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Distance: Two miles
Pram friendly: Yes

If you want stunning views, this one has them in spades.

It’s a lovely, gentle walk which is ideal if you have young children, a pram or little ones on bikes. It’s also great if you just fancy taking it easy.

Head over the stunning Hewenden Viaduct and into the lovely village of Cullingworth near Bradford for this out-and-back route.

For the full route, visit https://busymumlifestyle.co.uk/walkshire-great-northern-railway-trail/

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The woods of the North York Moors are, without doubt, my favourite place to walk. Yes, a hike up a fell in the dales is sometimes just the job – a formidable trek as the lowlands give way to exposed limestone hunks; a narrowing path and brittle air; an ascent into cloud and moisture.

But the forest trail is gently yielding. And the forest is a place where the imagination can wander too, a place of eerie depths where the imagination tends to work overtime, provoking pleasantly sublime instincts.

My favourite forest walk starts in the secluded village of Nether Silton and follows the narrow road towards the woods. Turning from the road up onto a bridleway that leads up a steep, woody bank, I climb up into the trees, skirting the edge of the forest, and walk along a ridge with occasional views into the vale below. Ahead, the path turns gently to the right and widens.

Then a fork, and with it, a choice: either following the metalled bridleway straight ahead, or delving deep into the forest proper, a shuddering of creaking pines and an almost eerie darkness. The forest floor is a barren waste of dead pine needles; the trunks of Scots pine almost wholly denuded of branches until the top of the canopy. I can’t help feeling that I could easily get lost.

Of course, there’s no such luck. Hiking in any direction would bring me safely back to civilisation fairly soon, although it wasn’t always this way. Thousands of years ago, the landscape of Britain was dominated by the ‘wildwood’, a vast forest that stretched the length and breadth of the isles. Just how dense this forest was is subject to debate: research in recent decades, focused on ancient beetle remains and native shrubs and trees which thrive in light, suggests that Britain’s primordial forest may have been much more fragmented than we might imagine.

The wildwood gradually disappeared, starting over five thousand years ago with the Neolithic people, who cleared woodland for crops and grazing livestock. Later came the Bronze Age people, who used timber for structures. The Iron Age Celts and the Romans cleared land for grazing. By 1000 AD, perhaps as little as twenty percent of Great Britain was covered by woodland.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, woodland covered just 5% of Great Britain. The Forestry Commission, founded in 1919, began to reforest ancient woodlands, often with non-native species. During the Great Depression, new forests were planted: Dalby in North Yorkshire, Hamsterley in County Durham and Kielder in Northumberland.

In North Yorkshire, we’re lucky. Twenty percent of the North York Moors National Park is covered with forest, and the neighbouring Howardian Hills AONB is similarly swathed in plentiful woodland. The largest plantation, Dalby Forest, is extensive and popular because it offers various activities such as mountain bike hire and high rope outdoor activities. But it’s good to go hiking off the way-marked trails and explore.

Forestry England owns many plantations in the national park. Their woodland has public access guaranteed in perpetuity, meaning visitors can roam and explore on foot. Even land in private ownership, such as Yearsley Moor, owned by Ampleforth Abbey, has an extensive network of public footpaths and bridleways.

Through the seasons, the forest offers a changing and diverse array of nature. In spring, there’s wild garlic, primroses, bluebells, wood sorrel. An early morning walk can bring the sight of a deer. In summer, the forest makes for brilliant walking: dipping in and out of the shade as you explore the riggs and the stacked piles of felled trees. In autumn, the forest is a blaze of mellow colour. Finally, in winter, a walk in the woods is bracing, especially when the sun sinks beneath the hills and a chill envelopes the trees.

Back on the trail in Silton Forest, Black Hambleton is visible through the trees on the eastern riggs of the woodland. Here, I rarely encounter another soul on these inviting paths through the trees. It’s intensely fragrant and light dapples the ground.

The forest excites our imagination like no other place. The forest invites cosiness – a cabin tucked inside the pines, a wreath of blue smoke curling from the chimney. It can also suggest something sinister: a primal fear that still lurks inside all of us.

It’s great to bag peaks sometimes – and when we crave the hills, North Yorkshire delivers – but a woodland walk is just as perfect.

It’s the time of year when, across many countries, we celebrate International Trails Day.  Here in England and Wales this year, we’re celebrating with a Trail Tribute to thank everyone involved in looking after the trails. We want people to share photos, memories, stories and thank yous to all the people who help make the trails what they are.

On our four National Trails which run through Yorkshire, we have many people to thank for all their efforts.

The Cleveland Way would not be the high-quality path it is without our volunteers, who tirelessly give up their time to join us on the path and get stuck into its maintenance.  Building steps, setting back fences due to coastal erosion, cutting back scrub, installing signs and gates – the list of activities is endless and the enthusiasm they bring gives us all a real lift.  On the Yorkshire Wolds Way, teams from the Ramblers Association love to get stuck in and make the trail the lovely experience it is.

Photo Gallery

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Volunteers also play a vital role in the maintenance of the Pennine Way and Pennine Bridleway. They regularly get involved in all sorts of work, from controlling vegetation and installing way marking to drainage and surfacing works and fencing and repairing gates.  The time they give and experience they bring are invaluable in helping maintain the trails at their high standard and ensuring everyone using the trails has the best experience possible. 

We also have businesses who donate funds to help to make our trails so special.  Of course, beer and walking have long been a happy partnership and so it’s no surprise that we have official beers to support our trails.  Have you tried any?  On the Cleveland Way, it’s “Striding the Riding” from Helmsley Brewery; on the Yorkshire Wolds Way, seek out “Wolds Way” from Wold Top Brewery; finally, on the Pennine Way, look for “Pennine Ambler” from Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery.  It was thanks to a donation from Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery, along with volunteers helping to carry out the work, that a section of the Pennine Way could be repaired at Hardraw in the Yorkshire Dales last year. 

