NEWS
April 2024
Ian Brand to be speaker at AGM
Our 10th Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday June 19 at the Parish Rooms, Station Road in Burley. Ian Brand, President of Wharfedale Naturalists Society will be our speaker. His talk will be on ' The changing biodiversity of Wharfedale - a Naturalists perspective'. Ian is a passionate and committed environmentalist with a love of walking, and we can guarantee his talk will be both informative and entertaining. The AGM starts at 7.30 with a review of our various activities over the past year. Refreshments will be on offer, as well as an early insight into our programme of walks for this year's Burley Summer Festival. All our welcome!
Ian Brand to be speaker at AGM
Our 10th Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday June 19 at the Parish Rooms, Station Road in Burley. Ian Brand, President of Wharfedale Naturalists Society will be our speaker. His talk will be on ' The changing biodiversity of Wharfedale - a Naturalists perspective'. Ian is a passionate and committed environmentalist with a love of walking, and we can guarantee his talk will be both informative and entertaining. The AGM starts at 7.30 with a review of our various activities over the past year. Refreshments will be on offer, as well as an early insight into our programme of walks for this year's Burley Summer Festival. All our welcome!
|
February 2024
Work to create a new accessible footpath begins The culmination of three or more years of negotiation with the landowner to gain consent to create a new accessible footpath took shape on February 6, when a day was spent undertaking initial preparation work before contractors move in, clearing away brambles and undergrowth. Twenty volunteers from Walkers are Welcome and Open Country worked hard to clear the way for the new route leading from Great Pasture to the Goit. The current permissive footpath is challenging for anyone with limited mobility, including parents with children in buggies, or who is dependent on wheeled mobility equipment. A new more level path with a hard surface is being created to enable more people to be able to take advantage of the peaceful and wildlife rich permissive path alongside the Goit leading to the public right of way at Burley Weir and Leatherbank. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped on the day. Funding has now been secured, thanks to Burley Parish Council and Bradford Council for contractors to construct the footpath hopefully by the spring. The route will then feature in a guide to accessible footpaths in Lower Wharfedale which Walkers are Welcome will publish with advice and collaboration from Open Country. |
Much digging and barrowing needed to clear the route
|
September 2023
Monthly walks resume after a successful Summer Festival
Following record numbers attending walks over this years Summer Festival, Walkers are Welcome have resumed the programme of monthly guided walks. All walks start at Burley railway station at 10.00. The three mile walk takes place on the first Friday of the month, starting 1 September. This is a moderately paced lower level walk, usually finishing up with refreshments in a local cafe. The five mile walk takes place on the third Sunday of the month, so 17 September. These walks often go at higher levels, such as Burley or Ilkley moors and usually have a refreshment break during the walk. Our longer day walks of up to 10 miles, take place on the fourth Sunday of the month and explore further afield, sometimes using the train for outward or return journeys. There is no need to book - just turn up. Good footwear and waterproof clothing is recommended! Well behaved dogs on leads are also very welcome. Walks are very sociable and friendly affairs, and many friendships have been made over the six years we have been running them. Details of walks are published in the monthly newsletter. Contact Ann on 07789 771240 for more details, or contact us on email at [email protected]
Monthly walks resume after a successful Summer Festival
Following record numbers attending walks over this years Summer Festival, Walkers are Welcome have resumed the programme of monthly guided walks. All walks start at Burley railway station at 10.00. The three mile walk takes place on the first Friday of the month, starting 1 September. This is a moderately paced lower level walk, usually finishing up with refreshments in a local cafe. The five mile walk takes place on the third Sunday of the month, so 17 September. These walks often go at higher levels, such as Burley or Ilkley moors and usually have a refreshment break during the walk. Our longer day walks of up to 10 miles, take place on the fourth Sunday of the month and explore further afield, sometimes using the train for outward or return journeys. There is no need to book - just turn up. Good footwear and waterproof clothing is recommended! Well behaved dogs on leads are also very welcome. Walks are very sociable and friendly affairs, and many friendships have been made over the six years we have been running them. Details of walks are published in the monthly newsletter. Contact Ann on 07789 771240 for more details, or contact us on email at [email protected]
June 2022
Balsam pulling with the Wombles!
A morning of balsam pulling near to the new footbridge on the new Burley and Menston footpath attracted fourteen volunteers on June 18. Himalyan Balsam is a non-native plant which quickly establishes itself along water courses killing off native flowers and other vegetation and hastening erosion of the banks. This was a joint working party with Wharfedale Wombles volunteers who normally pick up litter rather than balsam! A huge area of balsam was removed, and a second working party has now been arranged for Saturday July 9. Dave Hawkins will be coordinating the project from Walkers are Welcome and the meeting point is the Roundhouse at 10.00. Come with gloves and take part in a very satisfying and worthwhile activity!
Balsam pulling with the Wombles!
A morning of balsam pulling near to the new footbridge on the new Burley and Menston footpath attracted fourteen volunteers on June 18. Himalyan Balsam is a non-native plant which quickly establishes itself along water courses killing off native flowers and other vegetation and hastening erosion of the banks. This was a joint working party with Wharfedale Wombles volunteers who normally pick up litter rather than balsam! A huge area of balsam was removed, and a second working party has now been arranged for Saturday July 9. Dave Hawkins will be coordinating the project from Walkers are Welcome and the meeting point is the Roundhouse at 10.00. Come with gloves and take part in a very satisfying and worthwhile activity!
Summer Festival 2022
We have now published our programme of walks as part of the Burley Summer Festival. Thirteen walks are on offer this year, and full details along with booking arrangements can be found here Festival Walks 2022
We have now published our programme of walks as part of the Burley Summer Festival. Thirteen walks are on offer this year, and full details along with booking arrangements can be found here Festival Walks 2022
February 2022
|
Burley's benches with a view
Observant walkers may have noticed the growing number of benches in and around Burley. A partnership between Burley in Wharfedale Community Trust and Walkers are Welcome has led to the installation of benches in selected spots - normally where they will be of value to walkers in need of a break and with the added benefit of a view! Funding has mostly come from sponsorship from organisations or from individuals. They include three on Sun Lane Nature Reserve, one on Otley Old Road, one on Moor Lane near to the Wynches, another in Stead and two on Burley Moor including the 'Walter Flesher' bench (pictured) on the main moor path from Burley Woodhead. The benches are made by a firm in Mytholmroyd from plastic recycled from farms on the west coast of Scotland. Although they are guaranteed for 25 years, the hope is that they could be around for at least 100! So, remember to stop for a talk when you walk! |
October 2021
Sixth AGM, 18 months late!
Thanks to everyone who came to the AGM at the Queens Hall on 13 October, our first public meeting since the last AGM in May 2019. Our speaker, David Shaftoe from Open Country, gave an entertaining and informative presentation about their inspiring and innovative work with people with disabilities, enabling better access to the countryside through a range of activities. David has been advising Walkers are Welcome's 'Walking with Wheels' project, and we now hope to finally proceed with our joint working parties in the year ahead to help create wheelchair accessible routes around the village. We also welcomed Dave Hawkins as our new Treasurer, and thanked the outgoing post holder, Bruce Moore, for his sterling efforts over the first seven years of the group.
Sixth AGM, 18 months late!
Thanks to everyone who came to the AGM at the Queens Hall on 13 October, our first public meeting since the last AGM in May 2019. Our speaker, David Shaftoe from Open Country, gave an entertaining and informative presentation about their inspiring and innovative work with people with disabilities, enabling better access to the countryside through a range of activities. David has been advising Walkers are Welcome's 'Walking with Wheels' project, and we now hope to finally proceed with our joint working parties in the year ahead to help create wheelchair accessible routes around the village. We also welcomed Dave Hawkins as our new Treasurer, and thanked the outgoing post holder, Bruce Moore, for his sterling efforts over the first seven years of the group.
|
Walking back to strength
Our monthly guided walks programme resumed in September after a short summer break, but with the benefit of not having to pre-book any more and with no restrictions on numbers. Numbers have been increasing, and the October long walk was probably the best attended ever. Could the lure of a drink at the Flying Duck in Ilkley have been part of the attraction?! Just turn up for the 3 and 5 mile walks. Next Friday 3 mile walks are 12 November and 3 December. Next Sunday 5 mile walks are 21 November and 19 December. Pre-booking is still necessary for the longer walks, but we hope to move to no-booking early into the New Year. Next longer walk is 28 November, then 23 January. All walks start at Burley railway station car park at 10.00. |
October's long walk at Ilkley Moor Trig Point
|
|
August 2021
Working parties resumed in earnest during August, with four gates being installed to replace stiles in Menston on the footpath from Derry Hill to Bingley Road. Volunteers are now sporting our new hi-viz vests with Walkers are Welcome logos and using equipment purchased with a grant from the Shipley Area Committee Cleaner Streets, Parks and Open Spaces fund. Our new bolt cutter purchased from this grant had also been used earlier in the year to clear a long stretch of redundant barbed wire on the edge of Hag Farm Road, one of the most popular lanes for walking with dogs and children in the village. |
|
January 2021
With Covid-19 lockdown restrictions continuing into the New Year, our walking activities remain curtailed - both the guided walks programme and our volunteer working parties. The Walkers are Welcome Committee continue to meet, however, (by Zoom of course) and plan for when organised outdoor recreational and sporting activities can continue. We hope, for instance, that it will be possible to run a walks programme for the Burley Summer Festival at the end of August. Also, with all of our footpath network heavily used, along with the very wet autumn and winter so far, there are a number of footpath surface improvements that have been agreed with landowners and Bradford Council that would enable better access. Formal working parties will recommence as soon as we are allowed, and when ground conditions improve sufficiently to get materials as close as possible to where they are going to be used. In the meantime, if you have an idea for how access could be improved on a local path, please get in touch by email [email protected] or by phone 07551 99959494.
With Covid-19 lockdown restrictions continuing into the New Year, our walking activities remain curtailed - both the guided walks programme and our volunteer working parties. The Walkers are Welcome Committee continue to meet, however, (by Zoom of course) and plan for when organised outdoor recreational and sporting activities can continue. We hope, for instance, that it will be possible to run a walks programme for the Burley Summer Festival at the end of August. Also, with all of our footpath network heavily used, along with the very wet autumn and winter so far, there are a number of footpath surface improvements that have been agreed with landowners and Bradford Council that would enable better access. Formal working parties will recommence as soon as we are allowed, and when ground conditions improve sufficiently to get materials as close as possible to where they are going to be used. In the meantime, if you have an idea for how access could be improved on a local path, please get in touch by email [email protected] or by phone 07551 99959494.
November 2020
Two new cafes for Burley now welcoming walkers!
Opportunity for walkers to have tea, coffee and cake (and more) has significantly increased over the past few weeks with the opening of the Arlo Coffee shop on Main Street, and Cock Pit Farm Tea Rooms at the Grange on Station Road. Both have agreed to show our 'Walkers are Welcome' sticker in their windows. We welcome the investment in our community by both businesses and wish them every success, especially given the difficult situation they are operating in at the moment. Please show your support by using them whenever you can. We look forward to being able to sit inside their lovely premises in due course!
