Trip 16, September 2024, Bilton Park, Harrogate
We got settled and had lunch. We walked along the old railway trail (The Nidderdale Greenway) and then into the housing estate looking for a pub. We found some shops, well a barbers, a convenience shop and Chinese take away.
We walked through the estate which is a mix of old terraces and 1960s houses. We ended up at the Gardeners Arms. The landlady told me that the pub that I was looking for on our map closed 15 years ago.
It was a good pub apparently and then had a couple of bad landlords and it became a bit of a drug and drink den. It was closed and knocked down and then replaced with a couple of big houses,
We had a drink in the garden and then walked home. We read our kindles until tea, which tonight was Moules en Frites with crusty bread.
The weather is good tomorrow so we are planning a longer walk.
Day 2.
Quite a few people left the campsite this morning and there are only 12 vans left.
We left the campsite around 10am and headed down Bilton lane towards Knaresborough, before following a footpath into the Woodland Trusts Nidd Gorge nature reserve and then on to the river Nidd.
As we walked beside the river we passed the site of a mill on the opposite bank and the abutments of a bridge that once crossed the river.
We followed the river for over 2 miles until we came to the Viaduct on the Nidderdale Greenway. This year we walked under the viaduct and we were able to admire the craftsmanship of the stonework. We followed a path up to the top of the gorge and we were soon on the old railway trackbed.
It was about lunchtime and we had already walked about 5 miles so we headed over some common and found a bench where we could sit and eat lunch in between hiding our sandwiches from inquisitive passing dogs.
After the lunch break we went back to the Nidderdale Greenway and followed it to Bilton. We called in at the Gardeners Arms for a beer before ascending the final hill to the campsite.
The afternoon was cool and cloudy so we spent most of the time in the motorhome reading before tea which tonight was a beef stew and rice.
Day 3:
Heavy rain all day. The entire time was spent in the motorhome.
Day 4:
The morning started with rain but this cleared and we left the van at 10am to walk towards Knaresborough along Bilton lane. Then we followed footpaths towards Harrogate.
We walked sections of the Nidderdale Way with our circular walk going past The Gardeners Arms, Samuel Smith called us in. We were ready for refreshment so we answered his call and enjoyed sitting in the sun in the beer garden.
Our walk was a mere 5 miles today but it was good to get out and about after yesterday’s confinement.
Off home tomorrow and then our next and probably last trip this year is to Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
Iona’s Travels 