Sunday 12th January 2020 - Skipwith Common to Froggathorpe (SE 755 373)
Although it was raining when we set off our walk through Skipwith Common was perhaps the best part of this three day trek. Surprisingly this area was the site of a WW2 airfield but it is now scattered with mature birch and Scots pine carpeted with golden bracken and heather - it is all reminiscent of wonderful Cannock Chase and according to the information board home to a wide variety of wildlife including nightjars.
To the south we could see trails of emission from Drax power station drifting horizontally in puff ball clouds blown by the strong wind.
North Duffield had a pretty duck pond and a chap with a shed making bespoke woodcraft items to what appeared to be a high standard and we chatted a while.
If Skipwith Common had been the best part so far our next two and a half kilometres of road walking on the A 163 to Bubwith was the worst. There was only a narrow grass verge and a fair amount of traffic but thankfully it was not as intimidating as we had been anticipating.
From Bubwith we were able to follow the disused railway track which was much more attractive than many I have walked on. North West tonight a few evenings ago had an item announcing the improvement to the planned round England coastal path. I have walked on most of the section they described from Morecambe up to Arnside and beyond and apart from one or two short missing links I see no need to spend lots of money unnecessarily "improving" existing ancient tracks which seemed to be implied. Much better to seek out sections of our country where at the moment there is no alternative but to walk long distances on busy roads and so provide alternatives. This adoption of the railway track is a good example to follow along with negotiating permissive paths with landowners and the like.
We left the railway path at Froggathorpe to pick up our parked car and head back home after a thoroughly enjoyable three days.
Click first photo to see slideshow
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| This landscape across Skipwith Common gives me a lift. What a transformation from a WW2 airfield |
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| Drax power station - eleven kilometres to the south |
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| North Dufield |
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| Interesting man in his man-shed. Everything was immaculate and in place |
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| Derwent Bridge - Bubwith |
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| Bubwith church - we lunched on a stone bench by the photo below in the grounds of the church |
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| River Derwent |
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| Looking back to our route over Derwent bridge as seen in photo above |
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| Old platforms on what would have been Bubwith station |
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| Pleasant walking, good underfoot on this disused railway |
Yes, this time our posts on S to F have been almost identical despite our efforts to have a different view.
ReplyDeleteIs TD38 our next route?
ReplyDeleteBC - I think that was something I copied from you! Just looked at it properly and I reckon the title should read:
ReplyDeleteOS Grid 38 (northing) from SD 305 380 to TA 269 379 - Day xx
Oops! I thought I had copied your SD 38 but if you put in a grid ref. commencing TD it seems to place you in the sea off the Hook of Holland. See also my comment on your Skipwith Common to Foggathorpe post.
ReplyDeleteThis part of the Grand Plan makes your East Anglian journey look like an Himalayan expedition - but good to be out in such sunshine so early in the year, I'm sure, but storms might make it another matter entirely unless you have a raft in your knapsack.
ReplyDeleteBonne continuation !
gimmer - Driving to our start at Skipwith Common I would have stopped the car if I could have done safely due to a massive deluge - I could not see the road ahead. It was still raining but easing when we started walking but within an hour or so we had sunshine and blue sky.
ReplyDeleteHeello mate great blog post
ReplyDeleteHi Eva - welcome to my blog. I much appreciate new commenters. I wonder how you found this backdated post?
ReplyDelete