Opportunity for walkers to have tea, coffee and cake (and more) has significantly increased over the past few weeks with the opening of the Arlo Coffee shop on Main Street, and Cock Pit Farm Tea Rooms at the Grange on Station Road. Both have agreed to show our 'Walkers are Welcome' sticker in their windows. We welcome the investment in our community by both businesses and wish them every success, especially given the difficult situation they are operating in at the moment. Please show your support by using them whenever you can. We look forward to being able to sit inside their lovely premises in due course!
October 2020
Guided walks cancelled for November
Following new government lockdown measures being introduced from 5 November, we have sadly had to cancel all our guided walks for the time being. These include our 3 mile walk scheduled for 6 November, our 5 mile walk scheduled for 15 November, and our 8 - 10 mile walk scheduled for 29 November. At the present time we anticipate not being able to continue with our 3 mile walk on 4 December, but will alert Friends of BWaW if the situation changes. We are very sorry to have to do this as we know how many people appreciate the opportunity to walk in a relaxed social group, especially when other opportunities for socialising are so limited. Hopefully we will be able to resume in the near future. In the meantime, we are still being encouraged to walk for exercise and are allowed to do so in twos, so every reason to get out and about - weather permitting of course!
Following new government lockdown measures being introduced from 5 November, we have sadly had to cancel all our guided walks for the time being. These include our 3 mile walk scheduled for 6 November, our 5 mile walk scheduled for 15 November, and our 8 - 10 mile walk scheduled for 29 November. At the present time we anticipate not being able to continue with our 3 mile walk on 4 December, but will alert Friends of BWaW if the situation changes. We are very sorry to have to do this as we know how many people appreciate the opportunity to walk in a relaxed social group, especially when other opportunities for socialising are so limited. Hopefully we will be able to resume in the near future. In the meantime, we are still being encouraged to walk for exercise and are allowed to do so in twos, so every reason to get out and about - weather permitting of course!
|
Bleach Mill kissing gate installed Walking between Burley and Menston has now become completely stile free with the installation of a kissing gate adjacent to the stone step stile near to Bleach Mill. Work on rebuilding the tumbled down stone wall either side of the new gate has also begun and will continue for the next few weeks. Thanks are due to all the WaW volunteers who have contributed to this project on this busy stretch of footpath which forms part of the Ebor Way and Dales Way link long distance routes. |
|
September 2020
Bridge and gate open up access
Burley has a new bridge thanks to the Peak and Northern Footpath Society. The bridge across Carr Beck forms part of the new right of way between the Heather Rise cattle arch and the recently diverted footpath from Holme Grove which now passes through the nearby cattle arch on the edge of Menston. The bridge was installed by Bradford Countryside Services, who also constructed the adjacent steps with the help of a Walkers are Welcome volunteer. At the same time, volunteers also installed a kissing gate at the bottom of Clarence Drive. Thanks are due to the Clarence Drive Residents Association who provided all the necessary funds.
Bridge and gate open up access
Burley has a new bridge thanks to the Peak and Northern Footpath Society. The bridge across Carr Beck forms part of the new right of way between the Heather Rise cattle arch and the recently diverted footpath from Holme Grove which now passes through the nearby cattle arch on the edge of Menston. The bridge was installed by Bradford Countryside Services, who also constructed the adjacent steps with the help of a Walkers are Welcome volunteer. At the same time, volunteers also installed a kissing gate at the bottom of Clarence Drive. Thanks are due to the Clarence Drive Residents Association who provided all the necessary funds.
August 2020
|
iWharfe Project comes to Burley
Burley Walkers are Welcome, has become a partner organisation in the iWharfe project, which is campaigning to improve the water quality along the whole of the river length down to the confluence with the River Ouse. The project has evolved from the Ilkley Clean River campaign, and is being coordinated jointly by that group along with the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and the Addingham Environment Group in conjunction with community groups along the length of the river. Citizen scientists have been trained to take samples from the river on Monday 24 August, and these will be analysed by laboratories in Lancaster and Wakefield. Results will be published in due course. Following earlier sampling in Burley Weir undertaken at the same time as upstream in Ben Rhydding and Ilkley, it was found that E.Coli levels were 40 times the recommended Environment Agency level when the river was at normal level, and 50 times the recommended level following heavy rainfall. The Ilkley Clean River Campaign website details a number of incidences of adults, children and dogs becoming ill after swimming in the river at Burley this summer, and recommends avoiding entering the water here at any time. For more information, visit the iWharfe website: http://www.yorkshiredalesriverstrust.com/projects/iwharfe/. For enquiries, email: [email protected] |
Two new cafes for Burley!!
Following on from our announcement in May of the sad news that Cock Pit Farm was closing in the autumn, we were pleased to hear recently that they have chosen Burley to relocate to! They will be based in a ground floor area of Burley Grange in the centre of the village, and will have outdoor and indoor seating when they open in October / November.
Anyone walking past the old Coffee Station premises on Main Street will also have noticed shopfitters have been hard at work in preparation for the opening up of the Arlo cafe. We wish both businesses every success, and hope that walkers will be generous in their welcome to both ventures. At this rate we will soon be competing with Otley and Ilkley for numbers of refreshment opportunities........!
Following on from our announcement in May of the sad news that Cock Pit Farm was closing in the autumn, we were pleased to hear recently that they have chosen Burley to relocate to! They will be based in a ground floor area of Burley Grange in the centre of the village, and will have outdoor and indoor seating when they open in October / November.
Anyone walking past the old Coffee Station premises on Main Street will also have noticed shopfitters have been hard at work in preparation for the opening up of the Arlo cafe. We wish both businesses every success, and hope that walkers will be generous in their welcome to both ventures. At this rate we will soon be competing with Otley and Ilkley for numbers of refreshment opportunities........!
Walking programme resumes in August
Three and five mile guided walks resumed at the beginning of August, following discussion with our insurers. To start with, walks have been limited to two groups of six, each with a leader, and places have to be pre-booked. Details will be given in the monthly newsletter, so please get in touch if you are not yet on our mailing list. We will be following corona virus government advice to ensure safe practice during walks, as well as following advice from our national Walkers are Welcome body. We hope we can increase numbers of participants in due course.
|
May 2020 With lockdown restrictions beginning to ease from mid May, we are now able to walk, appropriately socially distanced, with someone else other than a family member. We can also travel in order to walk, so can begin to extend our options if we wish. Many people though have spent the past two months exploring the many delightful footpaths in and around Burley, sometimes for the first time, with spring unfolding. It is worth remembering that our three leaflets of five circular walks each from the centre of Burley, remain available to purchase locally. Cohen's, the Chemist, and the AM / PM Post Office have recently been restocked, but we can also deliver them to individual households by contacting us - [email protected] or phone 01943 862965. |
Weston Church - an hours walk on farm lanes and field paths from Burley using the stepping stones
|
Cock Pit Farm tea rooms currently closed
|
Cock Pit Farm Tea Rooms closure
A popular circular walk from Burley to Weston, one of the favourite walks of the Burley Summer Festival, will lose it's refreshment stop of Cock Pit Farm Tea Rooms (currently closed due to the corona virus situation). It has been forced to close on its current site on 30 September 2020 as the site is going to be developed. The good news is that the cafe hopes to be able to relocate locally, depending on planning permission being given. No news is available yet on where this will be, but we understand that the cafe does hope to start up a take-away service during the summer. For more information, follow the cafe's Facebook page or check their website www.cockpitfarmtearooms.co.uk . Let's hope that we will still be able to walk to the new site from Burley! |
AGM cancelled
Sadly we have had to cancel our AGM, scheduled for 13 May at Burley Library. We hope to rearrange later in the year, along with our speaker David Shaftoe from Open Country. In the meantime we plan to circulate our annual report and accounts in due course.
Hag Farm Road improvements
Another casualty of the corona virus situation was the joint working party planned with Open Country at the end of April, which had planned to improve a section of Hag Farm Road to enable users of wheelchairs, mobility scooters, parents with buggies etc to be able to safely access the public right of way beyond where the tarmac finishes. The uneven surface and frequent pot holes have made the track a no-go zone for many wheeled users (as well as hazardous for other walkers and runners). It was, therefore, selected as the first route for the 'Walking with Wheels' project which we hope will eventually create a number of accessible footpaths around the village. Burley in Wharfedale Community Trust had also generously agreed to fund a bench at the point where the improvement work was going to terminate, following land owner consent being obtained. Although this work has now been postponed until working parties are allowed to resume, we are grateful to the landowner, Alec, who has recently levelled the lane with chippings in order to create a temporary improvement pending a more permanent solution. Thanks for your support Alec!
Sadly we have had to cancel our AGM, scheduled for 13 May at Burley Library. We hope to rearrange later in the year, along with our speaker David Shaftoe from Open Country. In the meantime we plan to circulate our annual report and accounts in due course.
Hag Farm Road improvements
Another casualty of the corona virus situation was the joint working party planned with Open Country at the end of April, which had planned to improve a section of Hag Farm Road to enable users of wheelchairs, mobility scooters, parents with buggies etc to be able to safely access the public right of way beyond where the tarmac finishes. The uneven surface and frequent pot holes have made the track a no-go zone for many wheeled users (as well as hazardous for other walkers and runners). It was, therefore, selected as the first route for the 'Walking with Wheels' project which we hope will eventually create a number of accessible footpaths around the village. Burley in Wharfedale Community Trust had also generously agreed to fund a bench at the point where the improvement work was going to terminate, following land owner consent being obtained. Although this work has now been postponed until working parties are allowed to resume, we are grateful to the landowner, Alec, who has recently levelled the lane with chippings in order to create a temporary improvement pending a more permanent solution. Thanks for your support Alec!
April 2020
Following the Government lockdown on 23 March 2020 all our guided walks and working parties have, sadly, been cancelled until further notice. We hope we will be allowed to resume our activities later on in the year. For more information, please read our April newsletter. April 2020
Following the Government lockdown on 23 March 2020 all our guided walks and working parties have, sadly, been cancelled until further notice. We hope we will be allowed to resume our activities later on in the year. For more information, please read our April newsletter. April 2020
March 2020
iven the growing seriousness of the Covid-19 coronavirus situation, we have reviewed our planned Walkers are Welcome activities. We have checked the latest advice from Ramblers UK and Walkers are Welcome, as well as from Public Health England. (as of 15 March).
We have decided to continue with Sunday and Friday walks for the time being, but without a refreshment stop at a cafe or pub. Instead we will find a place to have a short break en-route so you are welcome bring your own flask or drink with you. We would ask that anyone who feels unwell, for instance with cold symptoms, a persistent cough or with a high temperature or who has been in contact with someone with symptoms, not to come on walks. The fact that we had record numbers for our Sunday walk to West Chevin on 15 March, including some new people, suggests that providing we all take necessary precautions, there is continued demand for our activities at such a worrying and stressful time!
While we have postponed our planned litter picking walk with Plastic Free Burley for 28 March, probably till the autumn, we are continuing with working parties at present.
At this stage it is impossible to know what restrictions will need to be put in place in the coming weeks to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. But we will be taking into all the advice available about small group activities such as ours. We will continue to monitor how things develop and will let you know about any arrangements for future activities. Please get in touch if you have any queries, comments or suggestions - [email protected] or 01943 862965.
