Today I am again walking from Hall Croft CL with Crosby whilst Lynnie and Dexter have a relaxing day around the caravan. Leaving the site I turn left and follow the pavement besides the A65 towards Ilkley.
As I enter the town I turn right just after a set of traffic lights to head up Victoria Avenue.
Continuing steadily uphill I stay on this road, which becomes Hollingwood Rise. As this road sweeps to the right by the junction with Parish Ghyll Lane I take a footpath directly in front of me that continues uphill.
The path emerges onto Queens Drive, here I cross the lane and continue on the footpath as it keeps going uphill on steps through the edge of Panorama Wood.
Emerging from the woods I join a lane and turn right, after passing a couple of properties I take a footpath on the left to reach the edge of the moor.
On the moor I turn right and follow the directions towards the Swastika Stone and Addingham Moorside.
The route is now a clearly defined path as it rises steadily across the moor.
Soon I am passing above Panorama Reservoir.
As the path continues to rise and pass the Swastika Stone the views are stunning.
The route I am now following is part of the Dales High Way. This ninety-mile trail goes from Saltaire, near Shipley to Appleby-in-Westmorland; I have previously walked part of it around Settle.
I now pass through a couple of fields of sheep pasture. On a dry stonewall around the edge of one field sits a Curlew making its distinctive call.
The path now takes me to a large rock, known as the Noon Stone.
After passing the Noon Stone I turn left to follow a well-worn route besides a dry stonewall.
Soon I am on the top of Rombalds Moor and head across to visit the distinctive white trig point. This is the 145th I have bagged.
From the trig point I continue in a southeasterly direction to cross a ladder stile and then keep going on the path besides the dry stonewall. On reaching a footpath on my right I cross the wall and a stone stile and follow the footpath through the trees. The route continues through an area of recently planted trees and then crosses a forestry track.
On reaching a drystone wall I cross and continue across moorland to reach the Ilkley Road at Bradup, a cottage that is in the process of major renovation. On the moorland road I turn left and head uphill. It is a steady climb and a cyclist suddenly comes down at speed, so I am surprised when the same cyclist passes me again on her way back up the hill. Continuing uphill I pass Whetstone Wireless Station to my right as I go through Whetstone Gate and continue on what is now a track.
The track becomes the Keighley Road and I follow this towards Ilkley. Soon on my left is Cowper’s Cross, thought to date from the 12th century, although the current cross is believed to be a replacement erected in the 18th century. Over the years further renovation has been required when the cross was struck by lightening and then in 2007 vandalised by some idiots. The purpose of the cross is unknown it may have been a marker post on the drove across the moor that followed the route of the Roman Road, or used as a meeting place.
As the track approaches Spicey Gill it sweeps to the left, however I follow a path that goes besides the Gill passing disused quarries.
The path soon re-joins the Keighley Road and continues downhill passing parking areas and then reaches a residential road, Westwood Drive, where I turn left and go past a cattle grid and then soon after turn right down Queens Drive. From here I follow residential streets downhill to reach the A65 in Ilkley where I turn left and walk back to Hall Croft CL.
My walk has covered 9 miles, it is over forty years since I was last on that moor, but I think I will be returning in the next few days.
To view this 9 mile walk on OS Maps Click Here
To follow my walk you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 297 – Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
8th July 2019
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2019)