Yesterday, J and I walked in the northern part of the Yorkshire Wolds, following a route posted through the Long Distance Walking Association. The Long Distance Walking Association (LDWA) is a wonderful organisation, voluntary and chartable, for people who enjouy walking long distances – easy enough. The LDWA has a number of local walking groups, who run and promote various activities: many run annual challenge walks of 25+ miles in one day, which have given us the opportunity to walk in lovely parts of the UK, and for a small entry fee, enjoy being fed at checkpoints around the way, with hot food, tea and medals (well, a certificate and a badge) at the end. The local groups also run many walks during the week for people who fancy heading out with someone who has scouted a route in advance, and the LDWA also promotes anytime challenge walks, like the one we did yesterday – 20 miles called the North Wolds Walk, for which we can send off for a badge in return for a short walk report.

It was a glorious way to spend the day – lots of my favourite parts of the Yorkshire Wolds, good walking weather and excellent company.

The scenery I think is super – take a look:

A lot of yesterday’s route took in the Yorkshire Wolds Way, as well as a couple of other waymarked routes: The Chalklands Way and the Minster Way. The Chalklands Way brings back happy memories of our first longer walk with an overnight stay, which we did over 10 years ago.

We walked the 79 miles of the Yorkshire Wolds Way two years ago as our first walk over several days. We headed out on a Monday from Hessle (well, North Ferriby, as the route in Hessle was being repaired after a landslip in to the River Humber) and ended 5 days later at journey’s end in Filey, with a weekend at the sea-side to recuperate and enjoy. The Yorkshire Wolds Way is the least walked of the national trails in England, others being more well-known routes, like Hadrian’s Wall. It is walked enough to be a thing and certainly the parts of the routes nearer towns and villages are well walked by local folks. It meant that we enjoyed days of big views and big skies, often not seeing other people for a few hours and able to take in the sounds of the countryside. Whilst walking 20+ miles came with some aches and pains, these were outweighed by the serenity of it, as well as the luxury of staying in B&Bs at the end of each day and enjoying dinners in local pubs, feeling well-earned and very welcome.

Yesterday’s walk was 20 miles over 7 hours, of the gorgeous views around Thixendale, Millington, Great Givendale and Bishop Wilton. Dinner at the end in the (appropriately named) Gait Inn in Millington and a wonderful end to two weeks at home, into which I tried to pack in a lot and I have really enjoyed.

I’m now at Gatwick, heading out to Italy and picking up 10 more days of European travel. Hurrah!