We have decided to continue with Sunday and Friday walks for the time being, but without a refreshment stop at a cafe or pub. Instead we will find a place to have a short break en-route so you are welcome bring your own flask or drink with you. We would ask that anyone who feels unwell, for instance with cold symptoms, a persistent cough or with a high temperature or who has been in contact with someone with symptoms, not to come on walks. The fact that we had record numbers for our Sunday walk to West Chevin on 15 March, including some new people, suggests that providing we all take necessary precautions, there is continued demand for our activities at such a worrying and stressful time!
While we have postponed our planned litter picking walk with Plastic Free Burley for 28 March, probably till the autumn, we are continuing with working parties at present.
At this stage it is impossible to know what restrictions will need to be put in place in the coming weeks to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. But we will be taking into all the advice available about small group activities such as ours. We will continue to monitor how things develop and will let you know about any arrangements for future activities. Please get in touch if you have any queries, comments or suggestions - [email protected] or 01943 862965.
Job done! Carr Beck returned to its proper course.
|
Flood damage to Carr Beck repaired
Following weeks of torrential rain in February and March, many of the popular footpaths around Burley became virtually impassable due to waterlogged fields or becks and streams overflowing their banks. One of the most serious areas of flooding was on the well used footpath between Bleach Mill and Hag Farm and Holme Grove which follows Carr Beck for a lot of its length. Two breaches in the bank led to the stream temporarily relocating along the footpath and fields becoming flooded. Two working parties convened as soon as weather allowed the necessary repair work to be undertaken and for the path to dry out. |
February 2020
Sunday walk cancelled
The Sunday walk for 16 February has been cancelled due to the anticipated weather conditions caused by Storm Dennis. After a night of heavy rain, many footpaths are going to be difficult to use safely and some may be under water. Please get in touch with David if you have any questions: 01943 862965.
AGM 13 May
Our Annual General Meeting this year will be held on Wednesday 13 May at Burley Library, starting at 7.30. As well as hearing about the work of the group over the past year and future plans, we will have a presentation by David Shaftoe, Manager of Open Country. The group work across the region to improve countryside access for people with disabilities, and will be undertaking a joint project with Walkers are Welcome shortly on Hag Farm Road. Our plan is to improve the quality of the surface of the road from where the tarmac finishes to a mid-way point, where we also plan to site a bench. We hope this will enable wheelchair and mobility scooter users as well as families with buggies and pushchairs to be able to access a delightful rural destination safely and comfortably. Please come and find out more about what Walkers are Welcome have been up to as well as hear about the important work of Open Country! Refreshments will be provided.
The Sunday walk for 16 February has been cancelled due to the anticipated weather conditions caused by Storm Dennis. After a night of heavy rain, many footpaths are going to be difficult to use safely and some may be under water. Please get in touch with David if you have any questions: 01943 862965.
AGM 13 May
Our Annual General Meeting this year will be held on Wednesday 13 May at Burley Library, starting at 7.30. As well as hearing about the work of the group over the past year and future plans, we will have a presentation by David Shaftoe, Manager of Open Country. The group work across the region to improve countryside access for people with disabilities, and will be undertaking a joint project with Walkers are Welcome shortly on Hag Farm Road. Our plan is to improve the quality of the surface of the road from where the tarmac finishes to a mid-way point, where we also plan to site a bench. We hope this will enable wheelchair and mobility scooter users as well as families with buggies and pushchairs to be able to access a delightful rural destination safely and comfortably. Please come and find out more about what Walkers are Welcome have been up to as well as hear about the important work of Open Country! Refreshments will be provided.
|
January 2020
Working parties tooled up! A superb grant of £250 from Burley Summer Festival Committee will enable us to buy our own set of tools for the first time. Up to now, working party members have normally brought in their own tools for our footpath maintenance and recovery work. Thanks to the grant and to Morten's of Ilkley generously supplying tools at a significantly reduced price, we will be much better equipped in the future to deal with the brambles, branches and bracken that threaten to overwhelm our paths on occasions. |
Steve Senior from Mortens and David Asher receive cheque from Jan Lepley, Chair of Burley Summer Festival Committee
|
December 2019
|
First snow walk of the winter
The December Sunday walk somehow managed to find some snow on Burley Moor to walk through - and very scenic it was too in the sunshine! Climbing up onto Burley Moor via Stead, 23 intrepid walkers trudged through the white stuff towards York View, before dropping down Green Lane to reach Bleach Mill for seasonal refreshments. As has become traditional for the December walk, Simon and Sue Richmond put on a very tasty light lunch to warm up the walkers before the return back to the village. |
|
October 2019
Seventeen gates and still counting! A joint working party with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers saw the seventeenth gate installed onto Burley's network of footpaths on 18 October. Four volunteers worked solidly for five hours to remove the awkward stile adjacent to Carr Beck on the footpath between Burley, Menston and Bleach Mill, not helped by the boggy conditions and tree roots that kept fighting back! A surprising number of walkers and runners came through during the work, so the group had plenty of compliments before it was even completed! Thanks as always to Richard Brooks from Lower Wharfedale Ramblers for his oversight and expertise. |
|
Monthly walks reminder
We are now back into the swing of our regular 3 and 5 mile monthly walks. In case anyone needs reminding, the Friday 3 mile walks are on the first Friday of the month, and are usually lower level modestly paced, starting at Burley station at 10.00 and finishing by about 11.45 at either the Coffee Station or the Red Lion. The Sunday 5 mile walks, held on the third Sunday in the month, also start at Burley Station at 10.00 and finish by about 1.00, having called into Bleach Mill House or Clevedon House Restaurant for refreshments on the return leg. They can involve higher level routes and occasionally some short but steep ascents or descents. These are the dates for the next few walks:
Friday 4 October
Sunday 20 October
Friday 1 November
Sunday 17 November
For route descriptions, please visit the monthly Friends page: Friends
September 2019
Strimming in Stead
A working party has cleared footpaths in Stead of bracken and brambles for the third year running. The paths between Stead Lane and Moor Road, and from Moor Road to Lower Stead Farm, had become seriously overgrown this summer, so were well overdue for clearing. The now navigable footpath will also benefit the Burley Festival Moor run on Saturday 9 November, which uses the route to access Burley Moor. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped on 16 September. We would appreciate more volunteers being able to use the strimmers we borrow from Bradford Council so if you are interested in undertaking the half day training in their use, please get in touch!
Strimming in Stead
A working party has cleared footpaths in Stead of bracken and brambles for the third year running. The paths between Stead Lane and Moor Road, and from Moor Road to Lower Stead Farm, had become seriously overgrown this summer, so were well overdue for clearing. The now navigable footpath will also benefit the Burley Festival Moor run on Saturday 9 November, which uses the route to access Burley Moor. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped on 16 September. We would appreciate more volunteers being able to use the strimmers we borrow from Bradford Council so if you are interested in undertaking the half day training in their use, please get in touch!
|
August 2019
Record number of walkers at Burley Summer Festival The thirteen walks on offer during the Burley Festival attracted around 340 participants this year, up from 300 for 2018. Feedback on the walks programme has been excellent, so thank you to everyone who participated. Many walks booked up very quickly, some on the day that bookings opened. While it is gratifying that we appear to be offering the sort of walks that people want to do, we do appreciate that it is frustrating if you fail to get on the list! One solution is having more people train as walk leaders so we can offer more walks next year. So if anyone is interested in leading on festival or monthly walks, please get in touch for a chat about what is involved. |
Weston Hall walk with Mary Dawson
|
Archaeology walk with Dr Keith Boughey - a bit damp but captivated!
|
Otley Wetlands Nature Reserve with Jur Keeson - the hottest day of the week!
|
June 2019
New gate for Mount Stead path
A joint Walkers are Welcome and Lower Wharfedale Ramblers working party replaced a wooden step stile on one of the footpaths running from Ben Rhydding to Burley on 24 June, creating another stile free route between the two villages. This now makes sixteen gates installed and fifteen stiles replaced around Burley over the past four years as part of our plans to make our footpath network more accessible. And there's still some more to do!
Railway level crossing diversion completed
Following legal approval for the footpath using the railway level crossing between Burley and Menston to be closed, work has now been completed on creating an alternative route using the nearby cattle arch. A joint Walkers are Welcome and Lower Wharfedale Ramblers working party installed two new kissing gates at the perimeter of the wooded area near to Holme Grove as a contribution to the work. In addition, five of our volunteers shifted an amazing 14.5 tons of hardcore underneath the cattle arch to form a dry path over what is a notorious wet spot. Together with three new stream crossings, surface improvements near to Menston Old Lane, and two new gates underneath the cattle arch, the route is already being used in advance of the closure of the existing path.
Funding for sections of the new route to be fenced in by landowners has additionally been provided by Network Rail, which has caused some concern by some users of this popular route. Walkers are Welcome understand concern about the restricted access to the fields either side of the railway line that this may cause if proceeded with, along with the changes to the open aspect of the area. However, the group did not object to the plans on the basis that the proposal would significantly improve access to the attractive countryside between Burley and Menston and towards Burley Woodhead and the moor, by removing stiles (including unofficial ones) and the hazardous railway crossing. It is also important to note that there has been a history on both sides of railway line of livestock being harassed and injured by dogs off lead, and damage to the stiles to allow dog access has led to a number of sheep being killed by trains.
New gate for Mount Stead path
A joint Walkers are Welcome and Lower Wharfedale Ramblers working party replaced a wooden step stile on one of the footpaths running from Ben Rhydding to Burley on 24 June, creating another stile free route between the two villages. This now makes sixteen gates installed and fifteen stiles replaced around Burley over the past four years as part of our plans to make our footpath network more accessible. And there's still some more to do!
Railway level crossing diversion completed
Following legal approval for the footpath using the railway level crossing between Burley and Menston to be closed, work has now been completed on creating an alternative route using the nearby cattle arch. A joint Walkers are Welcome and Lower Wharfedale Ramblers working party installed two new kissing gates at the perimeter of the wooded area near to Holme Grove as a contribution to the work. In addition, five of our volunteers shifted an amazing 14.5 tons of hardcore underneath the cattle arch to form a dry path over what is a notorious wet spot. Together with three new stream crossings, surface improvements near to Menston Old Lane, and two new gates underneath the cattle arch, the route is already being used in advance of the closure of the existing path.
Funding for sections of the new route to be fenced in by landowners has additionally been provided by Network Rail, which has caused some concern by some users of this popular route. Walkers are Welcome understand concern about the restricted access to the fields either side of the railway line that this may cause if proceeded with, along with the changes to the open aspect of the area. However, the group did not object to the plans on the basis that the proposal would significantly improve access to the attractive countryside between Burley and Menston and towards Burley Woodhead and the moor, by removing stiles (including unofficial ones) and the hazardous railway crossing. It is also important to note that there has been a history on both sides of railway line of livestock being harassed and injured by dogs off lead, and damage to the stiles to allow dog access has led to a number of sheep being killed by trains.
