We recently paid a visit to Skipton Woods - which are well worth exploring if you are in that part of North Yorkshire. It's just five minutes walk from Skipton High Street and to find it you need to walk down the steps near the castle, by the little canal known as the Spring Branch, that used to connect the limestone quarries to the Leeds-Liverpool canal.
On the way to the woods you pass the old Corn Mill, still with intact waterwheel.
Looking back along the main path through the woods, with the Eller Beck down on the left and the so-called Long Dam - a sort of long, shallow pond, on the right. The woods are managed by the Woodland Trust - click for details.
Here he (or she) is, in profile.....
... and head on. I hadn't realised until I looked closely at this photo (double-click) that herons are cross-eyed.
A little further on, upstream of the round dam. Hard to believe that this is just a few mintes walk from a busy shopping street...
.... and this is the most picturesque bit, where the Eller Beck tumbles over rock ledges in this little gorge.
There are various possible circular walks, but this one takes you back into town, via this very attractive path that runs alongside moss-covered walls.
It's only a short walk but I'd recommend taking a pork pie or two with you from this fantastic butchers, near the start of the walk, that makes the Supreme Champion Great Northern Pork Pie. To my taste buds, they're just about perfection. Their sausages are also legendary...
Posts
