Country Walk

Both villages are very pretty, both have a pub named the Crown and both have sufficient parking. Middlesmoor has a small car park a 100m above the Crown, head north east from here, along a good farmers track. The track climbs steadily to the high point at 1,500ft at Rain Stang before the views open up impressively to the north and some wild lands.

The track then drops steeply towards the first of the two Upper Nidderdale Reservoirs, Scar House. There are three reservoirs in the valley but Gouthwaite is further south. Scar House Reservoir was completed in 1936 and provides water for Bradford, plenty of it with the dam itself over 50m high.

Apparently it is great for fishing, with brown trout the most common catch and it is also a fine location for birdwatching. On meeting the reservoir, head west alongside the waters till arriving at the second reservoir, Angram. Go no further west. Ahead is bleak country, I once found myself in this vast bog while seeking a new route up Great Whernside, never again.

Cross the over the dam of Angram and head north east along a path soon turning in to a good track to the north of Scar House Reservoir.

On reaching the track let your imagination take over at what has become known as the Lost Village of Lodge. Remains exist of a village that almost certainly dated back to the Middle Ages. During the summer of 2016 archaeologists discovered remains that confirmed its ancient beginnings. In the 19th century Lodge was a busy community, situated well on a well-travelled pack horse route, with many nearby farms and a bustling community, even before the arrival of the reservoir builders. Now most, but not all, lies under the reservoirs and much that remains are the village and engineering (including a narrow gauge rail track/route) from the construction of the reservoirs. A truly fascinating history.

However this is a walk and there are many miles yet to complete. Follow the excellent track east to the end of Scar House Reservoir and then take the footpath which climbs for a 100m when the main track drops to the dam.

The path (part of the Nidderdale Way) heads over the wonderfully named Woo Gill. It is near here that three tinkers bodies were once discovered, headless, in a place known as Dead Mans Hill. Take the high route from Woo Gill that bends gradually south with spectacular views over the Upper Nidderdale Valley. I do prefer this high route purely for the views both behind you to the west and ahead to the south.

Once the path settles in to a southerly direction it soon meets a shooters track and carries on its southerly course, sticking close to the rim of the Nidd valley. After a further mile the track arrives at the spectacularly situated Shooters

Lodge, from here take the bridleway steeply downhill, in to the valley at Thrope Farm. Cross the River Nidd at the farm and walk for a 200m alongside the river before taking the footpath to your right, and after 10 miles of walking, depressingly steep slopes. However it genuinely is not as bad as it looks and before you have time to get grumpy you are back in Middlesmoor and probably the Crown pub.