
Perhaps you don’t feel like walking especially far today so don’t beat yourself up, just do a short walk. A short walk is better than no walk and especially if you’re walking in Wensleydale in the glorious Yorkshire Dales. On a very pleasant, if warm and rather humid, day we set off from Askrigg to walk about four miles, easy going apart from a steep little bit with a few yards of very uneven ground and a bit rocky (don’t be frightened to use all four limbs to guide you up!) in the wood just along from Worton.
Park your vehicle in Askrigg or get the timings right and use The Little White Bus. Find the church, you can’t miss it, look for the cross and opposite there you will see Silver Street heading off more or less east. Walk along here to where Silver Street goes off to the left leaving Silver Street to walk along Cringley Lane, continue along until you reach open fields. Follow the path through Askrigg Bottoms, well walked and some of it paved to arrive at Worton Bridge. Over the bridge, south, up the little hill into Worton, have a little explore if you like, but walk past the red telephone box to eventually come out onto the A684.
Here we have to cross to the road, probably easiest to walk to the bus stop and along a little until opposite metal gates. Cross, go through the gate with signpost and walk to the wood, keeping to the fence side for a little way, south, then walking south west to the wood, Worton Scar. Soon the footpath post will come into view with a stile to take you into the wood. Follow the path, be careful of the undergrowth, up the steep bit already mentioned, keeping to the right at the top, west, follow the path through the edge of the wood to come out into open fields and follow on to Brough Scar. There is a stile in the corner, through here and down the hill to come out at the top of Bainbridge. Walk down into Bainbridge, over the bridge having a look at the archimedes’ screw as you go and onward to the village green.
Here we paused a while to have a ‘cuppa’ and wonderful scone, there are other delights, at the Corn Mill Tearoom. We sat on one of the benches outside in the shade of a large sycamore tree and watched the world go by, extremely pleasant indeed. Reluctantly we leave to finish our walk. Cross the green to walk on the right hand side of the children’s play area, north, up the little road to the main road, keeping to the right, pass the Friends Meeting House on your right and walk past the houses, down the dip, over the bridge over the River Ure, pass Yorebridge House and take the next footpath on the right to walk east. Through here, follow to the disused railway line, take the footbridge over the stream and walk along this wide swathe of grass to the road into Askrigg. Walk a few yards along the footpath by the side of the road, passing Low Mill Outdoor Activity Centre then off to the left through a stile and follow the paving stones to the cottages, through the church yard, pass St Oswald’s Church, beautiful to have a look at inside if open and out into the market place. In need of lunch or whatever? Try Bake Well or the Kings Arms or The Crown.
We have School House, to sleep four plus up to two well behaved dogs, a lovely comfortable cottage on Mill Lane in Askrigg or of course all our Country Hideaways cottages are well within reach of Askrigg. Call me Nadine or my daughter Joanne to book over the telephone and for friendly help and advice or of course do book online if you prefer.
See you quite soon!

Written By Nadine Bell