'Summer' Strid walk.

12 of us and two dogs
met up at Barden Bridge this morning for one of our periodic walks to Cavendish Pavillion and back above and around the Strid on the R Wharfe.

These walks are usually done during the school holidays as many of our group are involved in schools.

We always finish our walk at the tea rooms at Bolton Abbey with this wonderful view of Bolton Priory. Funnily enough we rarely actually visit it but you could extend the walk to here. When we visit in spring the woods are full of bluebells followed by wild garlic. There were some colourful summer wild flowers today at the waters edge and on this shot you can see the purple haze of heather on the moorland above the hill in the background.

We sat outside for our tea and scones/cakes, very hardy, because of the dogs but it was not at all like summer. The first spots of rain were felt so we moved under the canopy but it didn't stop the cold wind good job they provide rugs - extra

We love this walk and the tea rooms of course with this amazing view.  I thought it would use it for the challenge as although it is in the next dale, Wharfedale instead of Airedale, it is not very far away and definitely somewhere I would take a visitor either to look around the historic ruined Abbey or walk in the riverside woods. The whole area is part of the Duke of Devonshire's estate and you can find out more about it here if you wish: https://boltonabbey.com