Yorkshire Walks

Spofforth village hall

We set off northwards through the village to Mill Farm, map ref. SE 362514 where we took the footpath to the right over a footbridge crossing the River Crimple. Over the bridge we turned left to follow the path alongside the river heading upstream.

This morning we met a group of friends at Spofforth village hall at 11am (map ref. SE 362510). Geoff, who lives in Wetherby was going to lead the route today. It's a shorter route to give us plenty of time for one of Geoff's legendary barbeques after the walk, and to help decrepit members of the group like me.

Footbridge over the River Crimple

The River Crimple

These outcrops continue around the hillside to become Plumpton Rocks - a well known local beauty spot (small admission charge). It was avery pleasant 2km with the trees along the river bank to our left and the rock formations over to our right and as we neared the road we saw a buzzard soaring over the trees towards Plumpton Rocks.

The ICI research centre was in Harrogate some way upstream and they developed a man made fibre in the 1950's which was named after the river - "Crimplene". We continued alongside the river for about 2km to a road at map ref. SE 349530. Away to our right were a series of large outcrops of Millstone Grit eroded into odd shapes.

Outcrops of Millstone Grit

Path by the River Crimple (or Crimple Beck)

Outcrop of Millstone Grit

Path by the River Crimple (or Crimple Beck) over grown with giant hog weed

Outcrop of Millstone Grit

Pinfold on the road into Follifoot village

Giant Hogweed looming over us on the path by the river Crimple

We turned left down the village street passing the old village stocks on our left. A swallow zoomed just over our heads and into the bus shelter , so I had to look and sure enough there was a nest in the rafters.

There were two other small groups of walkers at the road bridge having a break but we kept going and soon had the route to ourselves again. We turned left on to the road at the bridge and walked along the road for about a kilometer to Rudding Gate, an ornate gateway into Rudding Park from the main Street in Follifoot village.

The main street in Follifoot

Just beyond the bus stop there was a footpath signed to "Spofforth Hags" and we turned right off the village street to follow this path.

Rudding Gate in Follifoot

The old stocks in Follifoot

Swallows nest in the rafters of the bus shelter

Footpath out of Follifoot

A few hundred metres out of Follifoot we came to a wooden bench by a wall and stopped for our lunch break. It was very pleasant in the sunshine with a view over Rudding Park to the north and Follifoot to our right.

Lunch break on a seat at map ref. SE 339520

Ladybird larva that came to see us at lunch time

After lunch we continued across the disused railway to a road at map ref. SE 341512. It's only a minor road but it was quite busy with fast moving traffic. We turned left to walk along the road for about 300m. Here we turned right off the road on to a farm track which we followed for about 400m to map ref. SE 344509.

Here we turned off the farm track on to a bridleway along the edge of a wood. The bridleway soon brought us to the edge of the golf course and we continued round the golf course for almost a kilometer until we reached the disused railway again.

This year's fresh green pine cones on a Scots Pine

Returning by the golf course towards Spofforth Castle

The path crosses under a viaduct arch of the railway. There is only a short length of viaduct left and it finishes abruptly in someone's back garden. Once under the viaduct we were at Spofforth Castle on our left. We turned off the path to walk through the castle grounds. The original castle dated from shortly after the Norman invasion and it has been updated several times since then.

After a look round the castle we returned to our cars to drive back to Wetherby for a barbeque at Geoff's house. The whole walking route was about 8km and it had taken us around two and a half hours to walk including our lunch break. A very pleasant route, thanks Geoff. It was just right for me at this stage of my recouperation.

Spofforth Castle

Viaduct on the disused railway, which now ends in a private garden

Spofforth Castle

Spofforth Castle

Spofforth Castle