Barden Moor

Barden Moor is new territory for me, have sampled many of the pleasures of the Bolton Abbey Estate, but never this zone a mile to the west of the River Wharfe, despite the fact that it looks out at you from the map with two big blue eyes, the twin reservoirs on today's walk.

Lower Barden Reservoir was visible almost from the start, down in the valley, a hollow in the moor, a track took us there, through fifty per cent heather cover and under a sky eighty per cent blue.

From the first corner of the triangular water we skirted to one side, saw fisherpeople, safe to say men, small butterflies in mating dance, the intense spectrum of the violets, geese honking overhead, and as regards floaters and paddlers - but a single family of geese, a mnage trois of three adults and a dozen goslings.

The moor was quiet, just the crunch of boots on gravel as we set a pace and found a rhythm for the next mile or so, a steady climb that takes a twist round a gully and then straightens to reveal, half a mile away, the level horizon of the earth-embanked dam of Upper Barden Reservoir.

In contrast to the other one this emitted a real racket from seagulls galore milling round an ornate valve tower. One of my bird books suggests that 'upwards of 1,000 pairs of black-headed gulls and 600 pairs of lesser black-backed gulls' breed here.

Half-way across the half-mile dam there is a place of symmetry, sitting with backs to the wall and eyes to the sun, behind a low stone wall the water splashing yards away, and centre stage in the distance the lower reservoir. This is the sandwich stop.

We said goodbye to the gulls, and chose a way down, and were lucky. A grass track now, and one that contours nearly all the way back, holding an altitude around one thousand feet, grand walking. There's a kink in the line to round a beck named Hutchen Gill and a little dip and climb to cross the next beck that is imaginatively named Near Hutchen Gill, and then were nearly done, a last mile.

When you're back, do have a look at the Priest's House Restaurant and Tea Rooms; they are just along the road, right by a big old ruin called Barden Tower, a 12th century forest lodge.

Fact file

Distance: Five and a half miles.

Time: Three hours.

General location: Yorkshire Dales.

Start: GR. SE 037553.

Right of way: Open Access Land.

Map: Drawn from OS Explorer OL2 Yorkshire Dales southern and western areas.

Dogs: Not allowed.

Date walked: Friday, May 5, 2006.

Road route: Bolton Abbey, north on B6160 for 2 miles, just before Barden sign turn left signed 'Embsay Dales Railway', one mile plus, cattlegrid, 200 yards to unsigned carpark area on left.

Car parking: Free.

Lavatories: Bolton Abbey.

Refreshments: Bolton Abbey and The Priest's House.

Tourist & public transport information: Tel, 01756 718009, www.boltonabbey.com Terrain: Moor.

Points of interest: Bolton Abbey Estates have won National Park's award for their environment, access and shooting mix.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

Right downhill from parking area at GR. SE 037553, 200 yards, cattlegrid/fieldgate, ten yards, track/drive on left.

At junction, track on left (fingerpost Upper Barden Reservoir).

At top of reservoir, at stone bridge, path on right (fingerpost), 50 yards, footbridge, stile, 20 yards, path on left up 100 yards to wall, left to track and wallstile/cattlegrid, one mile plus.

Left at house to cross top of dam.

Tall stone gateposts at far end, five yards, left to grassy track (fingerpost Halton Height). A left fork to a path in heather parallels, an overgrown stretch for about 100 yards.

Left to stone track ten yards after a 'no cycling' sign (GR. SE 022563), ford gill.

Fork left after Hutchen Gill, where Shooters Hut 200 yards to right. At road, retrace to car park.