{"id":365,"date":"2026-10-13T19:45:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T19:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/?p=365"},"modified":"2026-10-13T19:45:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T19:45:06","slug":"ilkley-and-dalesway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/?p=365","title":{"rendered":"Yorkshire Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In which Lis leaves Scotland and journeys to the Yorkshire Dales, whereupon she met a cow and calf.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I went to visit Chris, the other backpacker who I met in Inuvik 20 years ago, who is now in Yorkshire with his family. The first night I arrived at sunset they took me up to the Cow and Calf rock formations up on the hill above the city. For the first time, they realised that there’s a pair of lips on the rock! Chris also got me to climb up a rock face I never would have dared if it was light out. By (near full) moonlight, we also went up to see some ancient cup and ring rock carvings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chris and Jen and the kids welcomed be so warmly and made me feel at home (again – this has been a beautiful theme with the Arctic friends I’ve visited). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I went for a walk up on Ilkley Moor. There are parts with this huge flagstone paving, and then other parts have a myriad of little footpaths that you can get lost in… Except you can always find your way back downhill to the town – it just might be a bit roundabout. (I did end up straying onto Burley Moor via this method.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tzip2 found what she thinks is an ancient cairn up on the moor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now in the light of day I saw where we’d climbed up in the moonlight the previous day. Yikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stunning views over the town and countryside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next, off on the Dalesway walk. The first several stages follow the River Wharfe. (Not Worf. This is a river, not a klingon.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At this point there was a short section along a road with no shoulder, and I went a bit off the route, through a field, following a path… Soon I ended up scaling a fence, crossing this overgrown viaduct, skittering dangerously down a leafy slope, and crossing a tiny brook before finding the correct path again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And I arrived at Boulton Abbey and Priory (where Chris and Jen got married).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Through the Strid wood, where the river has carved gorges and caves (very dangerous, according to the signs) through the limestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lots of great bridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To Barden, and Barden tower, where I would catch my bus back to Ilkley. The Dalesbus in this area is a minibus that careens along the narrow, winding country roads at unbelievable speeds. Hang on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Also of note, I had a nasty head cold and by the end of the day wasn’t breathing very well, so I took a sick day to chill out at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The following day, Tzip2 didn’t feel like hiking, so she hung out with her new guinea pig friends instead. And I was off on the Dalesbus back to Barden to continue the walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While stopping for a ‘wild wee’ (terminology I learned from Daisy), I met some old alligator friends on the fence post where I hung my bag. (Ladybug\/ladybird larvae)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At quite a few spots along the river, there were stepping stones to cross over. I wanted to cross by the stones at Boulton Abbey the other day, but didn’t dare because my year old made my balance a bit iffy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are no words. Just beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This set of stepping stones I did cross!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And ending in the beautiful town of Grassington, which is where Darrowby in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small is filmed. And then I got the bus stop wrong and missed the direct bus home and had to take another to Skipton and transfer to get back home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Skipton I wandered a bit while waiting for the bus to see the canal and this beautiful church. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then back to Ilkley, where every night Jen and\/or Chris made excellent meals! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In which Lis leaves Scotland and journeys to the Yorkshire Dales, whereupon she met a cow and calf. I went to visit Chris, the other backpacker who I met in Inuvik 20 years ago, who is now in Yorkshire with his family. The first night I arrived at sunset they took me up to the Cow and Calf rock formations up on the hill above the city. For the first time, they realised that there’s a pair of lips on the rock! Chris also got me to climb up a rock face I never would have dared if it was light out. By (near full) moonlight, we also went up to see some ancient cup and ring rock carvings. Chris and Jen and the kids welcomed be so warmly and made me feel at home (again – this has been a beautiful theme with the Arctic friends I’ve visited). I went for a walk up on Ilkley Moor. There are parts with this huge flagstone paving, and then other parts have a myriad of little footpaths that you can get lost in… Except you can always find your way back downhill to the town – it just might be a bit roundabout. (I did end up straying onto Burley Moor via this method.) Tzip2 found what she thinks is an ancient cairn up on the moor. Now in the light of day I saw where we’d climbed up in the moonlight the previous day. Yikes. Stunning views over the town and countryside. Next, off on the Dalesway walk. The first several stages follow the River Wharfe. (Not Worf. This is a river, not a klingon.) At this point there was a short section along a road with no shoulder, and I went a bit off the route, through a field, following a path… Soon I ended up scaling a fence, crossing this overgrown viaduct, skittering dangerously down a leafy slope, and crossing a tiny brook before finding the correct path again. And I arrived at Boulton Abbey and Priory (where Chris and Jen got married). Through the Strid wood, where the river has carved gorges and caves (very dangerous, according to the signs) through the limestone. Lots of great bridges. To Barden, and Barden tower, where I would catch my bus back to Ilkley. The Dalesbus in this area is a minibus that careens along the narrow, winding country roads at unbelievable speeds. Hang on. Also of note, I had a nasty head cold and by the end of the day wasn’t breathing very well, so I took a sick day to chill out at home. The following day, Tzip2 didn’t feel like hiking, so she hung out with her new guinea pig friends instead. And I was off on the Dalesbus back to Barden to continue the walk. While stopping for a ‘wild wee’ (terminology I learned from Daisy), I met some old alligator friends on the fence post where I hung my bag. (Ladybug\/ladybird larvae) At quite a few spots along the river, there were stepping stones to cross over. I wanted to cross by the stones at Boulton Abbey the other day, but didn’t dare because my year old made my balance a bit iffy. There are no words. Just beautiful. This set of stepping stones I did cross! And ending in the beautiful town of Grassington, which is where Darrowby in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small is filmed. And then I got the bus stop wrong and missed the direct bus home and had to take another to Skipton and transfer to get back home. In Skipton I wandered a bit while waiting for the bus to see the canal and this beautiful church. Then back to Ilkley, where every night Jen and\/or Chris made excellent meals!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[46,44,45,43,47],"class_list":["post-365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-le-peregrinazioni-di-lis","tag-bolton-abbey","tag-dalesway","tag-grassinton","tag-ilkley-moor","tag-river-wharfe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=365"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":403,"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365\/revisions\/403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eskerhazy.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}