May 2019
Fifth AGM at the Red Lion
We managed to squeeze 27 of us into the Scarecrow Room at the Red Lion on 15 May to celebrate our fifth year of Burley becoming accredited as a Walkers or Welcome Community. Most if not all those attending had been on monthly or festival walks, or had contributed to one or more of the working parties. Our speaker, Richard Smith from Lower Wharfedale Ramblers, gave a comprehensive and participatory presentation on the work needed to ensure that footpaths not shown on the definitive map were protected for future public use. Richard, while Footpaths Officer for LWR, has helped coordinate a number of our working parties to replace stiles with gates, and his replacement, Antonia Woosnam-Savage also attended.
April 2019
Step building at Stead Lane
A new set of steps was constructed by Walkers are Welcome volunteers on 1 April to complement the new Moor Road footpath. Walkers and runners can now safely climb the steep bank from Coldstone Beck bridge into the wooded area en route to Burley Moor. The ten volunteers also cut back vegetation and collected litter from the site. Both ends of the path are also clearly waymarked to try and discourage people from using Moor Road, given how dangerous it is on this stretch.
Step building at Stead Lane
A new set of steps was constructed by Walkers are Welcome volunteers on 1 April to complement the new Moor Road footpath. Walkers and runners can now safely climb the steep bank from Coldstone Beck bridge into the wooded area en route to Burley Moor. The ten volunteers also cut back vegetation and collected litter from the site. Both ends of the path are also clearly waymarked to try and discourage people from using Moor Road, given how dangerous it is on this stretch.
March 2019
Two new gates for Ben Rhydding to Burley path
After well over a year of planning and landowner negotiation, two new self-closing gates were installed on 8 March to replace wooden step stiles near to Audley Clevedon Retirement Village in Ben Rhydding. The work of the joint working party of Walkers and Welcome and Lower Wharfedale Ramblers volunteers means that this path between Burley and Ben Rhydding is now stile free. Our Sunday walks frequently use this route, and it is popular with both runners and walkers as we could see on the day of the working party! We appreciate the support of both landowners involved, including funding provided by Audley Clevedon.
Two new gates for Ben Rhydding to Burley path
After well over a year of planning and landowner negotiation, two new self-closing gates were installed on 8 March to replace wooden step stiles near to Audley Clevedon Retirement Village in Ben Rhydding. The work of the joint working party of Walkers and Welcome and Lower Wharfedale Ramblers volunteers means that this path between Burley and Ben Rhydding is now stile free. Our Sunday walks frequently use this route, and it is popular with both runners and walkers as we could see on the day of the working party! We appreciate the support of both landowners involved, including funding provided by Audley Clevedon.
February 2019
Burley Community Library display
A new Walkers are Welcome display has been created in Burley Library. Featuring a specially commissioned Ordnance Survey map centred on Burley in Wharfedale, it provides up to date information about Walkers are Welcome including details of forthcoming Sunday and Friday walks and a copy of our Friends newsletter. Our three local walking guides and the Welcome Way booklet can also be purchased. A good reason to visit and support the Library!
Burley Community Library display
A new Walkers are Welcome display has been created in Burley Library. Featuring a specially commissioned Ordnance Survey map centred on Burley in Wharfedale, it provides up to date information about Walkers are Welcome including details of forthcoming Sunday and Friday walks and a copy of our Friends newsletter. Our three local walking guides and the Welcome Way booklet can also be purchased. A good reason to visit and support the Library!
Wharfedale Greenway work starts
Work has finally started on Phase 1 of the new Wharfedale Greenway cycle and walking route between Burley and Otley which uses the disused railway line originally linking the two communities. Access directly from Bradford Road onto the old railway embankment is now possible thanks to Richard Perham and his team from Bradford Council Countryside Services. The stone wall facing Bradford Road has been carefully rebuilt, trees have been cleared, and a new surfaced footpath constructed up the embankment. Information about possible contributions by Walkers are Welcome to improve access at other locations will be shared over the next few weeks.
Seasonal Burley photos
We have a growing collection of photographs in the 'Photo' section of this website which is well worth a look. Showing off the beauty of the village and the gorgeous countryside accessible by the myriad of footpaths on all sides of the village, they are grouped by season. They amply show off the delights of walking in and around Burley whatever the time of year, and whatever the weather! Photos
Work has finally started on Phase 1 of the new Wharfedale Greenway cycle and walking route between Burley and Otley which uses the disused railway line originally linking the two communities. Access directly from Bradford Road onto the old railway embankment is now possible thanks to Richard Perham and his team from Bradford Council Countryside Services. The stone wall facing Bradford Road has been carefully rebuilt, trees have been cleared, and a new surfaced footpath constructed up the embankment. Information about possible contributions by Walkers are Welcome to improve access at other locations will be shared over the next few weeks.
Seasonal Burley photos
We have a growing collection of photographs in the 'Photo' section of this website which is well worth a look. Showing off the beauty of the village and the gorgeous countryside accessible by the myriad of footpaths on all sides of the village, they are grouped by season. They amply show off the delights of walking in and around Burley whatever the time of year, and whatever the weather! Photos
January 2019
Working parties for 2019
A number of working parties are being planned for 2019: Firstly, landowner and Bradford Council permission has now been given for two wooden step stiles near to Audley Clevedon retirement village in Ben Rhydding to be replaced with self-closing gates. A joint working party with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers is being held on Friday 8 March to install them.
Secondly, a working party is being held on Monday 1 April to construct a set of steps is being built near to Coldstone Beck bridge at Robin Hole, Burley Woodhead. This will complement the new Moor Road footpath, and make the path through the nearby woodland more accessible. Hopefully it will also help divert people from walking along the adjacent narrow and dangerous stretch of road as they walk too and from Burley Moor.
A May or June working party will also be held for the third year to clear bracken near to Lower Stead Farm. For further details, including about volunteering, see the Friends page. Also, see Working Party photos for ideas of what might be involved!
New longer walks programme for 2019
As an addition to our 3 and 5 mile guided monthly walks, we are proposing to try some 7 to 10 mile guided walks during 2019. Like the existing programme, walks will start at Burley Station at 10 am on the following dates: Sunday 31 March; Sunday 2 June; Sunday 21 July. More walks may be planned during the autumn depending on feedback. Details of routes will be publicised in future Friends emails. The walks could be circular or linear using public transport, or maybe cars. Walkers will need to indicate in advance if they want to join a walk.
If you are interested, contact Simon Archer at [email protected].
Working parties for 2019
A number of working parties are being planned for 2019: Firstly, landowner and Bradford Council permission has now been given for two wooden step stiles near to Audley Clevedon retirement village in Ben Rhydding to be replaced with self-closing gates. A joint working party with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers is being held on Friday 8 March to install them.
Secondly, a working party is being held on Monday 1 April to construct a set of steps is being built near to Coldstone Beck bridge at Robin Hole, Burley Woodhead. This will complement the new Moor Road footpath, and make the path through the nearby woodland more accessible. Hopefully it will also help divert people from walking along the adjacent narrow and dangerous stretch of road as they walk too and from Burley Moor.
A May or June working party will also be held for the third year to clear bracken near to Lower Stead Farm. For further details, including about volunteering, see the Friends page. Also, see Working Party photos for ideas of what might be involved!
New longer walks programme for 2019
As an addition to our 3 and 5 mile guided monthly walks, we are proposing to try some 7 to 10 mile guided walks during 2019. Like the existing programme, walks will start at Burley Station at 10 am on the following dates: Sunday 31 March; Sunday 2 June; Sunday 21 July. More walks may be planned during the autumn depending on feedback. Details of routes will be publicised in future Friends emails. The walks could be circular or linear using public transport, or maybe cars. Walkers will need to indicate in advance if they want to join a walk.
If you are interested, contact Simon Archer at [email protected].
|
December 2018
Christmas present from Countryside Services An unexpected email just before Christmas from Richard Perham of Bradford Council's Countryside Services heralded the installation of a new properly hung field gate at Hag Farm, replacing the broken stile and adjoining dangerous field gate. Walkers are Welcome had been suggesting that this was the best option following the collapse of the stile, so we are grateful that the land owner agreed and that Richard was able to undertake the work so promptly! The route is one of the most heavily used in the Burley area and forms part of the Ebor Way and the Dales Way link, so the increased accessibility provided will be appreciated by many people. Thank you Richard! |
|
Moor Road working party volunteers - second day with Michael Smith
Ilkley U3A Ten to Tea walking group testing the route the day after the path was completed
|
November 2018
Moor Road footpath opens After a year of consultation and fundraising, the Moor Road footpath is now open for use by walkers and runners. Walkers are Welcome working parties on 16 and 19 November cleared scrub, brambles and trees from the route of the path, with the assistance of Michael Smith, Burley Moor gamekeeper with the Bingley Partnership. Michael even lent us the use of his quad bike and trailer to shift material up the adjoining fields for disposal as well as undertaking the tree felling, so we are very grateful for his assistance. Bradford Council contractors started excavation work on 27 November and finished laying the path composed of recycled tarmac planings on 3 December. An unexpected bonus was Bradford Council agreeing to pay most of the costs for an extension to the existing tarmac path from Burley Woodhead to enable a safe crossing point to the new path. We are particularly grateful to Kevin Whitaker, Bradford Council Highways manager for coordinating the installation side of the project and for the generous contribution from his budget. Also to all the local residents and landowners for their support, encouragement and generous financial donations. Other funders included Burley Parish Council who kicked off the appeal, Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust for their amazing £2000 donation, the Long Distance Walkers Association, and Burley in Wharfedale Community Trust who enabled us to reach our £5000 target in September. A special thank you is also due to Simon and Sue Richmond from Bleach Mill who held a fundraising lunch for our September Sunday walk, raising an incredible £230. |
September 2018
|
Record breaking turnout for Festival walks
The Walkers are Welcome walks programme for Burley Festival this year proved even more popular than last year. Attendances were up to 323 (compared with 211 last year) from 192 individuals (compared with 140). The weather generally held for us through the week, the exception being the walk to Bleach Mill on the final Sunday when only 5 people braved the wind and the rain! Needless to say they were warmly welcomed by Sue and Simon Richmond who hadn't expected anyone to turn up! Thanks are due to everyone who contributed to a successful week, especially the walk leaders and back markers. Although group sizes had been increased for most walks from last year, in part to help compensate for the inevitable number of late withdrawals, this did not seem to impact on the friendliness and positive interaction between walkers. Please get in touch if you have any feedback, or suggestions for the 2019 programme! |
Bruce Speed leading the Architecture walk
|
2017 Festival walk to the Reservoir House
|
August 2018
Burley Festival walking programme ready to start We are providing 14 walks this year as part of the Burley Summer Festival, starting on Saturday 18 August. Although three walks booked up very quickly, most still have some space for late bookers! Bookings can be made either on line at burleysummerfestival.org, or from Saturday and throughout the festival week at the Roundhouse, which will be open from 10am to 4pm. We will also have a stall in Grange Park on Sunday 19 August, so come and say hello! New emergency contact cards If you are coming on a walk, please come early and fill in your emergency contact card. The walk leader will carry these during each walk and then hand back at the end for re-use next time. Hopefully this will save time trying to remember phone numbers! If they work, then we will carry on with this system for the monthly Friday and Sunday walks. |
July 2018
LDWA makes a contribution!
