Coastal Walk from Flamborough to Bempton

A newly arrived Puffin with bright plumage looking for his burrow in the cliff face

Coastal Walk from Flamborough to Bempton

This stunning coastal walk explores some of Britain’s highest chalk cliffs from Flamborough Head https://www.yorkshire.com/places/yorkshire-coast/flamborough to Bempton.  What better way to welcome the Spring than with this moderately challenging walk.  At a distance of 6 miles in the sunshine along the East Yorkshire coast, there are wonderful views… and the arrival of some our Summer sea bird visitors for company.

An image of Flamborough Head Lighthouse against a blue sky
Flamborough Head Lighthouse

Best Foot Forward

Start from Flamborough Head Lighthouse, a well-maintained and imposing beacon with a lot of history.  The original lighthouse was first built in 1669   https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouse-visitor-centres/flamborough-lighthouse-visitor-centre This is an opportunity for refreshment and toilets at the Lighthouse Cafe, before starting out.  Take a walking-pole, you may need it and, depending on the weather, sturdy walking boots.  The walk starts off with some fairly narrow, steep, steps.  Look out for skylarks, corn buntings, stone chats, wheat ears and of course, many butterflies and an abundance of wildflowers.

Rugged cliffs, giving way to the crashing sea below
Stunning views of cliffs, sea and sky

Bright Yellow Gorse in Full Bloom

Skirt the Flamborough golf course, edged with vibrant, yellow gorse in full bloom at this time of year.  The only problem with this walk is the many stops that need to be taken in order to drink in the views and take photographs.  The North Sea is at its best along this stretch of coast.  It is surprisingly blue.  There are lots of places to just sit and stare.

Bright yellow gorse, blue sea and blue sky with whisky white clouds at Flamborough Head
Yellow gorse on the edge of Flamborough Golf Course

Follow Your Nose

It is difficult to go wrong, just follow the coast path up through Thornwick, leaving the bay down below.  There are not many opportunities for paddling.  The cliffs are steep drops to the sea below.  Sadly, there is some coastal erosion in parts.  Great care must be taken.

Dramatic and steep the cliffs are home to thousands of seabirds
A first sighting of Puffins returning to their burrows in the steep, chalk cliffs

Breathtaking

The walk ends at the visitor centre of the RSPB’s https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/bempton-cliffs Bempton Cliffs nature reserve.  Here are viewing platforms to get better sightings of the nesting birds.  And there possibility of seeing a Puffin.  Refreshments are available here too.  The cliffs are a temporary home to razorbills, kittiwakes, guillemots, gannets, fulmars and puffins – a cacophony of screeching seabirds.  This is one of Europe’s busiest seabird colonies.  Be prepared though, the smell of the guano can take your breath away.

The sun highlights the whiteness of the chalk cliffs tumbling down to the sea below
Another breath-taking view of the East Yorkshire coast

The Stunning East Yorkshire Coast

This has to be one of the most stunning coastal walks in Britain, it’s certainly one of my favourites.  This particular route was voted 50th in an ITV poll to find Britian’s favourite walk. If you’re even mildly interested in wildlife, Bempton Cliffs is the place to be.

The steep white cliffs of the Yorkshire coast reflect the the sunlight in contrast against the North Sea
A view of some of Britain’s steepest chalk cliffs along the East Yorkshire coast

I have news for you… Bolton Abbey is nowhere near Bolton

A black and white image of the ruins and grounds of Bolton Abbey

Bolton Abbey is nowhere near Bolton

I was recently taken on a surprise trip to a lovely little B&B, Throstlenest Farm, https://www.throstlenestfarmbandb.co.uk/ just outside Skipton in the the Yorkshire Dales.  A good base to stay when you want to visit Bolton Abbey.

A black and white image of the ruins and grounds of Bolton Abbey
The stark ruins of Bolton Abbey

The market town of Skipton

On a gorgeous summer’s afternoon in February (yes really!) we arrived in the lovely market town of Skipton.  Busy market stalls, independent gift and craft shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes with a canal-side walk not too far away from the town centre adds up to make a very nice place to visit.  http://welcometoskipton.com/ There’s a castle, museum, historic church and a vibrant high street.

 

As I said, Bolton Abbey really is nowhere near Bolton

Bolton Abbey is about 6 miles from Skipton in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire.  As you might expect there is an abbey in the grounds although the 12th century Augustinian monastery is now in ruins.  It fell victim to King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.  It is actually about 60 miles from Bolton in Lancashire.

A black and white dramatic image of the ruins of Bolton Abbey
Dramatic view of the ruins of Bolton Abbey

Open all day

As a rule of thumb the grounds are open from 9am to 6pm – longer in the summer.  We arrived at the Strid car park at around 10am and left at about 3.30pm.  It is dog-friendly although they must be kept on leads. https://boltonabbey.com/your-visit/admission/

An image of a view through trees from a high point along the river Wharfe
A view along the river Wharfe from a vantage point

You will need £10 to park

The park is open to visitors for most of the year and there are miles of walking routes.   We chose one that included Strid Wood.  This stretch has one of the largest remains of sessile oak trees in the Yorkshire Dales.  The cost to park is pretty steep – £10 per car which can be used at other areas in the park – but then the area is immaculately maintained with excellent paths. A lot of it is pushchair- friendly.  An easy-to-use map with discounts for the various tea rooms makes the parking fee a bit more acceptable.

A view through the leafless trees
A view through the leafless trees

 

Take your binoculars, you’ll need them

The walk follows the banks of the river Wharfe with some inclines that give way to magnificent views.   There was evidence of acres of faded snowdrops, plus the green tips of imminent bluebells and the faint aroma of new, wild garlic.  Spring must be truly stunning in these parts.  Dippers, woodpeckers, grey-wagtails and more were spotted and it seems there are kingfishers and even otters to be seen too.

