Yorkshire Walks

Bridge over the River Wharfe in Tadcaster

Afterwards we were all invited back to one of his legendary barbecues. From the car park we turned right onto the main road (A659) and walked about 200m up the hill to some traffic lights. Here we turned left and followed the road for about 300m to map ref. SE486440. We turned right off the road to follow a farm access track for about 1.5km to Woodhouse Farm.

This morning my wife and I met a group of friends in the riverside car park next to the bus station in Tadcaster at map ref. SE488434. We usually have a walk together at the start of each month and this month our friend Geoff, who lives in Wetherby, was leading the walk.

Access track to Woodhouse Farm

Path across the fields to Catterton from Woodhouse Farm

Path across the fields to Catterton from Woodhouse Farm

After about 1.5km we came to a road on the edge of Catterton at map ref. SE507458.

At the farm we left the track and went through the farm on to a path across the fields of wheat and barley.

Path across the fields to Catterton from Woodhouse Farm

Declining oak tree by the path to Catterton

The road from Catterton to Healaugh

At the northern end of the village there is a war memorial with a convenient low wall around it where we sat for our lunch.

At the road we turned left and walked along the road for 2km into the village of Healaugh.

An active burrow right on the roadside

Entering Healaugh village

The church door at Healaugh

The memorial is at the entrance to the churchyard at map ref. SE498478. We walked up the drive to have a look at the Norman church with its ornate carved doorway, alleged musket ball hole.

The Norman church at Healaugh

Detail of the carving around the church door

Track from Healaugh to Healaugh Priory

A gatekeeper butterfly

A peacock butterfly

Large maple tree at Healaugh Manor Farm

In the front garden of the farmhouse is a large impressive maple tree. The garden wall is constructed of an unusual brick herring- bone pattern. As we walked along I spent some time trying to photograph the many elusive butterflies fluttering amongst the hedgerow and managed to catch a couple of them.

We then returned to the road and continued out of the village for about 250m from the memorial. Here we turned left off the road on to another farm access track at map ref. SE496479. We followed this track for a little over 2km to the farm at the site of Healaugh Priory.

Start of track from Healaugh to Healaugh Priory

A comma butterfly

Healaugh Manor farm. Site of Healaugh Priory

Access track leading from Healaugh Manor Farm

Cattle by the farm access track

Farm access track heading back to Tadcaster

Berries on the lords and ladies or cuckoo pint

The whole walk had been 12km and it had taken us around four hours to walk including our lunch stop and visit to the church. We all headed off for a brilliant barbecue which was briefly interrupted by the showers, but the rain could not detract from the excellent company, wonderful food and Lynne & Geoff's warm hospitality.

From the farm we continued along the farm access track for almost 3km back to the road in Tadcaster at map ref. SE486440. From there we retraced our steps through Tadcaster back to the car park by the River Wharfe.

Large hairy caterpillar of the Oak Eggar moth

A clump of meadow vetchling by the track

Farm access track heading back into Tadcaster