Spring Wood

I planned another walk exploring new footpaths close to home. Meeting E at Guiseley, we walked through Spring Wood, discovering tracks I’m sure I’d never been on before, surprised at how this pocket of woodland—bounded on two sides by railway lines—seems to extend much further on the ground that is apparent from the map. We followed the lay of the land to eventually emerge just above Apperley Bridge, from where we walked alongside the River Aire before climbing up through woods and edgelands to Rawdon and up still further to top out at the Billing.

I didn't even know this little summit is called the Billing before today. It's a hill, to my shame, that I’d never visited before. Wooded at the very summit, I’ve always recognised it as a prominent feature on the local skyline, but I hadn’t realised before how open it is and how it affords such excellent views and a whole new perspective on familiar places. A return to the station at Guiseley via Yeadon and West Carlton completed a fine 11-mile circuit. As seems normal now, I had a whole carriage to myself on the train for the return trip to Ilkley.