| Little-known
Nidderdale, on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National
Park offers some of the most peaceful walking in the Dales. Starting
at the attractive little town of Pately Bridge, the Nidderdale
Way is a circular walk around this beautiful valley. Attractions
along the way include the wind-weathered gritstone ‘sculptures'
of Brimham Rocks; How Stean Gorge, a spectacular limestone ravine;
Yorke's Folly, built to resemble a window arch from a ruined
abbey, and Ripley Castle with its deer park and gardens laid out
by Capability Brown.
The route visits several attractive villages such as Middlesmoor,
clinging tenaciously to the hillside; Ramsgill, with a spacious
green surrounded by stone cottages with flower-filled gardens
and an imposing ivy-clad former hunting lodge; and Ripley, a beautiful
19th century estate village rebuilt to resemble a French village.
It has a fine medieval market cross with stocks alongside and
the churchyard contains a fascinating pre-Reformation ‘weeping
cross': sockets at the bottom cater for the knees of four
‘penitent' souls.
Although
the Nidderdale Way is a low-level route, it does climb the valley
sides to follow gritstone edges and moorland fringes for rewarding
views over the dale. |

Dancing Bear Brimham Rocks © CWH |