Nidderdale- a great escape

Yet again I was given an exit visa!  Not to the deep south this time but to the Yorkshire Dales.  I am fortunate in having friends who live at Gill Beck Farm, a mile from Pateley Bridge, on the edge of Nidderdale.

Nidderdale is a wonderful base for walking and cycling and has loads of outdoor activity centres from caving to kayaking.

The journey over from South Lakes is another Northern dream drive – as long as you are not in a hurry.  Tractors abound on the A65 and it rarely transforms into 4 lanes.  Patience.  Thankfully, for me, the opportunity to stare at the changing low November light over the hills was a delight so the odd tractor thrown in to the mix didn’t really make much difference.

One of the main ‘must sees’ if you are new to the route is Grassington.  A village full of tearooms and  tasteful small shops.  I didn’t stop as there was an ice rink in the village square for the weekend.  Hence the world and his wife had descended on the village, filling up the car parks and making the only form of pedestrian entry park and ride.  Ah well, Christmas presents would wait till another day.

Gill Beck Farm is down a single track lane, then down a mile long drive.  The drive down is ‘interesting’ even in mild weather, it is not surprising that the owners have invested in a snow blower.  The track, almost vertical down to a stream then similarly up the other side to the house.  The only opportunity to pass is in the dip by the stream.  But once there, there is little reasons to drive out again.  Even in the rain the views are serene,  and with the vastness of the moors to walk my car stayed put for the weekend. 

In contrast Rosie dog was hard to pin down.  With a plethora of rabbits and pheasants Croft House is her idea of heaven and there is no chance of her making a direct transition from car to house.  Even at 11 terrier instincts remain strong enough to send her running in to the nearest coppice on a major

hunting mission.

As I now know the area quite well walking pretty much consisted of heading out and following one of the many paths in roughly circular routes, trying to avoid the worst of the water sponged into the moors. One walk encompassed Cold Stones Cut, a modern sculpture built by Coldstones Quarry to show how industry is and was integrated into the landscape. Read more about it here.

Walks around the area can be found from Cicerone

Although the temperature was dropping rapidly, 2⁰ by the time I left, I can recommend Nidderdale for a stay at any time of year. If you want more details on staying at Gill Beck Farm then click here to email.