware in the heat. Limestone pavement. Common Rock Rose. It’s Latin name ‘ Helianthemum’ means Sunflower. Indeed it’s petals open to the sun and close at night. Limestone Pavement above Feizor. Welcome to the Woods! The Bluebells in shady glades were still in fine form. Early Purple Orchid 😍. Spied a few of these, our earliest flowering orchid species. Cow Parsley, aka Queen Anne’s Lace, adorned the country lanes & bridleways. Herb-Paris. A first for me. These unusual flowers are an indicator of ancient woodlands on chalky soils.Austwick Beck.
What I totally love about my job is all the free time I get. Being a school cleaner may not be glamorous, but I certainly feel happy about the holidays. 😊 I definitely managed to get out and about during the Easter Break, including on some excellent local walks with friends and family. Coincidently , I am also in the middle of having a new kitchen fitted, so escaping from the house has been a blessing in disguise. 😆
Grindleton Fell.
One hot afternoon a friend took me up Grindleton Fell on a lizard 🦎 hunt. And Leaping Lizards! We found one! Or rather, Rhea the dog found one for us. Luckily after having been disturbed in the undergrowth by a curious canine , the Viviparous Lizard ( aka Common Lizard) decided to pose for a picture, whilst basking in the sun on a stone pillar.
Unusually if cornered by a predator, the common lizard will shed its still-moving tail in order to distract its attacker and make a quick escape. This leaves a scar behind, but it can regrow its tail, Genius! 🦎🦎🦎
Downham Walks.
I enjoyed 2 fab walks that incorporated the lovely village of Downham. One was with my sister and the other was an organised walk, that friends have turned into a tradition every year on Good Friday. Downham will always have a special place in my heart, as it is where my sister and I attended primary school, as did our Dad before us. There’s a wonderful little ice cream shop on the green that currently sells pie & peas and Pendle witches too. 😊
Liverpool 💙❤️
Ok, so I did blog about a fab trip to Liverpool in my previous post, but above are a few more photos I didn’t include. There’s one on the left of some quirky colourful creatures called Lambananas, in front of the Museum Of Liverpool. They denote the city’s past history of importing both lambs and bananas. Who knew!
Lytham Hall.
Lovely Lytham Hall has created a wonderful Willow Sculpture Trail in its grounds. There are 5 striking pieces to discover, including a playful Orangutan hanging from the branches of a tree and a pair of sprightly boxing hare. Wil and I visited on a super sunny 😎 Easter Sunday with our dog Hugo. It was very busy , I suspect it’s a lot quieter during the week…
Spring Wood, Whalley.
My Easter Outings post would not be complete without mentioning the beautiful Bluebells display at Spring Wood near Whalley. Our native bluebells and ramsons ( wild garlic) are indicators of ancient woodland, Spring Wood has an abundance of both. Enjoyed a drizzley woodland wander with friends on Easter Monday and it was just glorious. There is still time to see both wildflowers. Enjoy! 💙💙🤍🤍
One of the great things about working a split shift is the fact that I have a good chunk of spare time going free during the day. If I can drag myself away from my latest streaming addictions on Netflix etc, there’s certainly the opportunity to do something more constructive. 😁
Pendle Steps.
Although I have made it up to the summit of Pendle Hill before, I’ve never done it the short sharp shock way. The Pendle Steps are steep stone steps that cut a quickish route up to the trigg point. I say quickish, because my sister who dragged me along was very kind and let us stop frequently to admire the view. 😃
We parked roadside near Pendle House Farm so we needn’t walk up from the car park in the village. It was then a short hike along a farm track to the start of the steps. Lapwings were busy twirling and tumbling from the sky, real aerial acrobats.
Information board at the beginning of the steps. Unfortunately 😕 not open. Love the name though. Sis at the kissing gate at the start of the steps.
Of course Pendle Hill is steeped in history which you do get a sense of whilst walking in the area. George Fox founded the Quaker movement after having an inspirational spiritual experience here in 1652 and previous to that, the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 are still ingrained in our lands myth and legend.