An image of one of the vantage points seats
One of the vantage point seats

Part of the Cavendish Family

If you have ever visited Chatsworth House in Derbyshire you will see that Bolton Abbey clearly belongs to the Devonshire family.  There is the same immaculate attention to signage and customer service.  And the name Cavendish pops up everywhere.  The 6th Duke of Devonshire and the Rev William Carr created the walks in the early 1800s with strategically placed seats to drink in the views.

 

The Strid

The Strid, a natural wonder, where the river suddenly narrows forcing the water through at great pressure. It was formed by the wearing away of softer rock by the circular motion of small stones in hollows. Clever eh?

Big rocks worn away and shaped by smaller rocks making the unique shaping of the Strid
The unique rock formation of the Strid
A clear blue sky with an amazing view from the road at Barden
This is the magnificent view from the road at Barden in the Yorkshire Dales

A seven mile circular walk

Our walk along the riverside took us to Barden Bridge, over it and along the opposite bank.  We crossed the river Wharfe at one point to visit the Pavilion for coffee to cross back again and on to the stepping stones.  I preferred to take the bridge, only having little legs, to the abbey ruins and back along to the river bank to complete the circuit at the Strid.

An image of stepping stones spaced across the River Wharfe
The stepping stones across the river Wharfe at Bolton Abbey

A good 7 mile walk.

 

 

GONE FISHING!

I think I may have mentioned this before but I live very near to the Chesterfield Canal http://www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/ and that I have started a new regime of jogging along the tow path.  Well, this lovely waterway is attractive in other ways too…

During the long school summer break, my four grandchildren (aged between five and nine) come to stay either in twos or altogether – like yesterday, when we spent some time making our own fishing nets.  All each of them needed was: 

Make your own fishing net
All you need to make a simple fishing net
  • A 5 ft garden cane
  • A wire coat hanger
  • A piece of netting
  • A needle and thread

There was much amusement as they put their sewing skills to the test plus a bit of help from Grommar and Poppar of course. In the end all four of them finished with a very respectable fishing net.  Naturally, they were all desperate to put them to the test so plans were made that Evie and Jack could go fishing the next day, as they were staying here with us and Josh and Harry could go the following week, when they would be staying with us.

Evie and Jack fishing
Homemade fishing nets in action

It was a golden couple of hours as Evie and Jack searched along the canal bank for the perfect spot, looking for tiddlers along the way.  Neither had ever ‘fished’ before so they soon learned that splashing around in the water and making grand swooping gestures with the net was not going to catch them any fish.  After a demonstration by Poppar they soon got the hang of it and it wasn’t long before each of them had a jar with a couple of tiddlers, some other creatures and some bits of weed.

Evie and Jack try out their fishing nets
Learning to fish

We had taken a picnic lunch with us and as we ate lunch, we saw a kestrel, heard a yellow-hammer, a buzzard, swans with signets, pondskaters, water boatmen and blackberries almost ready for picking – probably a task for next week.  It was a couple of hours very well spent and could be replicated anywhere there is a body of water – just make sure you take every safety precaution and notice of any safety warnings – or else you will have to answer to your kids!

Fishing takes patience
Fishing on the Chesterfield Canal

This is also one of the things to do on the https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/documents/50-things-activity-list.pdf

Trust me, it was a day to treasure.

A Walk with Alpacas

A very unique gift

I received a very unique gift-experience for my birthday, from a very thoughtful friend.   A walk with alpacas.  I took this opportunity to take two of my grandchildren to share the experience, to Treswell, Nottinghamshire, England.

Getting to know the alpacas
Getting to know the alpacas

A passion for alpacas

A husband and wife team, with a passion for alpacas, look after a small-holding ‘OrionTree’ https://oriontree.uk/  They are specialist breeders and keep their herd small.  Anyone who wishes to try one of their experiences is guanteed a hands-on encounter with a difference.

Me and my alpaca
A walk with alpacas

Chalk and cheese

Eight year old Evie and five year old Jack couldn’t wait to meet the alpacas.  Jack loves all kinds of animals and was eager to get stuck in.  Evie, on the other hand, is a little more reserved and preferred to ‘just help Grandma’.

An image of one of the alpacas ready for his walk
One of the alpacas ready for his walk

A calm and gentle nature

Alpacas are beautiful, friendly creatures with a very calm and gentle nature.  They make exceptionally easy walking companions and the team at Oriontree can adapt the walk to suit but they generally stick to a routine. 

Jack with James the alpaca
Confidently walking with my alpaca

Hello boys

After a short introduction the machos (alpaca boys) are brought out.  We were each paired with our alpaca and off we went.  Both children were entranced with their partners from the beginning and it wasn’t long before Grandma’s help was no longer needed. 

A confident little girl leading her alpaca
I can do this

Snack break

A short break at the half-way point provided the opportunity for Jack to ask all his questions.  He needed to know about the alpacas’ teeth and the difference between alpacas and llamas and countless other things.   All questions were patiently and knowledgeably answered by our hostess.  Meanwhile ‘the boys’  chomped their way through a box full of snacks, fed to them by the Evie and Jack.

Alpacas are beautiful, gentle creatures
Alpacas are beautiful, gentle creatures

An absolute delight

It was a very unique experience.  We all learnt a lot and it was a pleasure to be in the company of such beautiful creatures, especially in the lovely, North Nottinghamshire countryside.  https://www.innorthnotts.co.uk/

 

A walk with alpacas in the wonderful Nottinghamshire countryside?

I would highly recommend.