Nidderdale

A nine mile walk in Upper Nidderdale today. This bullock looked as though he wanted to challenge our right to progress along the footpath alongside the River Nidd but ran away as we got close.

This sunlit tree was nearly chosen as my blip for the day.

The Dale is quite remote, requiring a two hour drive to cover just 55 miles from home. At its head is Scar House Reservoir, built in the 1930s to supply water to Bradford, 30 miles away. It is rumoured that Nidderdale was omitted from the Yorkshire Dales National Park, when it was designated in 1954, as a result of protests over the building of this and other reservoirs.

Highly satisfactory rehydration took place at the splendid Crown Hotel in the pretty village of Lofthouse. Black Sheep Bitter for those who care about such things.