Walk: Apperley Bridge through the ages

Our walk starts in the free car park off the A658 at Apperley Bridge at the entrance to Woodhouse Grove School playing fields and to the right on entering. You will be taking the riverside footpath at the rear of the car park.

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The Route

• Start Point: Rawdon Meadows Playing Fields
• Finish Point: Rawdon Meadows Playing Fields
• Distance: 2.17 miles

GPX Route Map

Walk Description

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Several phases of English history are evident on this walk,. Should you stand on the bridge you will be on a border, A Wapentake to be exact, a subdivision of a Northern county. Over 1,000 years ago this was the border between Skyrack (where you're heading) and Morley (on the far side), two administrative areas within Yorkshire.

The old bridge was built in 1602, though there has been one here since the 1000s. The Standsfield Arms opposite is of a similar age, but the George & Dragon originally dates back to the 1500s. Both were built as substantial houses. Sadly, the tree that grew in the middle of the George & Dragon is no more.

The bridge today forms an important link from Bradford northwards to Harrogate, Ripon and beyond, but orginally served the township of Idle. It is the "centre" of Apperley Bridge, which consisted of scattered farms, farmhouses and other farm buildings. There's only Elm Tree Farm close to the bridge, as the river floods here.