Hubberholme & Cray

A beautiful, easy walk with glorious views in Upper Wharfedale

Start: Buckden

Distance: 5 miles

Map: OS Explorer OL30 - Yorkshire Dales North/Central

Start from the village centre, large car park.

Buckden is the first sizeable settlement encountered by the Wharfe, with the Buck Inn, tearooms and shop.

Leave the car park by a gate at its far end from where a stony track gently rises up Buckden Rake. This is a section of the Roman road that connected forts at Ilkley and Bainbridge, and provides a perfect picture of the dalehead scene, looking beyond Hubberholme into Langstrothdale.

At the end of the surround of trees it turns right through a gate to commence a pleasant, level section. Ignore an early track curving up right, and further on ignore a path bound for Buckden Pike which also strikes off right.

A splendid green stroll ensues, and just after the adjacent wall returns after a brief absence, take an easily missed bridle-gate in it to drop down a steep field alongside a wall.

At the bottom a gate leads to Cray Gill, which is crossed by stepping-stones to join the road at the White Lion pub in the farming hamlet of Cray.

Leave by a farm track immediately behind the pub, and follow it up to the left. Keep right at a very early fork to pass through a limestone floored farmyard above farm buildings.

A little waterfall tumbles to your right as you cross its stream near the end of the yard.

Ignoring a path signed down to the left, pass through a gate above the last buildings and a sketchy way remains level through two fields before swinging right towards a barn. Line Through a gate to its left, swing further right to a tiny footbridge over Crook Gill. Across, swing left for a flat mile on short-cropped turf above a wooded escarpment on the left, with some super views down the dale.

All too soon the path arrives above Scar House, scene of early Quaker gatherings. Turn down between the buildings to accompany the access road down the hillside into Hubberholme, emerging alongside the church.

Barely a hamlet, Hubberholme boasts two famous buildings connected by a shapely bridge. St Michael’s best feature is a 500-year old oak rood loft, one of only two remaining in Yorkshire, while some pews bear the trademark of the Kilburn workshops of 'Mousy' Thompson.

Across the river is the whitewashed George Inn in an idyllic setting. This was Bradford writer J B Priestley's favourite corner, small wonder that he chose to have his ashes scattered here.

Cross the bridge over the Wharfe to the pub, and turn left along the road. After about half a mile take a gate on the left to follow a short track to the riverbank.

A firm path takes over to run a lovely course downstream to Buckden Bridge. Join the road to re-cross the Wharfe back into the village.

This walk is found in Paul’s book ‘Walking Country - Wharfedale’ (£6.99 - www.hillsidepublications.co.uk).