Another boost to the Moor Road path project has been given with a grant for £500 being approved from the Long Distance Walkers Association. This group reports, encourages and facilitates all things to do with long distance walks and is well worth looking at if longer walks is what interests you www.ldwa.org.uk. Their journal, Strider, provides a wealth of information about long distance routes across the country, as well as details of longer challenge walks. Together with recent donations received from a number of Burley Woodhead and Moor Lane residents, we now have £4300 towards our £5000 target, so are getting close!
LDWA makes a contribution!
Another boost to the Moor Road path project has been given with a grant for £500 being approved from the Long Distance Walkers Association. This group reports, encourages and facilitates all things to do with long distance walks and is well worth looking at if longer walks is what interests you www.ldwa.org.uk. Their journal, Strider, provides a wealth of information about long distance routes across the country, as well as details of longer challenge walks. Together with recent donations received from a number of Burley Woodhead and Moor Lane residents, we now have £4300 towards our £5000 target, so are getting close!
|
June 2018
Moor Road Path grant approved The project to create a new off-road footpath adjacent to Moor Road in Burley Woodhead has taken a major step forward with a grant from the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust of £2000. With a grant of £500 from Burley Parish Council and pledges of £1000 already received towards the £5000 cost, this means we are now well on the way. Further funding applications are being considered during July. Watch this space! |
The Moor Road bridge over Coldstone Beck looking towards Burley Woodhead. The proposed path is on the right hand side.
|
May 2018
|
Working party takes two steps forward
Our most ambitious footpath improvement project yet took place on 21 May, when 11 volunteers created two sets of steps on a footpath leading from Burley Moor towards Stead. Under the watchful eye of Richard Perham from Bradford Countryside Services, and with the weather finally on our side, the team learnt a number of new skills and the result is superb. Please take the time to walk the path. It can be accessed either from Stead Lane, then turning left in front of Dog Kennel Farm up to the gate onto Moor Road and then sharp right. Or find it by coming off the Ebor Way path between Burley Woodhead and the Cow and Calf on the edge of the Burley Moor after crossing over Rushy Beck. Then down to Moor Road, crossing carefully by the bridge through the gate, then sharp left with the steps in full view. The path takes walkers and runners towards Clevedon House, Ben Rhydding (where refreshments can be obtained) and beyond, although other paths can be used to return to Stead Lane and then back to Burley. |
April 2018
Annual General Meeting 2018
Our fourth AGM takes place on Wednesday 16 May at 7.30 in Burley Library. We are pleased that David Dennis, MBE is going to be our speaker. David has been a volunteer with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue for 40 years, and because of his career background in public relations is the team's Public Relations Officer. His last working role was working with for the Lord Lieutenant dealing with the press and media on all the royal visits to West Yorkshire, and he now writes regular columns in a number of newspapers. As well as talking about the work of UWFR, David will also be able to give advice about how to avoid having to call out the team through safe walking in the hills! All are welcome for what should be an interesting evening!
Our fourth AGM takes place on Wednesday 16 May at 7.30 in Burley Library. We are pleased that David Dennis, MBE is going to be our speaker. David has been a volunteer with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue for 40 years, and because of his career background in public relations is the team's Public Relations Officer. His last working role was working with for the Lord Lieutenant dealing with the press and media on all the royal visits to West Yorkshire, and he now writes regular columns in a number of newspapers. As well as talking about the work of UWFR, David will also be able to give advice about how to avoid having to call out the team through safe walking in the hills! All are welcome for what should be an interesting evening!
|
Another successful working party, with more to come! Four Walkers are Welcome volunteers joined with four Lower Wharfedale Ramblers volunteers to replace two wooden stiles with kissing gates on the Hag Farm Road to Hermit footpath. This makes eight installed over the past three years as part of our plan to improve access to the countryside around Burley. As the area around the gate adjacent to the beck has always been quite muddy, we now have permission to put some hardcore down to make the route more manageable. We will also be improving the area around the stile on the path which crosses from Hag Farm Road to Heather Rise, which has been virtually impassable for most of the winter due to thick mud. If you are interested in helping out for an hour or two in the morning on Wednesday 2 May, please get in touch with David on 01943 862965. We will also be having a second working party in Stead on Monday 21 May, when we will be building steps, strimming, and doing some drainage work. The first working party in June 2017 did an amazing job recovering footpaths long since overgrown with bracken and brambles. They have been well used over the year, but now need some extra work to ensure they remain manageable to walk. Again, please contact David if you are interested in helping out. |
Before.....
....and after!
|
March 2018
The site of the proposed bridge in autumn
|
Burley Bridge campaign crosses over to the final phase!
After 21 years of campaigning for a footbridge over the River Wharfe in Burley, North Yorkshire and Bradford Councils have given the Burley Bridge Association (BBA) a green light to enable fundraising for construction and long-term maintenance costs to begin. A footbridge, using the existing public right of way over the so called stepping stones, would link Burley to the wealth of footpaths on the north bank of river, the southernmost edge of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At the moment, as many walkers will know, the crossing is unusable for most of the winter months due to high river levels, and is unpredictable at other times of the year. One of the Walkers are Welcome Festival walks during August 2017 had to be quickly re-routed in fact after the river rose quite dramatically over a two hour period. The agreement in principle that has been reached with both councils following extensive discussion with officers and members about how to address any legal obstacles to the project being completed, means a fundraising campaign can now commence. For further information, including about the current planning applications with Harrogate and Bradford Councils, please check out the BBA website www.burleybridge.com or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/burleybridgeassoc/. |
|
Moor Road footpath project gets the thumbs up
Soon after Burley Walkers are Welcome was formed four years ago, the group looked at the possibility of creating a footpath link between Burley Woodhead and Stead Lane. The path would join up where the current tarmac path finished, with the popular Stead Lane footpath, and the path onto Burley Moor adjacent to Coldstone Beck. This short section of Moor Road is regularly used by walkers, runners and local residents despite it being very busy and potentially hazardous. Kevin Whitaker, Keighley Area Highways Manager surveyed the route with the group and thought it was technically feasible, although no funds were available from his department due to budget constraints. The idea sat on the back burner for a while, as the priority of the group was to find funding to develop a series of walks leaflets for the village. With a lull in producing more leaflets in 2018, the project has resurfaced, beginning with a presentation on February 19 to Burley Parish Council's Community and Environment Committee. Parish Councillors were unanimous in their support for the idea, and agreed to consider an application for a grant towards the £5000 cost. A letter circulated to the 25 households in Burley Woodhead closest to the proposed path has resulted in 15 very positive responses including a number of generous offers of sponsorship (including two of £500). The one slightly negative response was because of the potential increase in walkers that the path would encourage along Stead Lane. We will be looking at possible sources of funding to enable the project to proceed. In the meantime, if you would like to contribute to our Moor Road footpath appeal, please get in touch! |
Moor Road, with end of existing path on the right and start of proposed path on the left
Half way along the proposed path which would run adjacent to the wall
|
Sunday walkers admiring the ponies in Stead
|
Sunday walkers brave the snow
Seventeen brave souls ventured into the snowy landscape around Stead for the monthly Sunday walk. Although we took a lower and shorter route rather than the advertised high level path (for obvious reasons), it still proved very scenic. A lingering stay (wonder why!) in the warm comforts of Clevedon House restaurant fortified the group sufficiently to brave the cold easterly wind back to Burley. Let's hope spring has finally arrived in time for the April 15 walk which will be towards Menston this time, with a visit to Bleach Mill House for refreshments. |
|
Friday Walk cancelled! The walk planned for Friday 2 March has been cancelled due to the weather. Although there is currently no snow forecast for the morning, conditions remain potentially hazardous given the strong very cold wind and anticipated additional snow during the night. We have, therefore, decided to be cautious and not risk exposing a group to unnecessary risk. Apologies to those people who were still anticipating to walk! We look forward to seeing you on Sunday 17 March or Friday 6 April. |
 Eastfield Lane on the first day of spring!
|
February 2018
Calling all volunteers
A Walkers are Welcome working party is being held on Monday 21 May to improve footpaths in Stead. We will be adding to the improvements undertaken in June last year by a hard working team of ten volunteers, which has led to a cluster of paths becoming usable again. The plan this year is to work in the same area constructing two sets of steps, strimming and clearing bracken and brambles again (but hopefully not as much as last year), and draining a particularly muddy section. Please let us know if you are interested at [email protected] or phone David on 01943 862965 for more information.
|
Mystery of the new handrail solved! Towards the end of January walkers using the old railway line path at Heather Rise were surprised at the dramatic arrival of a handrail alongside the steep steps. Various inquiries about their origin drew a blank until Bradford MDC Countryside Services confirmed that they were almost certainly installed by a Network Rail Contractor. Although their purpose is probably to assist access for maintenance purposes to the railway track bed, users of the old railway line are probably going to be the main beneficiaries. So a big thank you to Network Rail for being a Walkers are Welcome friendly organisation. Walkers on the recent Wharfedale Greenway walk on 10 February were also very complimentary! |
The sudden arrival of the Heather Rise steps
|
February's Sunday walk on quarry track above Stead
|
Perfect weather for the February Sunday walk
There was a good turn out for a mild and dry walk to Stead and then onto Burley Moor, with excellent views. We stopped at Crag Top to hear the story behind the 1/4 mile dead end footpath to Highfield House (arising from insufficient evidence about unrestricted public use between 1983 and 2003) before being treated to Sue and Simon Richmond's hospitality at Bleach Mill House. The next Sunday walk is 18 March. No need to book - just turn up at 10.00 at Burley Station. |
|
January 2018
Thawing out at Clevedon House Our first Sunday walk of 2018 took a sometimes muddy but very scenic route to climb gently up to Clevedon House, Ben Rhydding. Here we were able to escape the snowy weather and warm up in the luxurious surroundings of the library, before continuing our walk to Stead Lane and back to Burley. 
Morning coffee at Clevedon House library
|
January's Sunday walk on Stead Lane
|
STOP PRESS!
Wharfedale Greenway
The Wharfedale Greenway is a proposed safe walking and cycling path that will link Burley with Otley and Ilkley with a traffic free route. Phase one of the Wharfedale Greenway project will provide a riding, walking and cycle route between Otley and Burley. There is a walk planned to promote the Wharfedale Greenway on Saturday 10th February 2018. Please meet at the Otley Roundabout on the A660 at 10am and we will finish at Burley Library to look at plans for the Greenway and to enjoy a well earned hot drink and biscuits. At the library will be details of the proposed phases and also considerations for an Ilkley / Addingham / Bolton Abbey link.