There’s also the wonderful support we get from running events. In particular, we have Hardmoors, run by Jon and Shirley Steele, to thank for their help on the Cleveland Way and Yorkshire Wolds Way, With a £1 donation from every entry to Hardmoors events, we were able to buy a vehicle for the Cleveland Way Maintenance Ranger.

We are extremely grateful for all the donations we receive from all the events on the Pennine Way and Pennine Bridleway too.  These generous donations from participants and organisers go towards the many maintenance projects that are identified on each trail each year and all help towards ensuring the trails are kept in the best possible condition for everyone to enjoy.  

Why not share your thoughts on why you’re grateful for our Yorkshire National Trails?

Useful links

www.northyorkmoors.org.uk

www.nationaltrail.co.uk

www.visiteastyorkshire.co.uk

Whilst the simple act of actively appreciating the fresh air has a plethora of benefits for everyone tapping into the powerful free resource which is nature, it can be a challenge navigating walking routes as someone with accessibility needs.

As Yorkshire has so many places to get outdoors and active for everyone, we set up Yorkshire Families Magazine to enable people from all backgrounds to explore the best of God’s Own County, including sharing where our team of community reporters, many of whom have disabilities, love to explore.

Our football fanatic sports reporter, Dan, who is on the autistic spectrum, shares his favourite walks. He describes routes ranging from the familiar urban trek from the car park to Elland Road to watch his team play to wandering in the humble perfectly-formed Pontefract Park. He also takes us from the impressive sculptural art “without walls” at Yorkshire Sculpture Park to digging deep at the National Coal Mining Museum.

Here, Dan writes in his own words…

I’m a sports lover, so pre- and hopefully post-Covid, I walked to two main sports stadia to watch my teams:

Leeds United FC – Elland Road

The way I walk to Elland Road starts at the White Rose Shopping Centre car park. I then have to cross a couple of main roads, walk past the Drysalters  pub and I eventually get to see Elland Road in the distance.  Getting inside Elland Road isn’t too difficult, as I tend to have tickets in the same area: all I do is put the ticket inside the scanner and that allows me in.  I haven’t been for a while, so I’ve missed the anticipation and build-up as I’m walking down. I’ve also been missing the spring in my step with my shirt and scarf on, but hopefully next season I’ll feel all these feelings again.

Featherstone Rovers RLFC – Millennium Stadium/Post Office Road

I park in a side street and the ground is only across the road from there. On the walk, I get excited as I’m hopeful for a good game. I haven’t been for a while since Covid came, so I’m looking forward to the day I’m able to go back.  Accessibility-wise, you now have to buy a ticket from the reception area, whereas before you used to be able to go to the ticket people. A woman would then scan the ticket and from there, you’re free to go to your seat. I sit in the family stand, so I just have to walk up two lots of stairs and I’m there.

As I’ve not been to matches for a while,  I’ve been exploring where else there is to walk in Yorkshire. Fortunately, it’s good to see that there are lots of places in Yorkshire for walking or other activities.

There are many different places in Yorkshire to walk around and I’m going to give a roundup of the places here:

The following places are disabled/wheelchair-friendly

Pugneys Country Park Wakefield

Pugneys Country Park is on Denby Dale Road in Wakefield, just past Toby Carvery pub. It features accessible toilets and showers, based near the Boat House Café, an ice cream van and two lakes. You can also decide how far round you want to walk.

Roundhay Park

Roundhay Park is in Leeds. Entrances to the park and all paths are wheelchair accessible.  Accessible toilets are available in Tropical World Explorers Café, the Visitor Centre and the Education Rooms. There is also an accessible toilet at Lakeside Café.

You can choose the length of walk you go on.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is based in the parks of West Bretton in Wakefield. There’s plenty of access for wheelchairs and you can hop on a shuttle bus.

Pontefract Park

Pontefract Park is in Pontefract opposite Wickes, McDonalds and Home Bargains. There’s a path inside the race track which is accessible for wheelchairs and is the best route for these.

Cannon Hall Farm

Cannon Hall Farm is based in Barnsley. There is a narrow tarmac path from The Walk, Cawthorne, via the country park, to Cannon Hall Farm, which is accessible by wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Tables and chairs in the area are not fixed and can be rearranged to accommodate wheelchair users.

Hepworth Gallery

The Hepworth Gallery is based in Wakefield opposite the Ruddy Duck pub. It has good wheelchair and disabled access with lifts and wide paths inside the museum. The entrance is also at ground floor level.

There are three disabled toilets throughout the building: one on the ground floor, one in Gallery 6 and another in the Learning Studios. All disabled toilets have a functional emergency alarm, coat hooks and wall-mounted rails.

National Coal Mining Museum

National Coal Mining Museum is based in Overton in Wakefield. Underground wheelchair tours are available (though only two spaces are available at a time). The museum is wheelchair accessible and they regularly welcome people who have additional needs. The museum’s Nature Trail does not include any steps, though some parts can be steep, and in wet conditions this may be difficult for wheelchairs. Many of the museum’s buildings are on a single level, but access is facilitated in some places through either a ramp or a lift.

I feel it’s important for me that places are accessible for everyone regardless of whether they have a learning disability or not, as everyone should have the right to go wherever they want.

Some of these places are very good for a day out, and I’m sure the staff at all these places will help you with any enquiries you may have.  My favourite places from this list are:

• National Coal Mining Museum

• Pontefract Park

Please let us know if you can think of any other places that may be autism-friendly or accessible. 

Read more from Dan here: https://yorkshirefamilies.co.uk/2020/12/02/the-top-five-places-to-walk-in-yorkshire/