Looking back down the steps. A man and his doggo heading upwards. And look, we made it to the Summit, 557 metres.Witchy Pendle Way sign.We saw lots of Green Hairstreak butterfly in the bilberry.
There was definitely a sense of achievement after having conquered The Pendle Steps. And a sense of relief!
Breakfast & Bluebells.
The other half has changed jobs and shift patterns, so it means he gets some time off during the week too. One morning we decided to try out breakfast at a newish cafe in the nearby village of Whalley. Holdens & Co are an ice cream parlour, kitchen and deli situated in the village centre. We opted for The Breakfast Sharing Board which is laden with toast, croissants, pain au chocolate and fruit loaf. Quite the carbs overload, and probably big enough for 3 to 4 people to dive into actually. Hugo the labrador was only too happy to help! Holdens is clean and bright, I loved that we grabbed a window facing table perfect for people watching and dogs are made welcome in the cafe.
Holdens & Co.
Just outside Whalley is Spring Wood & Picnic Site , a semi ancient woodland which is a lovely spot for shady walks, especially when the weather is getting hotter. Bluebells and Ramsons ( Wild Garlic) put on an impressive display here in late April & May. Below are a few photos I captured on our walk.
I’m pleased to have seen the bluebells as they will soon be finished for the year.
A New Year and I imagine, new walks! I have also been looking back at walks I’ve done over the years ,especially those with a specific point of interest. Join me as I look back on walks to find…….
Snowdrops & Acconites at Dalmain in Cumbria.
Snowdrops. I don’t know about you, but the sight of snowdrops in January and February gives me such a lift. These dainty looking ( and very hardy) harbingers of Spring pop up alongside rivers and carpet woodland. Since Victorian times they have become a symbol of purity and hope. Quite a few stately homes and parks organise snowdrop walks ( usually in February ) , so it’s a good idea to check online if there are any nearby.
Two years ago we found swathes of snowdrops at Dalemain in Cumbria . Last years display at NT Acorn Bank was beautiful too and Eunice from Life In The Mouse house blogged about her walk around the grounds of Lytham Hall In Lancashire . Let me know if you have seen any snowdrops yet in 2024.
Anthony Gormley statues on Crosby Beach.
Naked Men. I think I am long overdue another visit to Another Place. 😊 This is the name of the Antony Gormley art installation on the sands of Crosby Beach near Liverpool, featuring 100 cast iron statues of the artists own naked body. Dotted along 3 miles of coastline and looking out to sea, the statues have become an iconic landmark since their arrival on these shores in 2005. My post is quite old now but here’s a promising looking Walk I found online.
Cotton Grass, Little Mell Fell near Ullswater.
Bog Cotton. Find a fell, any fell ,and you may just be lucky enough in early Summer to find yourself surrounded by Cotton Grass blowing in the breeze. The Wildlife trust describes this vision of loveliness as ‘ like someone has thrown a giant bag of cotton wool balls across the landscape’ , they are not wrong! We did the short hike up Little Mell Fell in the Northern Lakes last year. Check out The Hiking Household for this family friendly walk.
Swanside Packhorse Bridge, Chatburn, Lancs.
A Packhorse Bridge. Don’t you think there is something magical about an old Pack Horse Bridge. Packhorse bridges were built from the 17th century onwards to allow packhorses transportation over rivers and streams. They are often found deep in the countryside along old droving routes. The one above in The Ribble Valley features on my blog from 2021 Weekend Wanderings.
Meanwhile check out Michael’s blog Down By The Dougie for his post about Ashness Bridge in the Lake District and Devon & Cornwall blog Treks & Tors for lots and lots ( and lots) of bridges. 😁
Bluebells in Flakebridge Woods, Cumbria.
Bluebells. Is there a more beguiling sight in late Spring than a violet haze of beautiful bluebells carpeting the woodland floor. Our native bluebells are an indicator of ancient woodland , a symbol of fairy enchantment (some say fay folk ring the bells before meeting up) and they give off a divine fragrance too. I have loved walking through bluebell woods in Barbon , Whalley and Flakebridge . But where to in 2024….