(information from Burley Parish Council January e-newsletter)
www.burleyparishcouncil.co.uk/Burley-Wharfedale-PC/newsletters_-15816.aspx
Alfred John Brown
|
Alfred John Brown Memorial Trail unveiled
January sees the publication on this website of a new walking route dedicated to Alfred John Brown, avid Dales walker, poet and author of a number of popular Dales walking guides in the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote most of his work while living in Burley between 1927 and 1945. The route visits a number of the buildings and footpaths associated with A.J. Brown, and can be undertaken in short sections or as a whole. Check out our new AJB page to find out more! A blue plaque is also being organised for his favourite pub, the Hermit, Burley Woodhead, where he met with Bradford playwright J.B. Priestley. Alfred John Brown |
|
January sunshine walk
Our first Friday walk of 2018 was in glorious sunshine after days of wind and rain. Let's hope this was a good omen for the year ahead! 20 people turned up to walk eastward towards Otley on the old railway line, and then back to Burley on Eastfield Lane. We were then treated to hot drinks at the Red Lion. The three to four mile Friday walks continue on February 2 and thereafter on the first Friday of the month, meeting at 10.00 at the Railway Station. The walks are moderately paced with plenty of stops using mostly level field paths and tracks around the village and the lower edge of Burley Moor. On occasions there will be some gentle ascent and descents. No need to book - just turn up. |
January's Friday walk pauses on Eastfield Lane
|
December 2017
Seasonal walk and celebration at Bleach Mill
The monthly Sunday walk saw an impressive turn out of 24 people on 17 December despite the cold and wet conditions. After a damp walk towards Stead and onto the edge of Burley Moor, the group thawed out at Bleach Mill with hot drinks and Sue Richmond's special take on mince pies (a giant version) along with ginger and Christmas cake (with cheese of course!). A presentation was made to Sue and Simon of a framed photo and poem featuring Bleach Mill taken from Colin Speakman's recently published 'Poets' Walk' booklet as a 'thank you' for all the hospitality offered to Walkers are Welcome walks through the year. As Colin was present, the group had the benefit of him reading his poem which made the event even more special! Simon and Sue donated the proceeds from our visit to contribute towards the next kissing gate project. Colin also generously donated sales from his poetry book sold during the visit as a first contribution towards the project we hope to start in 2018 of raising funds to pay for a new footpath alongside Moor Road in Burley Woodhead. In total, £101 was given to the group from the visit, which was superb!
A reminder that the next three mile monthly Friday walk is on 5 January, and the next Sunday walk is 21 January to be lead by Simon Archer. Seasons greetings to everyone, and best wishes for a peaceful and healthy 2018!.
Seasonal walk and celebration at Bleach Mill
The monthly Sunday walk saw an impressive turn out of 24 people on 17 December despite the cold and wet conditions. After a damp walk towards Stead and onto the edge of Burley Moor, the group thawed out at Bleach Mill with hot drinks and Sue Richmond's special take on mince pies (a giant version) along with ginger and Christmas cake (with cheese of course!). A presentation was made to Sue and Simon of a framed photo and poem featuring Bleach Mill taken from Colin Speakman's recently published 'Poets' Walk' booklet as a 'thank you' for all the hospitality offered to Walkers are Welcome walks through the year. As Colin was present, the group had the benefit of him reading his poem which made the event even more special! Simon and Sue donated the proceeds from our visit to contribute towards the next kissing gate project. Colin also generously donated sales from his poetry book sold during the visit as a first contribution towards the project we hope to start in 2018 of raising funds to pay for a new footpath alongside Moor Road in Burley Woodhead. In total, £101 was given to the group from the visit, which was superb!
A reminder that the next three mile monthly Friday walk is on 5 January, and the next Sunday walk is 21 January to be lead by Simon Archer. Seasons greetings to everyone, and best wishes for a peaceful and healthy 2018!.
Sue Richmond receives a framed print from Colin Speakman's 'Poets Walk' book
|
Simon Richmond thanks the group
|
Colin Speakman reads his poem about Bleach Mill
|
|
November 2017
Record breaking Sunday walk! An amazing 35 people turned up for our November Sunday walk to Clevedon House in Ben Rhydding. Superb bright and almost wind free weather meant we had excellent views across Wharfedale and towards the North Yorkshire Moors. It also meant that on arriving at Clevedon House restaurant we were able to have our refreshments, timely served, outside on their terrace with its wonderful panorama. Thanks to David Steel for leading the walk and to all those attending. |
Novembers' Sunday walk at Clevedon House
|
New! Monthly Friday walks
Never shy to innovate, Walkers are Welcome are starting a monthly Friday morning walk from 1st December! Following interest from walkers during the Summer Festival and from our regular Sunday walks about having a weekday walk, we are going to trial a 3 mile walk on the first Friday in the month. The walk will follow the same format as on Sundays, with no need to book. We will meet at Burley Station at 10.00 and aim to return to the centre of the village by around 11.45. We will then choose somewhere nearby for refreshments for those that wish to join in. Dogs will be welcome providing they are kept on a short lead and are covered by third party liability insurance (part of most pet insurance plans). For the December 1 walk we will go across the fields to Stead, returning via Catton Wood. For the January 5 walk, we will head off along the old railway line towards Otley, returning via Eastfield Lane. Walks will be moderately paced with some gentle ascents. Hope to see you there!
Never shy to innovate, Walkers are Welcome are starting a monthly Friday morning walk from 1st December! Following interest from walkers during the Summer Festival and from our regular Sunday walks about having a weekday walk, we are going to trial a 3 mile walk on the first Friday in the month. The walk will follow the same format as on Sundays, with no need to book. We will meet at Burley Station at 10.00 and aim to return to the centre of the village by around 11.45. We will then choose somewhere nearby for refreshments for those that wish to join in. Dogs will be welcome providing they are kept on a short lead and are covered by third party liability insurance (part of most pet insurance plans). For the December 1 walk we will go across the fields to Stead, returning via Catton Wood. For the January 5 walk, we will head off along the old railway line towards Otley, returning via Eastfield Lane. Walks will be moderately paced with some gentle ascents. Hope to see you there!
|
October 2017
Poets' Walk Published! Colin Speakman, supported by a number of his colleagues from the Wharfedale Poets collective, led a superb walk around Burley and up onto Burley Moor during the Summer Festival. Now he has published a beautifully illustrated booklet featuring the six stanza poem he wrote especially for the walk. It is available from the Gritstone Publishing Cooperative, http://gritstone.coop, or directly from David Asher for £5, [email protected]. £1 of each sale will be donated to the Burley-in-Wharfedale Community Trust. |
Poetry Walk August 2017
|
September 2017
Our Sunday walks programme kicked off the autumn programme on 17 September with 20 people defying the grim weather forecast to walk to Clevedon House, Ben Rhydding, for refreshments on their delightful terrace. We used the footpaths in Stead cleared by our June working party and found them to be in excellent condition three months on, with plenty of evidence that they are being well trodden!
At the end of the month, Bradford Council removed the damaged ladder stile on the route towards Clevedon House, which we had to divert around on the Sunday walk. In its place is a stone step stile, which although not as accessible as a gap stile would have been, is much easier to climb over - including for dogs! With new way marks on the paths around Stead, it shouldn't be so easy getting lost in future, so please use the paths in this area through the winter.
Our Sunday walks programme kicked off the autumn programme on 17 September with 20 people defying the grim weather forecast to walk to Clevedon House, Ben Rhydding, for refreshments on their delightful terrace. We used the footpaths in Stead cleared by our June working party and found them to be in excellent condition three months on, with plenty of evidence that they are being well trodden!
At the end of the month, Bradford Council removed the damaged ladder stile on the route towards Clevedon House, which we had to divert around on the Sunday walk. In its place is a stone step stile, which although not as accessible as a gap stile would have been, is much easier to climb over - including for dogs! With new way marks on the paths around Stead, it shouldn't be so easy getting lost in future, so please use the paths in this area through the winter.
August 2017
Walkers are Welcome contributed eleven walks to the Summer Festival this year, up from six last year. In total 141 people made 211 attendances on walks, with 104 people coming on just one walk, and 22 coming on two walks - the other 15 coming on three or more walks. There were many highlights of the week, but to pick out a few:
Weston Hall and gardens: Despite the stepping stones being clear enough to safely cross at 8.30 am, by 11.00 they were mostly covered, the river having risen by over a foot presumably due to rain in upper Wharfedale. The case for a bridge was explicit for all to see! Nevertheless, after travelling to Askwith by car in order to walk to Weston, the 25 walkers were treated to a glorious afternoon. Christopher and Mary Dawson personally guided the group around the garden, followed by a tour of the main rooms in the house and then a visit to the adjacent Weston Church. And of course the stepping stones were perfectly crossable by the end of the afternoon! We hope we can organise a return visit next year for all those who were disappointed this time.
Ancient history on Burley Moor: Dr. Keith Boughey led a walk to some of the pre-historic sites on Burley Moor and showed the group a wide selection of cup and ring carvings and other examples of rock art, cairns, and an enclosure. In his view, the examples on Burley Moor are just as exciting and interesting as those on nearby Ilkley Moor, but not as well known. We are conscious that the walk didn't visit some of the sites originally intended and apologize to any disappointed walkers - the original plans were far too ambitious, we now realise. However, Keith has agreed to do a similar but longer walk next year when we can get up to the higher level cairn burial sites.
Walking with a farmer: Jo Foster was an excellent guide and raconteur for the informative walk across her families' fields between Burley and Menston, and her mother Jenny was able to fill in any gaps about the farming history of their family. We now know where the original slaughter house for Otley was (on Eastfield Lane), and how to rescue cattle from rapidly rising floodwater!
The Reservoir House: Surprisingly, this was our most popular walk, so much so that we had to organise a second visit with over 40 people being nosy enough to want to see behind the imposing walls of the old reservoir. We are grateful to Chris Hunt from Niche Designs who organised the visit and fielded the many questions the two groups inevitably had. Also to his client, Jonathon, for allowing us access to his impressive property.
Ben Rhydding Nature Reserve: Steve Parkes led a very interesting walk around the reserve, which only one person in the group had previously visited. As well as providing a excellent viewpoint for flocks of birds such as curlew and lapwing on the other side of the river, we heard about the extensive display of meadow flowers in early summer, especially orchids. Steve has offered to guide our June Sunday walk around the reserve if there is sufficient interest, so we hope this can be organised.
Poetry walk: The group was not only treated to a specially written six stanza poem by walk leader Colin Speakman as we meandered over fields and moor, but 'pop-up poets' from the Wharfedale Poets collective who joined the walk at various places to read out their own atmospheric poetry.
Thanks are due to everyone who led or acted as back marker for these and all the other walks during festival week.
Walkers are Welcome contributed eleven walks to the Summer Festival this year, up from six last year. In total 141 people made 211 attendances on walks, with 104 people coming on just one walk, and 22 coming on two walks - the other 15 coming on three or more walks. There were many highlights of the week, but to pick out a few:
Weston Hall and gardens: Despite the stepping stones being clear enough to safely cross at 8.30 am, by 11.00 they were mostly covered, the river having risen by over a foot presumably due to rain in upper Wharfedale. The case for a bridge was explicit for all to see! Nevertheless, after travelling to Askwith by car in order to walk to Weston, the 25 walkers were treated to a glorious afternoon. Christopher and Mary Dawson personally guided the group around the garden, followed by a tour of the main rooms in the house and then a visit to the adjacent Weston Church. And of course the stepping stones were perfectly crossable by the end of the afternoon! We hope we can organise a return visit next year for all those who were disappointed this time.
