Where We Walked – Oxenber & Wharfe Woods #Walks #Photographs @Yorkshire Dales @England #MondayBlogs #Holidays #memories #PathsandStiles

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I was promised an easy walk on one of the days. This is it; the Oxenber and Wharf Wood and Feizor walk from Austwick. It should have taken around two hours… we didn’t allow for the stiles.

We left Austwick by the Pennine Bridleway and walked over the Flascoe footbridge heading up the path towards Oxenber Wood.

We met the obligatory cow – who followed us along her side of the wall in the next field. In fact, by the time we reached the end of this path, there were six of them jostling for a view of us.

And the first of the stiles. This one was stone, sturdy, easy to climb over. We’ve got this sussed, I thought; easy walk, conventional stiles. The photographer couldn’t resist taking in the view of Austwick and the miles of glorious scenery around Ingleborough and Fountains Fell. Then he casually strode halfway over the stile – and was abruptly stopped when his rucksack decided to stay on the other side. We manhandled it over the wall, and carried on, ignoring the snorts from the cows…

And saw this…

Bluebells! Stretching seemingly for miles. And, miles away on the horizon … Pen y Ghent, the destination of one of our … hmm!… shall I say … more strenuous walks in that week: https://tinyurl.com/3e48vc7a

Hundreds of years ago, this area of woodland and pasture was part of the village quarry, and is still rough underfoot with hollows and dips under the grass. We were told it’s a site of special scientific interest and an area of conservation. The trees (as stated on the information board at the beginning of the walk) are mainly Ash, Hazel and Hawthorn.

As we clambered over the limestone rocks to enter the woods, a young man came puffing up behind us. He was a teacher, supposed to be on a day out with a colleague and their class from his school, but had overslept and was now in pursuit. We stopped to let him pass, pretending we didn’t need the break to get our breath back. That hill was steeper than we thought… or looks.

From the loud cheer that rang out a few minutes later, the teacher had obviously found the children.

In the woodland there were areas of slabs of limestone paving with various wild flowers and plants.

Wood Sorrel

Hart’s Tongue Fern.

Dog’s Mercury

There was quite a lot of the Dog’s Mercury (as stated on the Information Board) We were told, by a man in the pub where we were having a meal that evening – (we did seem to meet the local naturalist, whichever pub we went in) – that it is a poisonous coloniser of ancient woodland. But, if thoroughly dried, apparently (I’m stressing the “apparently” here), the plant loses its poisonous quality. The juice of the plant is emetic, ophthalmic and purgative, and can be used externally to treat ear and eye problems, warts, and sores. And other ailments!

As a writer I couldn’t help thinking about using this last plant in a story … to kill off a character … maybe?!!

We left the woods, through a wooden gate and onto a path which at first gently rose and then zig-zagged down through a jumble of exposed limestone towards the hamlet of Feizor. Where we stopped at a tea room for a cuppa.

Leaving the tea room we climbed over the first of five high stiles in a stone wall, and along a public footpath through four sloping fields.

You may have noticed that I have no photographs of the fields, nor of the stiles here. We were either too anxiously gazing across the fields, knowing we’d have difficulty both going back to the tea room lane or forwards to continue our walk. This was because of the stiles. There was the stile where the first stone step was three foot high in the wall (“You need to get your leg higher,” I encouraged the photographer), having only been able to reach it myself by taking a running jump at the thing. Then there was the one where the middle stone was broken off revealing only a sharp corner that protruded only enough for the toe of our boots (That one resulted in scraped shins). The two wooden stiles had seesaw wobbles enough to cause seasickness, and the next seemed fine until we found that the space in the wall for us to get through was the width off one boot only. (One narrow ladies’ walking boot – which isn’t mine) Which meant a dare-devil leap forward to the next field was the only way to ‘dismount’!)

At this point I said I was never going over another stile again. Before I saw the next one! We were only glad there was no one nearby who could see us struggling, or worse still, waiting for their turn to climb over any of them.

Finally we triumphed over the last stile (more a small hole in the wall, thankfully), and back onto the tarmac lane… when we realised that, if we’d only walked a few metres further along the lane after leaving the cafe, we would have met the main road that eventually led to the tarmac lane.

