Babs Boot 4th Eyelet RFM Blue Line Walking with Theo

 

Babs Boot 4th Eyelet 

RFM Blue Line

Walking with Theo

27/04/26



This is the 4th installment of our journey along the Dales High Way that we have called Babs Boot. Wharfedale is a beautiful part of Yorkshire although not very dramatic. The walk was well signposted and easy to follow revealing some interesting sights and some seasonal delights. This is a walk where there is no real flat areas so it was a good work out for the legs.









We parked on the empty road at the bottom of Heber's Ghyll. Then we slogged up the wooded gulley, over several wooden bridges, past a couple of friendly dog walkers, with lots of bird song and the sound of water tumbling over the rocks. This was a very pleasant ascent to the moor but tough on the knees. 



We reached the final bridge where Nev and I had stopped last week at the most western point of our walk. We scrambled up over the rocks to gain the correct path.



The view from up here though not the top of the moor is still good.
A Grouse gave us a close up view which I failed to capture. She didn't fly away but tried to lure us away by faking injury. I assume she had a nest nearby. 


This is the Dales High Way and also The Millenium Way and now the Babs Boot Way. It is a continuous upward gradient all the way to Black Hill. The Swastika Stone, featuring its stylized swastika, is fenced off, presumably to prevent modern swastikas from being added. Unbelievably this carving is Bronze Age about 3000 years old.




Walking along we heard in the distance below us the sound of a Cuckoo. It repeated the refrain several times but we did not hear it again..
We followed a figure all along this route but we never got very close to whoever it was. The Noon stone appeared towards the top of Addingham High Moor. Theo did well to climb as high as he did but wisely didn't go any further as he couldn't find a safe route.


We could find no sign of a building at Hugh Teal Hall so wondered what it actually referred to.
The figure headed off to the left and we realised it was a lady. She was a quick hiker and we would have liked to chat with her but our route was in a different direction. 

We arrived at the end of the 1st leg of this triangular walk, the top of Black Hill. The cairn was a good marker of this junction. So far it had all been all uphill but this next leg would be all downhill. We were still on the Dales High Way and would remain so until the end of this leg and our turn back to Ilkley. 



The descent may look dramatic but the path though rocky and steep was actually quite easy.


Pretty soon we were on the lanes at the appropriately named Addingham Moorside. The verges were very pretty and all the flowers native varieties including Bluebells and Dandelions.



The greeness of the fields was noticable after the brown moorland. The fallen tree posed no obstacle as we jusrt bent under it.


Green grass and new lambs, gorgeous.



We encountered some goats one on the path next to the stile. He was a pet so was only interested in being stroked. As we left he jumped onto the wall to watch us go but didn't follow.


This was an easy leg as it was all downhill but eventually it came to an end at this line of trees where our route veered to the right and the Dales High Way continued straight on. This will be the point we pick it up again on a future walk..




The route went down to its lowest point at Lumb Beck and we crossed the footbridge and headed off up the valley past a bank of blue (Bluebells).
The moor loomed over the long walk back to Ilkley. it was quite a hill although it does not look much in the photo. 

After walking though quite a few fields full of sheep and lambs we reached Netherwood Farm where many of the barns and associated buildings had been converted into high class houses. It was really nice but looked expensive.
More fields and an even steeper slope brought us to the bottom of the moor.
Briery Wood Farm was also a collection of converted buildings.
Then we were on to the road at Bracken Wood and my car in the distance.
A final wood full of Bluebells gladdened the heart.
Another good walk with Theo. We talked of many things and enjoyed the adventure together. I think the goat was a bit of a highlight. We were a bit off the beaten track so did not encounter too many other walkers or dog walkers.


61/2 miles and 1100 plus feet is not to be sniffed at and proved a good work out as well as a very pleasant walk.

Babs Boot is progressing nicely.

OS Map
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/31707380/babs-boot-4th-eyelet-rfm-blue-line-walking-with-theo?lat=53.92157&lon=-1.8553&zoom=13.9158&overlays=os-obstacles-layer&style=Aerial&type=2d

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