Ancient history on Burley Moor: Dr. Keith Boughey led a walk to some of the pre-historic sites on Burley Moor and showed the group a wide selection of cup and ring carvings and other examples of rock art, cairns, and an enclosure. In his view, the examples on Burley Moor are just as exciting and interesting as those on nearby Ilkley Moor, but not as well known. We are conscious that the walk didn't visit some of the sites originally intended and apologize to any disappointed walkers - the original plans were far too ambitious, we now realise. However, Keith has agreed to do a similar but longer walk next year when we can get up to the higher level cairn burial sites.
Walking with a farmer: Jo Foster was an excellent guide and raconteur for the informative walk across her families' fields between Burley and Menston, and her mother Jenny was able to fill in any gaps about the farming history of their family. We now know where the original slaughter house for Otley was (on Eastfield Lane), and how to rescue cattle from rapidly rising floodwater!
The Reservoir House: Surprisingly, this was our most popular walk, so much so that we had to organise a second visit with over 40 people being nosy enough to want to see behind the imposing walls of the old reservoir. We are grateful to Chris Hunt from Niche Designs who organised the visit and fielded the many questions the two groups inevitably had. Also to his client, Jonathon, for allowing us access to his impressive property.
Ben Rhydding Nature Reserve: Steve Parkes led a very interesting walk around the reserve, which only one person in the group had previously visited. As well as providing a excellent viewpoint for flocks of birds such as curlew and lapwing on the other side of the river, we heard about the extensive display of meadow flowers in early summer, especially orchids. Steve has offered to guide our June Sunday walk around the reserve if there is sufficient interest, so we hope this can be organised.
Poetry walk: The group was not only treated to a specially written six stanza poem by walk leader Colin Speakman as we meandered over fields and moor, but 'pop-up poets' from the Wharfedale Poets collective who joined the walk at various places to read out their own atmospheric poetry.
Thanks are due to everyone who led or acted as back marker for these and all the other walks during festival week.
July 2017
Burley Festival walks
The walk programme Walkers are Welcome are contributing to Burley Summer Festival is now viewable on the Festival website, www.burleyfestival.org/ , with walks bookable from July 17. We are experimenting with waiting lists for bookable walks this year for the first time, given the number of people who dropped out of walks they had booked last year. We have increased the size of most walks, but if numbers exceed the limit we have set, then people will be invited to send their contact details to our email address in case of drop outs. In the event of cancellations, we will then contact applicants in strict date order to check if they can fill the space.
Please support all our sponsors!
We welcome four new Walkers are Welcome sponsors who have enabled our third walks leaflet 'Yet More Rambles from the Roundhouse' to be published (on sale during early August). They are:
David Rishworth Quality Butchers
LFW Podiatry / Chiropody
Dale Eddison Estate Agents
Burley in Wharfedale Community Trust
Without their generosity and commitment to improving the footpath network and opening up opportunity for walking in the village, we would not be able to continue expanding our work. Please use and enjoy their services!
Also, don't forget our existing sponsors all of whom have committed themselves to supporting Walkers are Welcome for a five year period:
Chevin Trek Walking and Outdoor shop
The Red Lion
The Coffee Station
The Hermit
Cohens Chemist
Burley Coop
Grange Park Surgery
Thanks everyone for your continued support!
|
June 2017
Stead footpaths brought back into use Ten Burley volunteers worked hard under a hot sun on 15 June to clear a number of sections of footpath in Stead that had become overgrown and in some sections impassable due to encroachment of bracken and brambles. We borrowed two strimmers from Bradford Countryside Services (having been trained recently in using them) and managed to return them in good working order! One section of cleared footpath has re-opened up a route from Burley Moor to Ben Rhydding and Clevedon House, and another section has made passable again a route from Stead Lane to Burley Moor. We were assisted on the day by Richard and Max from Countryside Services who operated their digger to drain Rushy Beck and an adjacent stream, as well as building two railway sleeper bridges. Richard also replaced the field gate onto Moor Road which was semi-derelict, and subsequently has replaced the footpath finger posts on the roadside. Volunteers also cleared sections of the footpath from the new gate down to Dog Kennel Farm on Stead Lane, including reverting the path back to its original course on the embankment. New waymarks have completed the work, so there should be no excuse for not finding the newly accessible paths and helping keep the undergrowth from taking charge again. Special thanks are due to the landowner who allowed us to do so much work on his property. Kissing gate number 6 Our sixth kissing gate since we started up was due to be installed at the end of the month by a further joint working party with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers. This will be on Menston Old Lane, and will ensure a stile free route between Menston and Burley. |
Recreating the Stead footpath
|
May 2017
Kissing gates improve access onto Burley Moor
A successful working party was held on 8 May jointly with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers. Two teams of four installed a kissing gate each at Stocks Hill, Burley Woodhead on the Welcome Way route. An old field gate which was falling apart and proving very difficult to lift in order to pass through to access the Moor was replaced, as was a stile further along. The improvements mean that there is now another stile free circular walk from Burley Woodhead. Thanks to the four gallant Burley volunteers who took part, and to the generous walkers who paid for one of the gates.
AGM with Danny Jackson, Bradford Countryside Services Manager
Our third AGM welcomed Danny Jackson who gave a fascinating talk about the impressive work of his team in maintaining and managing Bradford District's rights of way footpath network, despite diminishing resources. The AGM, held at the Red Lion who are one of our sponsors, also approved with some minor modifications a constitution for the group.
Kissing gates improve access onto Burley Moor
A successful working party was held on 8 May jointly with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers. Two teams of four installed a kissing gate each at Stocks Hill, Burley Woodhead on the Welcome Way route. An old field gate which was falling apart and proving very difficult to lift in order to pass through to access the Moor was replaced, as was a stile further along. The improvements mean that there is now another stile free circular walk from Burley Woodhead. Thanks to the four gallant Burley volunteers who took part, and to the generous walkers who paid for one of the gates.
AGM with Danny Jackson, Bradford Countryside Services Manager
Our third AGM welcomed Danny Jackson who gave a fascinating talk about the impressive work of his team in maintaining and managing Bradford District's rights of way footpath network, despite diminishing resources. The AGM, held at the Red Lion who are one of our sponsors, also approved with some minor modifications a constitution for the group.
|
February 2017 Bridges on Burley Moor A joint Burley and Otley Walkers are Welcome working party installed three bridges near Horncliffe Well on Burley Moor on February 15. Working under the direction of Bradford Council Countryside and Rights of Way Service, the five volunteers constructed the bridges from hard wearing recycled material in order to cross some of the wettest sections of the Welcome Way route. Council staff had previously undertaken drainage work on the site in preparation of the work. Burley Moor gamekeepers assisted the team on the day by transporting materials to the three sites. No sooner had the first bridge been constructed than a runner appeared and initiated the structure, giving the bridge a big thumbs up! We hope the bridges will encourage more people to walk over this remote and beautiful section of the Welcome Way route between Burley and Baildon, and maybe enjoy the tranquility of Horncliffe Well for a refreshment break. More working parties will hopefully be taking place in the spring. If you are interested in helping out, please get in touch with David on 07551 959494. |
The bridge over Middle Beck
|
January 2017
Yet Moor Rambles from the Roundhouse
This is the working title for our third walking leaflet, which we hope to publish later in the year, sponsorship permitting. Whereas our first leaflet published in 2014 focused on short walks from 1 to 5 miles and our second leaflet published in 2015 on longer walks from 5 to 10 miles, the third leaflet will be medium length walks of 6 or 7 miles. Some of the walks will visit new refreshment opportunities, and some may be shortened by use of public transport. And as the name implies, most if not all will visit one or other of our surrounding moors at some point during the walk. Most of the walks have now been tested, and are great. Watch this space!
Yet Moor Rambles from the Roundhouse
This is the working title for our third walking leaflet, which we hope to publish later in the year, sponsorship permitting. Whereas our first leaflet published in 2014 focused on short walks from 1 to 5 miles and our second leaflet published in 2015 on longer walks from 5 to 10 miles, the third leaflet will be medium length walks of 6 or 7 miles. Some of the walks will visit new refreshment opportunities, and some may be shortened by use of public transport. And as the name implies, most if not all will visit one or other of our surrounding moors at some point during the walk. Most of the walks have now been tested, and are great. Watch this space!
December 2016
Catching DalesBus from Burley
Did you know that every Sunday morning, at almost exactly 10am, the DalesBus 874 leaves the bus stop in Main Street, at the bottom of Station Road in Burley to take walkers to Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden? The perfect bus service to walk a section of the Dales Way, take high levels routes over Great Whernside, Buckden Pike, or Barden Fell, climb over Old Cote Moor into Littondale, or even have a mini pub crawl into beautiful Langstrothdale with welcoming Inns at Hubberholme and Cray.
To cut costs, there is now a special £8 Craven Explorer ticket you can by on the bus valid as far as Buckden and on other connecting DalesBus services 873 and X43 to Bolton Abbey, Halton Heights and Skipton, but if you are lucky enough to have a bus pass it’s all free. If you have a Metrocard or M card you also use any service 873, 874 and 884 totally free of charge.
You can even, by catching the early X84 from Burley at 0847 to link with the 0912 884 DalesBus to Skipton Station be in time to connect with the morning Settle-Carlisle line train, for a day’s walking in Upper Ribblesdale, Dentdale with special connecting buses to Hawes and into Wensleydale.
Details are all in the excellent DalesBus winter timetable booklet (copies available at Burley Library) or download timetables from www.dalesbus.org. If you link on to www.dalesbusramblers.org.uk you will find a programme of regular public rambles available free of charge to all Dalesbus users.
Walkers are Welcome!
Catching DalesBus from Burley
Did you know that every Sunday morning, at almost exactly 10am, the DalesBus 874 leaves the bus stop in Main Street, at the bottom of Station Road in Burley to take walkers to Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden? The perfect bus service to walk a section of the Dales Way, take high levels routes over Great Whernside, Buckden Pike, or Barden Fell, climb over Old Cote Moor into Littondale, or even have a mini pub crawl into beautiful Langstrothdale with welcoming Inns at Hubberholme and Cray.
To cut costs, there is now a special £8 Craven Explorer ticket you can by on the bus valid as far as Buckden and on other connecting DalesBus services 873 and X43 to Bolton Abbey, Halton Heights and Skipton, but if you are lucky enough to have a bus pass it’s all free. If you have a Metrocard or M card you also use any service 873, 874 and 884 totally free of charge.
You can even, by catching the early X84 from Burley at 0847 to link with the 0912 884 DalesBus to Skipton Station be in time to connect with the morning Settle-Carlisle line train, for a day’s walking in Upper Ribblesdale, Dentdale with special connecting buses to Hawes and into Wensleydale.
Details are all in the excellent DalesBus winter timetable booklet (copies available at Burley Library) or download timetables from www.dalesbus.org. If you link on to www.dalesbusramblers.org.uk you will find a programme of regular public rambles available free of charge to all Dalesbus users.