Perhaps I can seek out the best Bluebell Woods via The Woodland Trust website.
Stainforth Force in the Yorkshire Dales.
Waterfalls. I do love a good Waterfall Walk and the UK has plenty of them. And there are varying names for the word Waterfall too. Around the country you may come across falls, forces, fosses, snouts and spouts! One of my favourite waterfall walks is The Ingleton Falls Trail in The Yorkshire Dales ,which passes 8 waterfalls of varying sizes. Another walk I enjoyed in the Dales featured Stainforth Force above.
So perhaps the best waterfall walks are in Yorkshire? Melodie from Our Lake District Escapades would disagree, here’s her post about Aira Force in the Lakes.
Mandarin Duck, Strid Wood, Bolton Abbey.
Autumn Colours. Come September and October, our woodlands become spectacles of colour, reds, yellows, orange and gold. The male mandarin duck above sports his striking ( quite autumnal shades, I feel) all year round , his photo is here because he looks especially dapper against an autumnal backdrop. I saw mandarin ducks, other wildlife and autumn colours on a spooky walk at Bolton Abbey back in 2018. For information about the best walks to admire the season in all its vibrant glory check out this country file article. 🍁
Trig Points. Many of the bloggers I follow love their walks, especially those that go up a hill! I can’t say I’m really one of those bloggers, however even I feel a sense of satisfaction when I’ve huffed up a fell and am rewarded by far reaching views. The concrete pillars known as Trig Points were erected by the Ordnance Survey , quite often at the highest point of a prominent hill, though I believe there are a few low level trigs too.
Are you a trig bagger? At the moment some friends of ours are seeking out all the Trig Points in Lancashire, there are over 100. Who knew!
Meanwhile here are a few bloggers trig point walks. Bowland Climber on a quest to find the Nicky in Nicky Nook. The Glasgow Galivanter hikes uphill to meet the Three Brethren and Ruth of Walking Away bags a trig atop Periton Hill.
Alice Nutter Statue in Roughlee, Lancashire.
Witches. If like me, you live in the shadow of Pendle Hill , you may have walked in the footsteps of 12 people, all accused of witchcraft in the 17th Century. The accused became known as The Pendle Witches and were led on foot through the Pendle countryside to be put on trial in Lancaster. Most were found guilty and hanged. Very insufficient evidence and mass hysteria contributed to their demise, and today most people would agree that those convictions were unsafe and erm, codswallop. Still, Pendle Hill remains a beautiful yet mysterious place full of witchy walks such as this Pendle & Clarion House walk.
It was a beautiful sunny day on Saturday, perfect timing for a walk from Dufton in Cumbria’s Eden Valley. Nearby at Flakebridge Woods, the bluebells are a vast carpet of blue. Go see them before they disappear!
I have left the walks book we used at the caravan, so my walk description might not be totally accurate. I do have a photo of the route though, below.
Anyway ,we parked roadside in the pretty village of Dufton. There is a small carpark in the centre, but that was full. The village is popular with walkers hiking Dufton Pike, High Cup Nick and The Pennine Way. This walk though is mostly low level with lovely fell views.
We headed down into Dufton Ghyll. A rocky gorge woodland , managed by the woodland trust. Leaving the Ghyll along a gorse covered path. The gorse is looking beautiful at the moment. Watching 🐑 Ewe. There are a couple of conicle hills , I think this one is Dufton Pike. More vibrant gorse giving out a gorgeous coconut aroma. By the stream. Looking back at Dufton Pike. In Flakebridge Woods. My photos don’t do it justice, there are acres and acres of bluebells. 💙Bluebells and stitchwort. Bluebells. Leaving the woods on a grassy lane. Cuckoo Flowers , they are popular with the Orange Tip Butterfly. Stitchwort. More gorgeous gorse. Cute miniature horses. ❤️Dufton Pike looms ahead. Back into Dufton Ghyll, where bluebells bloom too. We emerge from the woodland into a field of Jacob 🐏 sheep. Dufton village. A much photographed view of the village. Water fountain on the green, The Stag Pub to the left and Dufton Pike in the background. Dufton dwellings. Love this gardener sculpture. My ride home! Not really. 😍
This was a delightfully scenic walk, made more so by spring sunshine and spring flowers. Thanks for joining me!
