Walks in East Witton
From easy city strolls to challenging trails, discover the best of East Witton on foot.
Walk: Middleham, Hullo Bridge, East Witton and Cover Banks
Middleham Castle, the gorge of Cover Banks, the legend of the Kelpie and some great Dales pubs. The Route what3words for start point: ///populate.operating.tanked Start / Finish Point: Middleham, Wensleydale Distance: 6 Miles GPX Route Map middleham-and-cover-banksDownload Walk Description Middleham is an elegant town of Georgian houses and older cottages set around two old market places, behind which lie the ruins of Middleham Castle, often described as the ‘Windsor of the North’. The castle dates back to 1190 and has played an important role in the history of England as this was once the stronghold of the powerful Neville family, Earls of Warwick, for over 200 years from where they ruled their vast Northern estates. The heyday of the castle was during the 15th Century, especially during the War of the Roses. Richard Plantaganet, later the Duke of Gloucester then Richard III, grew up at the castle where he later met his wife Lady Anne Neville, the daughter of the Earl of Warwick - the Kingmaker. Their son Edward, Prince of Wales was born at the castle. Richard became king in 1483 but was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The castle soon fell into disrepair and remained Crown property until 1625 when passed into private ownership. Much of the stonework was plundered in the 17th Century and went to build local houses. Whatever time of day you visit Middleham, there always seems to be sleek racehorses either going up onto or returning from the gallops across Middleham Low Moor. Horse breeding and training can be traced back to the monks of Jervaulx Abbey; however, it was during the 18th Century that racehorse training began to flourish in this area as the wide open spaces of Middleham High and Low Moors provided the perfect gallops. This brought prosperity to the town and it was not long before a racecourse was laid out on High Moor, with races being held until 1873. Middleham remains a major centre for racehorse training. Between Middleham and Cover Bridge, the River Cover flows through a steep-sided wooded gorge known as Cover Banks. Indeed, the name of this river is derived from the ancient British word that means ‘a stream that flows through a deep ravine’. This river is also steeped in legend for it is the haunt of the 'Kelpie'. From the turbulent waters this horse-like creature is said to lure the unwary into riding on its back, only to disappear beneath the waters and so drowning its victim. The Kelpie is a supernatural water horse that dates back to Celtic folklore thousands of years ago.
Walk: The Jervaulx Abbey Ramble
This 7 mile circular walk is a lovely low level option for those who want to stay in the valleys and enjoy some historic buildings and bridges surrounded by serene parkland. Located just near East Witton, this is the perfect stopping point for parking, a cup of tea and a staging post for visits to the Brymor Ice Cream Parlour and The Blue Lion pub. The Route what3words for start point: ///decanter.quits.boots Start Point: Jervaulx Abbey Finish Point: Jervaulx Abbey Distance: 7 Miles GPX Route Map thejervaulxabbeyramble1Download Walk Description This walk starts and finishes at the ruins of the cistercian abbey of Jervaulx and hugs the banks of the River Ure for much of the route with no significant ascent throughout . The Abbey, the bridge at Kilgram, St Oswald's Church and Danby Hall are all highlights to say nothing of the characterful Cover Bridge Inn. The wildlife and certainly bird life on this walk can be plentiful. Jervaulx Abbey was founded in 1156 by the monks who made a success of the location by rearing sheep, making the first Wensleydale Cheese and breeding exquisite horses. In 1536 Henry VIII had the treasures from the abbey removed and the building all but destroyed. The abbot marched in protest and was executed soon after. The ruins are all that survived but the atmosphere of the place remains and is spiritual and tranquil. Kilgram Bridge is a wonderful site to see with elaborate arches stretching over the River Ure. It is very old, probably pre-Elizabethan and the local folklore say the devil built it in a day! Danby Hall is the home of the Le Scrope family to this day. This is the same family who built Bolton Castle and owned many properties in Upper Wensleydale. St Oswald's Church, sitting in a wooded area outside Thornton Steward, has evidence of pre-Norman times but was mostly built in 1210. The discovery of human remains in the grounds of the church, thought to be early Christians, led to their second burial with a ceremony and press coverage. The Ulshaw Bridge at the junction of the Ure and Cover below Spennithorne holds an ancient sundial dating from 1674. This used to be a crucial crossing point on the route between Kendal and York. The little church nearby was built by the Le Scrope family. The Cover Bridge pub has changed little over the years and remains popular with the locals and visitors alike. It is a long held tradition that the landlord safeguards the secret of the original recipe for the Wensleydale cheese. The building dates back to 1674 like the sundial on the neighbouring bridge. The pub was a coaching inn in the 16th century.