Walkers are Welcome!
|
November 2016
Stepping up to the old railway line A working party of steering group members spent part of a morning recently clearing the steps leading from the Heather Rise cattle arch up to the beginning of the old railway line. The steps had become difficult to navigate due to encroaching vegetation and debris. The village's Health Walks group was deterred from using them because of their condition. They are now much easier to use and will help encourage walkers and runners to use the footpath running along the old line towards Menston Old Lane. This section and the following section to Bradford Road is currently subject to a planning application to become a public right of way. Following a small number of objections received by Bradford Council mostly about the Menston Old Lane to Bradford Road section, further discussions are taking place before decisions are made about the next steps. Should this lead to a public inquiry, we hope as many people as possible will provide direct evidence of regular use of the path over the past 20 years or more. The Burley to Otley bed of the old railway line is one section of the proposed cycle and walking route for the Wharfedale Greenway linking Ilkley with Poole. |
Steps at Heather Rise
|
October 2016
A.J. Brown back in Burley
The biography of Alfred John Brown, Burley walker, writer and poet, is launched at the Hermit on Saturday 15 October from 1pm. The author, John White, will be available all afternoon with freshly printed books and will be showing the fascinating presentation delivered at our 2015 AGM. Refreshments provided. There is also a display about A.J. Brown currently in Burley Library.
Sunday walks
The second of our guided monthly walks is on Sunday 16 October. We will be walking eastwards this time on a 5 mile circular walk to Menston, with refreshments at Bleach Mill House. Meet at 10.00 in Burley Station car park, back for 1pm. No booking needed - just turn up!
Future walks:
Sunday 20 November
Sunday 18 December
Sunday 15 January
A.J. Brown back in Burley
The biography of Alfred John Brown, Burley walker, writer and poet, is launched at the Hermit on Saturday 15 October from 1pm. The author, John White, will be available all afternoon with freshly printed books and will be showing the fascinating presentation delivered at our 2015 AGM. Refreshments provided. There is also a display about A.J. Brown currently in Burley Library.
Sunday walks
The second of our guided monthly walks is on Sunday 16 October. We will be walking eastwards this time on a 5 mile circular walk to Menston, with refreshments at Bleach Mill House. Meet at 10.00 in Burley Station car park, back for 1pm. No booking needed - just turn up!
Future walks:
Sunday 20 November
Sunday 18 December
Sunday 15 January
September 2016
New Sunday walks programme
We launched our new monthly walks programme on Sunday September 18. Sixteen people turned up and the weather was perfect! Our first walk was a circular 4.5 mile walk past Sun Lane nature reserve and across field paths to the A65. We then turned off to cross under the railway line and climbed up to Ben Rhydding Drive for refreshments at Clevedon House restaurant, before returning to Burley via Catton Woods by 1pm.
New Sunday walks programme
We launched our new monthly walks programme on Sunday September 18. Sixteen people turned up and the weather was perfect! Our first walk was a circular 4.5 mile walk past Sun Lane nature reserve and across field paths to the A65. We then turned off to cross under the railway line and climbed up to Ben Rhydding Drive for refreshments at Clevedon House restaurant, before returning to Burley via Catton Woods by 1pm.
|
August 2016
Burley Summer Festival This year we have contributed 6 walks to the Burley Summer Festival: Tuesday 23 August: 10.5 mile linear walk to Baildon following part of the new Welcome Way route lead by Colin Speakman. Wednesday 24 August: 7.3 mile circular walk to the Cow and Calf lead by Peter Beaumont. Friday 26 August: 1.7 mile circular walk to the Hydro Power plant on the Goit for a talk lead by David Asher Friday 26 August: 1.7 mile circular walk around Burley Woodhead from the Hermit lead by Liz Moody. Saturday 27 August: 6 mile circular walk to Weston Church lead by Duncan Ault. Sunday 28 August: 3 mile circular walk to Bleach Mill House with a stop for refreshments lead by David Asher. We also had a stall in Grange Park on Sunday 21 August which proved very popular, with over £120 worth of booklets sold and 50 people signing up for our Friends email network. |
Great Skirtful of Stones en route to Baildon. Photo courtesy of Greg Learmonth
|
|
June 2016
Launch of the Welcome Way 25 June We have been working hard for more than a year developing a new long distance footpath to link Burley with Otley, Baildon and more recently Bingley. This has been a joint project between the four Walkers are Welcome groups with the aim of encouraging more people to walk between each of these attractive historic communities through the superb scenery. After the route was thoroughly tested a booklet was written and printed thanks to sponsorship of around £4000 found. One of the beauties of the route is the accessibility of public transport which enable linear walks of varying lengths to be undertaken, Many people will choose to walk the route over 3 sections of between 6 and 9 miles. The Welcome Way was launched on the first day of the Otley Walking Festival on Saturday 25 June 2016 by Kate Ashbrook, President of Ramblers, with the three sections walked on consecutive days. Copies can be purchased at our usual outlets including in Burley the Coffee Station, the Hermit, and Cohens Chemist. |
The Burley in Wharfedale tapestry square contribution to the national Walkers are Welcome tapestry. Created by Sylvia Robinson of Burley and shown at the Welcome Way launch
|
May 2016
Second AGM May 17 2016
Our second AGM was held at the Red Lion, Main Street, Burley in Wharfedale on Tuesday 17 May. There was a presentation by John Sparshatt of our latest project the development of a new long distance footpath, the Welcome Way, and associated booklet linking the Walkers are Welcome communities of Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Baildon and Bingley. This has been a collaboration between each of the four Walkers are Welcome groups, and representatives were present from Otley and Baildon groups. Twenty two people attended, and the Red Lion, one of our sponsors, supplied a superb supper afterwards. A proposal to create a Friends of Burley Walkers are Welcome email network was agreed which Ann Greenhough agreed to coordinate.
April 2016
Third kissing gate installed
Following the success of our working party in March 2016, which saw 9 volunteers from Lower Wharfedale Ramblers and Burley Walkers are Welcome completing all four projects supported by Countryside Services staff, we have a further project scheduled for early April. This will be to replace the semi-functioning kissing gate on the riverside footpath leading from the Corn Mill to Launds House Farm (which is at the end of Otley Old Road, site of our first kissing gate project). Please let us know of any other footpath improvement work you think is needed.
Third kissing gate installed
Following the success of our working party in March 2016, which saw 9 volunteers from Lower Wharfedale Ramblers and Burley Walkers are Welcome completing all four projects supported by Countryside Services staff, we have a further project scheduled for early April. This will be to replace the semi-functioning kissing gate on the riverside footpath leading from the Corn Mill to Launds House Farm (which is at the end of Otley Old Road, site of our first kissing gate project). Please let us know of any other footpath improvement work you think is needed.
|
March 2016
Footpath Improvements working party A joint working party with Lower Wharfedale Ramblers and Bradford Countryside Services on Wednesday 16 March 2016 saw a range of improvements made to footpaths around the village. This followed consultation between Bradford Rights of Way team and landowners over the past 12 months. The nine volunteers and 3 BMDC members of staff:
|
|
September 2015
Alfred John Brown returns to Burley!
A collaboration with John White, A.J.Brown's biographer, Dennis Warwick and Bradford Library Services led to the creation of an exhibition in Burley Library. This celebrated the life and literary achievements of this passionate walker and author who lived in the village for nearly twenty years. Many of AJ Brown's books were available to read as part of the display, and after the exhibition finished later in the month were able to be loaned.
Alfred John Brown returns to Burley!
A collaboration with John White, A.J.Brown's biographer, Dennis Warwick and Bradford Library Services led to the creation of an exhibition in Burley Library. This celebrated the life and literary achievements of this passionate walker and author who lived in the village for nearly twenty years. Many of AJ Brown's books were available to read as part of the display, and after the exhibition finished later in the month were able to be loaned.
August 2015
Summer Festival walks
Three walks were organised for the village Summer Festival this year (two more than last year!). These were:
A circular walk to Reva Reservoir and Hawksworth, one of the routes from the recently published 'More Rambles from the Roundhouse'. This was led by Duncan Ault.
A circular walk to the Cow and Calf led by Peter Beaumont.
A circular walk to the Hermit for a talk about the life of AJ Brown, led by John White. This included readings from A.J. Brown's poetry and prose
A stall at the Healthy Living event selling our walking leaflets, maps and guides sold about £60 worth of goods.
Summer Festival walks
Three walks were organised for the village Summer Festival this year (two more than last year!). These were:
A circular walk to Reva Reservoir and Hawksworth, one of the routes from the recently published 'More Rambles from the Roundhouse'. This was led by Duncan Ault.
A circular walk to the Cow and Calf led by Peter Beaumont.
A circular walk to the Hermit for a talk about the life of AJ Brown, led by John White. This included readings from A.J. Brown's poetry and prose
A stall at the Healthy Living event selling our walking leaflets, maps and guides sold about £60 worth of goods.
July 2015
More Rambles from the Roundhouse
Our second walking leaflet was published just in time for the village's 2015 Summer Festival, sponsored by Burley Coop, the Coffee Station, the Hermit, and Chevin Trek Walking shop in Otley. The leaflet is in the same format as the original one, but this time gives details of circular longer walks from 5 to 9 miles.
More Rambles from the Roundhouse
Our second walking leaflet was published just in time for the village's 2015 Summer Festival, sponsored by Burley Coop, the Coffee Station, the Hermit, and Chevin Trek Walking shop in Otley. The leaflet is in the same format as the original one, but this time gives details of circular longer walks from 5 to 9 miles.
May 2015
Walkers are Welcome Annual General Meeting and A.J. Brown
Our first AGM was held at the Hermit Burley Woodhead on Tuesday 12 May 2015 at 7.30pm. It was an informal affair, with the steering committee saying what we have been up to in our busy first full year and what our plans are for the next one, which will be even busier! But the best thing was our speaker, John White, talking about our forgotten 'Bard of Burley', Alfred John Brown. AJ Brown lived in Burley from 1927 till 1945 and was a popular author of writing books about the Yorkshire Dales in his day. Working by day as a Bradford wool merchant, he also pursued a parallel career as a writer for most of his life. We heard this introduction to the fascinating local champion of open access through the eyes of his biographer, John White. Why the Hermit? Because this was his favourite local pub where he met with a certain J.B Priestley!
Walkers are Welcome Annual General Meeting and A.J. Brown
Our first AGM was held at the Hermit Burley Woodhead on Tuesday 12 May 2015 at 7.30pm. It was an informal affair, with the steering committee saying what we have been up to in our busy first full year and what our plans are for the next one, which will be even busier! But the best thing was our speaker, John White, talking about our forgotten 'Bard of Burley', Alfred John Brown. AJ Brown lived in Burley from 1927 till 1945 and was a popular author of writing books about the Yorkshire Dales in his day. Working by day as a Bradford wool merchant, he also pursued a parallel career as a writer for most of his life. We heard this introduction to the fascinating local champion of open access through the eyes of his biographer, John White. Why the Hermit? Because this was his favourite local pub where he met with a certain J.B Priestley!
March 2015
New kissing gate at Launds House Farm
We were delighted that Bradford Council replaced the stile at Launds House Farm with a smart metal kissing gate in March 2015. The stile was half way around the River Wharfe and Eastfield Lane walk featured in our 'Rambles from the Roundhouse' walks leaflet and was top of our list of footpath improvements highlighted with Bradford Council back in November 2014. The route is regularly used by the Tuesday Health Walks group, and is also a favourite with dog walkers. So many thanks to Countryside Services at Bradford Council for making this route more accessible!