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~Cross Hills to Cononley~

12th July 2014

Conoley Railway Station

Cononley Railway Station

Molly has been on light duties for the past week following a minor operation, but she is ready for some towpath action and we head into Yorkshire, as we very often do, for a short walk in Airedale.

Campbell street Crosshills

Campbell Street, Cross Hills

I had intended to park on Lothersdale Road and head over a hill called Gib, but there were no decent parking opportunities on Lothersdale Road, so Plan B came into force and the car was parked close to the above, in Cross Hills, North Yorkshire.

Aire Bridge Kildwick Church
To Kildwick
St.Andrew's Church, Kildwick

Kildwick Bridge is a Grade 1 Listed Building, dating from the 14th Century. Tarmac added at a later date.

Leeds Liverpool Canal

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

The village of Farnhill follows that of Kildwick on the top side of the canal. Gib hill is over there to the left.

Farnhll canal Farnhill

The Canalside at Farnhill

I have timed this walk quite carefully to arrive at Cononley in time to watch a magical train powering through the station.

Swing bridge

Swing Bridges

This is the third of four swing bridges which we come across on this stretch.

Farnhill Bridge

Farnhill Bridge

Canal walks offer so much and with the air so still, you get twice as much blue sky as you would in a field.

Cononley Mill

Cononley from the Canal

Along the canal, I found I had lost the dog's lead. So, the only option was to turn tail and go and look for it. Luckily, after about five minutes, a cyclist came along waving a dog's lead in his hand and we were reunited - the walk could continue - but vital time was lost and the planned schedule was under threat.

Leeds Liverpool Canal Polish Airmen Memorial
Canal Tourists
Polish Airmen Memorial

We marched on to Hamblethorp Bridge, where there is a memorial to Polish airmen who lost their lives when their Wellington aircraft crashed on the moors nearby in September 1943.

Cononley Mill Cononley Road
Fields to Cononley
Station Road, Cononley

As we approached the station, the barriers were down with a service train ready to head to Skipton. The steam train is due in about eight minutes. However, as we reach the line, a whistle warns us of the approaching express and the barriers prevent me from getting to the best spot for a photograph.

Hogwarts Castle

GWR Hall Class 4-6-0 no 5972 Olton Hall "Hogwarts Castle"

As seen in the Harry Potter films. Three minutes early! And in the event, the service train which has just left the other platform might have scuppered my 3/4 view of the engine approaching from Skipton. Ah well, there'll be another one along here in a month or two.

Electrified Line Cononley Houses

The level crossing allows for a view up the line and the sight of the service train disappearing northwards. The bridge has been rebuilt at the time of electrification; the houses in Cononley are a mix of old and even older.

Cononley Institute

Cononley Institute

The Cononley Institute is also the village's war memorial. Parish Council meetings are held here and my imagination drifted towards the Vicar of Dibley and the committee meetings in the village hall ....

Railway Inn Cononley

The Railway, Cononley

Lunch here at 12noon.

Molly Aire Valley Line

After lunch, we took the lower level route back to the car at Cross Hills, following the Aire Valley railway line. It's quirky how a little village like Cononley sees many fast trains per hour, rushing between Skipton and Leeds (or Bradford) or maybe less rushing on the way to/from Carlisle. Contrast with Burnley a "Premier" town with the oldest type of diesel mutliple units clickety-clacking to/from Colne and Preston. And a closed line betwix Colne and Skipton; a line but no trains to/from Manchester!!

Aire View Cottages Cononley

Aire View Cottages, Cononley

The fronts of all the cottages boast coal-houses; probably now wheelie-bin stores. Youth doesn't see us with his eyes fixed solely on a little screen - he's unsocially, socially networking.

Royd House

Royd House

Between Cononley and Cross Hills, Royd House (1910) boasts a Grade II listed structure - viz the remains of the 1636 property.

Cross Hills

Cross Hills

Walkers: Me and Molly the Dog

Time taken: 3 hours over a distance of about 6 miles.

Route: See below

Weather: Warm and sunny.

Map of the Route

All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2014 ©

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