Middleton Woods

Headed to Ilkley for a walk this morning. We saw bluebells in the St Ives Woods as we drove down to Bingley but there is something a bit special about those in the woods at Middleton above Ilkley at this time of year. It’s the only place I know where you can smell them as soon as you enter the woods. Also they seem to me to be an extra deep shade of blue.

We started out along the R Wharfe and stopped for a coffee at the Riverside Hotel and as we set off to continue I was hailed by a lady walking with a group. It was someone from our singing group, the lady who called was one of the harmony singers like me and I know her quite well,  I knew the others less well though they all knew Chris!
They were doing the same walk as us but the other way around. There was a debate and a comparing of maps and they decided to come the same way as us.

They were behind us as we walked along the other side of the river but when we climbed up through the houses to the path that leads along by the Myddleton Lodge and Calvary (sadly closed at the moment ), they had disappeared. We thought they must have changed their minds and gone back but we didn’t bump into them coming the other way.

There are some amazing houses up there and it seems you can even have bluebells in your back garden. The adjacent fields are full of Cowslips and Snakes Head Fritillaries, and then we passed another field full of sheep and lambs before dropping down into the woods.
I was tempted to use the lamb shot they were so sweet but we had come to see the bluebells.

Back in Illkey there was a fair ground setting up by the river, presumably for the bank holiday weekend coming up. We went for lunch and then to White Stuff as I had a parcel to collect. Finally a quick shop in M & S before going home. 
I enjoyed the walk but admit to being pretty tired now,  not sure if I’ll make it up for the early walk with the ladies tomorrow!