The summer walk: 08-07-2025

 

The NCVs were able to relax this week as, instead of working hard with tools, they went on their summer walk. It was a gentle 5 miles, taking in 10 of the local sites where they had worked in the past (if you count the two they had to drive past on the way back to Pateley Bridge). They finished with lunch in the Crown hotel in Pateley.

Here are a few pictures to mark the occasion:

The walk started up at Nought Moor car park...

... so required a short sharp uphill stretch to get to Two Stoops. 

Wall to wall sunshine was forecast and,

 thanks to previous days of scrub clearance, 

the views were stunning.

The warning on the gate set the 

scene for the next section of the walk.

It wasn't too bad at first.

A nice woodland where giant

stinkhorns grew.

"Cor guvnor! What a whopper!"

(NCV included to give a sense of scale)

The bracken, too, was giant sized.

Dave and Julia didn't know which 

way to turn.

It was all a bit of a challenge.

Thank goodness we weren't on

 bracken bashing duty!

This tree gave us a nice bit of 

bracken free shade.

Extreme caution was needed along the ridge 

as the sheer cliffs fell away from 

the path on one side.

The photo above was taken by one 

of these brave NCVs who walked out onto

 the enormous viewing rock.

Let's just stop here and make sure 

everyone has made it through 

the bracken shall we?

Then it was down a little way to 

follow the path to Northwoods farm.

 Everyone enjoyed their coffee break in the sun.

Especially Liz's biscuits!

There were a couple of 

awkward stiles to negotiate.

This sign showed we were on the right track.

however, the single shoe was a little worrying.

What had happened to the wearer?

Hopefully he hadn't been eaten by this 

gigantic lizard that roared at us 

as we went by.

(Blades of grass included for scale.)

No worries about these cows.

They ignored us - too much grass to eat.

Luckily Liz had not booked in at this 

wayside cafe for our lunch. The 'carrots only' 

menu would have been healthy

 but rather disappointing.

The return to the cars took us over

the moorland....

...via the Guisecliff mast.

The arrival back at Two Stoops meant that 

we were almost back at the cars.

Now all we had to do was drive on a 10 mile

 diversion to get the two miles to Pateley,

thanks to some totally unexpected road 

works that had been set up whilst we 

were walking!

Luckily the Crown Inn was waiting for us.

The company was well catered for by the friendly staff.

Our meals were served in no time flat

and were absolutely delicious.

Thanks Staff!!!!!

And thank you Liz for organising 

this lovely day of relaxation.

You are the queen of 

volunteer co-ordinators!!