And on to the first path … where the cows were waiting for us.

And so into Austwick again.

‘Easier today wasn’t it? Rested now?’ He said later. ‘Try for a longer walk tomorrow?’

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37 thoughts on “Where We Walked – Oxenber & Wharfe Woods #Walks #Photographs @Yorkshire Dales @England #MondayBlogs #Holidays #memories #PathsandStiles”

    • 😄😄😄The trouble is, Robbie, when we stop and look around on these walks, I’m always thrilled with the wonderful scenery (the bluebells were glorious!) – and he knows this. But there have been many times when I could bonk him over the head. (Usually I just resort to rude signs behind his back when he marches on shouting, ” not far now”, and I see there are miles to go.😊

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  5. Absolutely stunning pictures, Judith, of such beautiful country. I’m sorry about the obstacles in your path, like stiles, which I always thought were supposed to HELP you on your way. Silly me. Come hiking in Florida some day. We have very level, easy trails, with nary a stile in sight. But make sure you come in the winter, unless you enjoy teetering on the edge of heat stroke while you walk.

    In the meantime, thanks for another great look at your bee-YOO-tiful countryside!
    🤗❤️🤗

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    • Oh, thank you for reading and your lovely comments, Marcia. I love level easy walks, so you might see me on your doorstep one winter’s morning😊. I’m often fooled by David’s assertions that “This walk looks quite easy.” I must admit the stiles nearly beat me. Afterwards I did think I would have been better just climbing over the stone walls. And I love sharing the photographs of where we’ve been – so thank you for liking them.🥰🥰🥰

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      • It was my pleasure to let you know how much I enjoyed the photos, Judith. And I’m in awe of how you two set out on these walks and manage to complete them and return home, all in one piece. Plus, I’m envious of your gorgeous scenery, too. We have beautiful scenery here, as well, but it’s definitely very, very different.

        I look forward to these posts, and am always excited when I see you’ve shared another one! ❤️❤️❤️

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      • You are so kind, Marcia. Your words make me realise it is worth posting our walks (and it’s not just self-indulgence). We’ve always walked – only these days it takes us a little longer. I’d love to see your scenery sometime. 😊💕💕

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  6. Was this another feint by your husband – “Come on, dear, it’s a short, unchallenging walk!” ? it is lovely though and I love the curious cows (you were probably the most interesting part of their day) and the bluebells. And I might just be able to do this walk! Maybe… but those styles!

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    • He bamboozles me every time, Noelle!! 😊. But I must admit I am always enthralled by the wonderful scenery. This was one of the least (by far) of the walks we went on … except for the stiles – oh those stiles. 🤔Otherwise, quite easy upwards slopes. Thank you for dropping by. x

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  7. Thank you for taking us along on your “easier” walk. You’re made of much sturdier stuff than I. My husband takes the position that I will fall and injure myself if he doesn’t hang onto me when climbing up or down.

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    • Oh, so glad to see you here, Liz, thank you for reading and commenting. I think I’m just stubborn; I do not like being beaten at all, so sometimes finish almost on hands and knees while declaring, “I’m fine”🤣. David gave up on hanging onto me years ago – we tend to pull/push/haul one another along when going up or downhill. x

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  8. Ha, as a husband with an equally ambitious attitude – ‘about six miles…’ – my spouse would sympathise. Mind you, when dad and I walked Offa’s Dyke one day we confronted 72 stiles… that was tooooooo many by anybody’s standards. Sorry, a little unnecessary male boasting, another trait that drives my long suffering potty

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    • Hahaha – 72 stiles would have me running in the opposite direction. We did walk a few miles on Offa’s Dyke years ago… many years
      ago, Geoffrey – I’m guessing the stiles have disappeared in the mists of my memory.🤔😊 It’s driving one another potty that adds to the fun.

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  10. I love these posts, Judith. The scenery is always spectacular, the information fascinating (I’m not planning on doing anything with Dog’s Mercury) and the anecdotes hilarious. As for David, it must be love that keeps you trusting his promises of easy strolls! 🤣

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