Yorkshire Walks

Starting our walk from the little car park by the canal

The lock behind us as we joined the tow path

Tow path between the canal and the B6265

Tow path passing under the Ripon by-pass

The tow path is between the canal and the B6265 and it continues under the Ripon by-pass. Beyond the by-pass the tow path is on a low bank next to the canal on our left and the B6265 on the right. About 250m from the by-pass we turned right off the tow path to walk along the road opposite called Firs Avenue.

This morning my friend Jim and I drove out through Boroughbridge to Ripon. We approached Ripon along the B6265. About 800m after crossing Hewick Bridge over the River Ure and passing the Ripon Racecourse we turned left off the road into a small car park for "Canal Users" which I assume includes tow path walkers. We parked here and set off along the canal tow path heading north west towards the canal head and into Ripon.

The tow path going towards the canal head

Tow path between the canal and the B6265

Tow path just west of the Ripon by-pass

About to turn right off the tow path across the B6265 to Firs Avenue

Crossing the B6265 to Firs Avenue

Weir, ford & footbridge on the River Skell

Footpath by the River Skell heading upstream

We crossed the footbridge and on the far side we turned left to walk along a footpath following the river upstream. We walked along the riverside path for about 200m to another footbridge across the river. Here we crossed back over the river.

After about 150m along this road we came to the River Skell. To our left there was a low weir across the river and straight ahead there was a vehicle ford across the river. To our right of the ford there was a footbridge over the river.

Walking along Firs Avenue

The footbridge across the River Skell from Firs Avenue

Footpath by the River Skell heading upstream

We crossed this footbridge over the River Skell and then turned right along the riverside path

Heading upstream by the River Skell

Path by the River Skell heading upstream

Path by the River Skell west of the B6265

We continued next to the River Skell until the path came out onto King Street where the road name changes to Bondgate next to the entrance to St. John's Church.

On the far side of the river we turned right to continue along the riverside path on the opposite bank with a good view of Ripon Cathedral ahead of us. The riverside path bent around to our left and passed underneath the B6265.

Ripon Cathedral seen from the riverside path

Path by the River Skell passing under the B6265

Nearing the King Street road bridge over the River Skell

King Street road bridge where we turned left by the stone pillar to continue along the path by the River Skell

Riverside path from King Street

Riverside path from King Street to Barefoot Street

Riverside path under Low Skellgate road bridge was closed

This is where the riverside path started again and it continues under the Low Skellgate bridge and follows the riverside to a children's play area at Borrage Green Lane. Unfortunately this part of the riverside path was closed today because workmen were making repairs to the road bridge parapet above the path, so we followed Harrogate road for about 150m to a gap in the wall leading to some steps down the riverside path next to the children's play area.

We crossed the road and continued along the path next to the River Skell. There were numerous mallard ducks on this part of the river. The riverside path brought us out onto the road called Barefoot Street next to a road bridge over the river. We walked along the road past the end of the road bridge with the River Skell on our right. Ahead of us we could see the road bridge carrying Low Skellgate over the river and about 25m before we reached this road bridge there was a gap in the parapet wall at the edge of the street.

Mallard ducks on the River Skell

Riverside path leading onto Barefoot Street

We thought this fallen tree looked like a marine iguana

Steps down to rejoin the riverside path after the Skellgate road bridge closure

Crossing the play ground to Borrage Green Lane

Walking along Borrage Green Lane

Fenced path between the fields from Borrage Green Lane

Here we turned left off the road to follow a public footpath climbing gently up the hillside between the fields with a lovely view of Ripon Cathedral behind us.

We turned right here down the steps and through the play area and out onto Borragegreen Lane. We walked along Borragegreen Lane for about 150m.

Joining Borrage Green Lane from the play ground

Turning off Borrage Green Lane onto a fenced footpath

Looking back to the cathedral from the kissing gate

Ripon Cathedral seen across the fields from the kissing gate

Continuing on the fenced path to Hell Wath Nature Reserve

Descending the steps to the River Skell

Here we came to the top of a long flight of stairs dropping down to our right. Here we turned right and walked down the steps to the bank of the River Skell just before the River Laver joins it.

There was an iron railing kissing gate at the top of the slope. We passed through the gate and continued along the fenced path bending round to our right for about 400m to the edge of Hell Wath Nature Reserve.

Steps down to the River Skell at Hell Wath Nature Reserve

River Skell just before it is joined by the River Laver

At the bottom of the steps we turned right along this path to a footbridge over the River Skell

Crossing the footbridge over the River Skell

Borrage Lane with the cathedral visible ahead

Wilfred Owen, poet of the Great War

We crossed the footbridge over the River Skell into some parkland and followed the path around to our right to Borrage Lane. Here we followed this residential street for about 500m to its junction with Low Skeldgate.

At the River Skell we turned right and walked about 60m to a footbridge over the River Skell just downstream of its confluence with the River Laver.

Parkland path to Borrage Lane

Continuing along Borrage Lane

Nearing the end of Borrage Lane

About to turn right from Borrage Lane to Low Skellgate bridge over the River Skell

Following Barefoot Street from Low Skellgate bridge

Path by the River Skell heading back to King Street bridge

Across the road bridge we turned left to walk back along Barefoot Street and retrace our steps along the riverside path back to St John's Church at King St./Bondgate.

At the junction of Borrage Lane with Low Skellgate, we turned right and crossed the road bridge over the River Skell, passing the site of the repairs to the bridge parapet that had closed a section of the Riverside path.

Crossing Williamson Drive to rejoin the riverside path

Path by the River Skell heading back to King Street bridge

St John's Church where King Street becomes Bondgate

Rejoining the riverside path by St John's Church

Taking the right hand fork up to Bondgate Green, B6265

Turning off the B6265 to the canal head

We walked about 75m along the road and turned right to the Ripon Canal Head. From here we continued along the canal tow path for about 1km back to the little car park for Canal Users and the end of our walk. The whole route had been about 5km and it had taken us a little over two hours to walk it.

From the road at the church entrance we followed the riverside path towards the B6265 (Bondgate Green). The riverside path continued under the B6265 and this was our outward route. This time we kept to the right hand fork in the path that led us up to Bondgate Green.

Riverside path nearing the B6265 road bridge

Joining Bondgate Green, B6265, from the riverside path

Joining the canal tow path at the canal head

Following the canal tow path from the canal head

Canal tow path by Firs Avenue

Returning to the car park by the canal at the end of our walk