Yorkshire Walks

Exit from the Designer Outlet on to the B1222 at map ref. SE 605 479

Today the weather forecast for York promised a fine bright morning deteriorating in the afternoon. My friend Jim and I drove separately to the car park at Rowntree Park next to the River Ouse at map ref. SE 605 508. We left Jim's car in the 'Pay & Display' car park and my wife drove us to the B1222 Naburn Lane at map ref. SE 605 479. Here there is a barriered service road from the York Designer Outlet shopping centre. There is also a 'Park & Ride' car park at the centre with frequent buses to and from York City centre.

Start of the footpath off the B1222 next to the bus stop

Path from the B1222 around Fulford Ings to the River Ouse

This white stone marks the Water Fulford Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed by the Carstairs Countryside Trust. Through the gap in the hedge off the B1222 we turned left and followed a public footpath around Fulford Ings to the River Ouse with the Archbishop of York's Palace on the opposite bank in Bishopthorpe.

Opposite the shopping centre access road on the B1222, there is a bus stop and shelter. Standing in the A1222 and facing the bus stop there is a narrow gap in the hedge a few metres to the right of the bus shelter that is the start of a public footpath onto Fulford Ings. We walked through the gap in the hedge and came at once to a sold white stone marker inscribed 'CCT Water Fulford Ings'.

Water Fulford SSSI managed by the Carstairs Countryside Trust

Continuing on the path around Fulford Ings to the River Ouse

The official residence of the Archbishop of York looking across the river from Bishopthorpe

Looking back to the Bishop's Palace

The first of several peacock butterflies we saw today

Nearing the A64 York by-pass

We continued along the River bank path for about 900m from the Bishop's Palace to the bridge that carries the York southern by-pass, A64, over the River Ouse.

From the Bishop's Palace we followed the public footpath along the river bank around Fulford Ings ('ings' just means that it is part of the river's flood plain).

Flowing water has a strange fascination

Fence at some recent river bank erosion

Ready to cross under the A64 York by-pass

The massive structure of the A64 York by-pass at the River Ouse Bridge

River Ouse upstream of the A64 bridge

Heading upstream on the river side footpath

Houses with their own flood defences by the river bank

Clear well worn riverside path

After about 30m the public footpath turned left and continued parallel to the river for about 400m until the public footpath rejoined the riverside path. At least this where the public footpath goes but there is a well walked path closer to the river bank that we followed.

We followed the river side path under the road bridge and continued along the river side path for another 400m. Here the public footpath turns right away from the river leaving the river side path as a quiet sanctuary for the local anglers association.

Heading upstream on the river side footpath

Heading upstream on the river side footpath

Clear well worn riverside path

A tangled willow tree at the edge of the river

Well walked path along the river side joins the official public footpath

Information board next to the picnic tables by the river

Continuing along the riverside path

Land to the left of the path is occupied by private moorings

Access road to & from the private moorings

At the end of the moorings the access road to them bent round to our right. Here we should have kept straight on alongside the river but instead we kept on along the access road and after about 200m we rejoined the route we should have been on (click on the two red markers on the route map).

A little after we rejoined the public footpath we came to an information board overlooking the river next to some picnic tables where we sat for a few minutes to enjoy the view across the river. We continued along the public footpath and passed a series of private moorings on a strip of land between the path and the river.

Riverside path leaving the picnic tables behind

Fallen tree across the riverside path

Rowing club boat house at the end of the private moorings

Following the access road to rejoin the public footpath

About to cross St. Oswald's Road to walk along Love Lane

Love Lane with the old church on the right,now a private house

Parkland between Love Lane and the Millennium Bridge

About to turn left to the Millennium Bridge

About 150m beyond the old church the path passed into a wide strip of parkland next to the river. The path passed along the inland edge of this parkland strip for about 400m until it reached the Millennium Bridge over the River Ouse.

About 100m further on we crossed the end of St Oswald's Road and walked along Love Lane. As we walked along Love Lane there was an old church on our right hand side. The site is now a private residence and there are grave stones leaned against the outer wall of the garden, the old churchyard.

Tower of the old church on Love Lane, now a private house

Parkland between Love Lane and the Millennium Bridge

Path to the Millennium Bridge

Nearing the Millennium Bridge over the River Ouse

Crossing the Millennium Bridge

Looking back to the Millennium Bridge

Riverside walkway between Rowntree Park and the River Ouse

We walked along the river side path for about 500m from the bridge back to the car park and the end of our walk. The whole walk had been 5km and it had taken me almost three hours to walk. I'm still getting slower but Jim is very patient with me. Thanks Jim.

We crossed the Millennium Bridge and we were planning to walk through Rowntree Park back to the car. However it turned out that the entrance to the park was closed because it was within the temporary site enclosure of a construction contractor. So we took the path down from the bridge deck to the riverside path next to the park.

Steps from the Millennium Bridge to the Riverside walkway

Riverside walkway leaving the Millennium Bridge behind

Gateway into the car park at Rowntree Park

The car park at Rowntree Park at the end of our walk