Sunday 1st March 2026
The weather forecast was looking good for today’s walk, and so it turned out.
The day didn’t start well for Sandy and me. I went out to find that the car had a flat tyre, and vehicles don’t come with spare wheels these days. I tried the canister that they give you, but all that seemed to do was go on the wheel and drive. The taxi was going to be a 45-minute wait. The only number I had was Jan and Dave’s. A quick call to see if they had anyone’s number I could call, and Dave said he would ring Uber. Taxi six minutes away – job sorted.
The coach picked up 34 passengers for our trip to Harrogate to drop off the non-walkers. Nineteen got off for a day in Harrogate (did they know something we didn’t?).
The walkers (15 of us) started from the Sun Inn pub on the B6451. As usual, the two peacocks were there to see us off, and a red kite was circling overhead. Going into the first field, it was a surprise to find the field quite dry, not like the next one, which had standing water from one side to the other. Nothing for it but to go for it. After that the ground was surprisingly firm, although there were places where you had to walk round to avoid the mud.
The weather was warm with the sun out as we stopped overlooking John O’Gaunt’s Reservoir for a coffee break, carrying on to Long Liberty Farm where we turned right through the gate with four or five red kites overhead. Walking through a small wooded area and up and over some fields, passing Springhill Farm, we stopped for lunch on a rocky outcrop.
After a short walk we arrived at the Smiths Arms in Beckwithshaw. It was nice to sit out in the sun and have a well-deserved drink. After our liquid refreshment the group carried on to RHS Harlow Carr, where the coach was waiting for those who had had enough. Three people decided to join the coach.
The rest went over a small incline and down through Valley Gardens, where seven decided that the toilet was a good option, leaving just five of us to cross the finish line. We had about three quarters of an hour to do what we wanted before the coach picked us all up for the journey home.
The total walked was 8.5 miles to the Valley Garden gates.
