So this is what its all about
Spring is one of my favourite times of the year and at the moment spring is well and truly springing. Now when I am leading group walks I always try to use the seasons, conditions, tides even local events to give added value to the walks. Come the season come the daffs and once again it’s time set the controls to Farndale in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors.
I originally found a three mile walk in the local newspaper decades ago, over the years I have done many variations and increased the length to twelvish. Now your average punter follows the signs down into the designated (read expensive) parking areas in the valley. Yes the daff season is a good earner for the locals and today its heaving but to me the best place to park is on the top road, is it because I am a tight b’stard or maybe coz I like to go for a pint in the pub when we finish, I prefer to think it’s the fantastic footpaths down through impressive old quarry workings.
Today’s walk is a figure of eight with the mid point at the epicentre of the daff world Low Mill so we walk down into the coach parks and visitor centres then follow the hordes along the main footpath to the aptly named Daffy Café where we manage to find some solitude in an adjoining field and have a coffee break.
Leaving the crowds we climb up out of the west side of the valley and walk along the Horn Ridge one of the dominating features of this valley once again we descend back to Low Mill and have Lunch some of us are entertained by the Vincent motorsickle club, great to see the old classics. While some of the girlies sneak off to the cake shop.
Now comes the meat of the walk, to me it’s the most impressive daffy display better than the commercial bit but you rarely see many folks on it, this loop that follows the paths either side of the river Dove down to nr Lowna and back then once again climbing up to the road bisecting the old quarry workings.
We finish off in the Lion Inn one of my fave pubs.
Descending into Daffy land
Outside the infamous Daffy Cafe
Caught red handed in the Cake Shop...
Showing off now...
Vincent Motorsickle
There's always one