* I have deleted a photo of moles hanging from a fence, a practice often seen in the countryside. The moles are considered
pests by farmers and the mole catcher displays them , he gets paid per mole. Sorry for any offence.
It’s the time of year when English woodlands come alive with Spring flowers. Bluebells of course and another indicator of ancient woodland, Wild Garlic. White starry globes carpeted the ground admist a sea of fresh green leaves when Hugo and I visited a local woods.
A tweet by Nature Writer Robert McFarlane ~ “Buckrams” — one of many common names for Allium ursinum, aka wild garlic, bear-leek, ramsons; filling forest floors with millions of white stars & forest air with garlicky scent. Ancient woodland indicator, bluebell co-conspirator, soup-maker…
Wild Garlic is a foraging food. I did in fact once collect the leaves to make some Wild Garlic & Cheese scones. Click Here for a baking post. It doesn’t happen often. ..
The plants Latin name is Allium Ursium. Ursium is Latin for Bear. Brown Bears once roamed our forests and wild garlic bulbs were a favourite meal of theirs. Wild Boars love them too and the flowers are popular with pollinators.
I adore Bluebells of course, Woodlands of Wild Garlic are a little bit special too.
Which woodlands do you like to visit for their floral displays?
Got a bluebell fix on the way home from the van on Sunday. We stopped off at the pretty village of Barbon which happens to be located in both South Lakeland and within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. To my delight a nearby woodland was packed with vivid blue bluebells and other spring flowers.
We hadn’t visited Barbon before. It’s attractions include a cheeseshop/cafe and a thrice yearly car race called the Barbon Hill Climb.
We took a footpath to the right of the village church.
Tantalising glimpse of bluebells.
The path is part of the Barbon Manor Estate.
Tried to get a cute photo of Hugo amongst the bluebells, he wasn’t having it. 🤣
Beautiful Bluebells.
Wild Garlic.
Bluebells and Barbon Beck.
Bugles.
Violets.
Thyme leaves speedwells.
We walked to the gates at the end of the wood then turned back.
A carpet of blue.
Standing by a black and white race barrier.
Fell above Barbon.
Barbon Inn.
Churchmouse Cheese.
Churchmouse.
Bye Bye Bluebells.
Have you walked amongst the bluebells this year? Head to Barbon whilst the colours are at their best. 💙
I’ve seen some lovely Bluebell walk posts recently, both on WordPress and on Facebook, so I just had to find my nearest Bluebell Wood and go for a wander, whilst these gorgeous Spring flowers are still in bloom. The nearest such place happens to be just outside the nearby village of Whalley. Spring Wood was once owned by the monks of Whalley Abbey and is classed as a semi ancient woodland. There is ample parking, toilets, picnic benches and quite often an ice cream van parked at the site entrance. We took Hugo for a short walk , as he is on restricted exercise at the moment.
Speckled Wood Butterfly.
Wild Garlic or Ramsons.
Spring Wood proved to be the perfect place to admire the many bluebells and other wild flowers that frequent the woodland at this time of year. A friend even saw a deer last week ,so it’s well worth taking a camera. 🙂
After our wander we drove into Whalley and went for lunch at Benedict’s which is a lovely Cafe Bar in the Village ,that happens to be dog friendly.
There is a varied menu that includes a good selection of free from foods. Wil chose the Farmers Board ( a tasty combo of cheese, meats & pate ) and I had the Chicken & Smashed Avocado Salad. My drink of choice was a bottle of sparkling Rhubarb Mimosa and Wil enjoyed an Americano Coffee. Hugo was given some treats from Millie & Ruby’s Dog Bakery. 🙂
I loved my salad but it was a bit to healthy for me. 🙂 So I had to sample the Lemon & Poppy Seed cake! And I tried a piece of Wil’s Rocky Road too. Both were delicious.
sunshine and celandines 