Yorkshire Walks

The path joins the road at a 'T'-junction and we crossed the road to walk about 100m up the road forming the stalk of the 'T'. We turned off left along the footpath that follows a caravan site access road for 1km to map ref. SE 138663. Here we turned right to follow the path across the fields to a little hamlet at map ref. SE 137673.

This morning was grey and overcast and we decided to drive to Pateley Bridge for a walk round Gouthwaite reservoir. We parked in Pately Bridge next to the river just before the bridge over the Nidd (there's a good cafe there for the end of the walk). We crossed the bridge and turned right to follow the path along the river bank going up stream on the left hand bank to the road at map ref. SE 148665.

We stopped for a few minutes in the car park at map ref. SE 124699 where there are some picnic tables and a view point next to the reservoir to observe the many water fowl and waders that visit in the winter (so apparently not too much to see at this time of year, although we did notice a pair of great crested grebes).

We turned left at the road junction to follow the lane down the hill through West Wood where there wwas a lovely carpet of bluebells under the trees and about 500m further on we reached the valley road alongside Gouthwaite reservoir. At this point we were on the Nidderdale Way which follows the road for about 3km to Ramsgill. However the road is very narrow and its quite busy with cars driven too fast for the comfort of pedestrians.

Typical pasture with drystone walls & stone barn

Inquisitive lambs

About 1km from Bouthwaite at Coville House Farm we were crossing a cattle grid and noticed a hedghog that had fallen in and seemed to have no way out.

At Ramsgill we turned right along a lane for about 300m to Bouthwaite where we rejoined the Nidderdale Way to walk back down the other side of the reservoir.

Gouthwaite reservoir from West Wood

One freshly rescued hedghog

We stood back and watched it for a few minutes until it uncurled and scuttled off in the hedge bottom and we carried on our way feeling smugly self satisfied at our amazing wildlife rescue.

After a bit of a prickly struggle we managed to extract it using two baseball caps to protect our hands. Of couse curled up it was hard to push it though the bars of the grid.

The dam at Gouthwaite reservoir