Route: Hackness and Broxa
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 5th April 2017
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.9 miles
Weather: Sunny
It was a perfect spring morning when we arrived in the unspoilt village of Hackness and parked in the village hall car park. We followed the road out of Hackness and just after passing Mill Farm we crossed the wooden footbridge over the River Derwent, turning right to follow the path along the riverbank
This lovely section of the walk hugged the bank of the river for 2 miles or so and as we walked along we kept a sharp lookout for kingfishers which we know to nest here, though we had no sightings today
It appears from the OS map that the river may be crossed via Thompson’s Stepping Stones. This may have been the case many years ago but it’s not now, and it’s necessary to leave the (very muddy) track and walk uphill for a few yards in order to join the path leading through Bridge Farm.
After passing through the farm and crossing over Langdale Bridge we made the stiff climb up Broxa Banks to reach the village of Broxa, another attractive and unspoilt little place. We followed the track through Broxa Farm and walked across the top of Broxa Rigg – which is a good example of the tabular hills around these parts. We had to take a detour at one point to escape the attentions of a herd of cows who seemed to be taking too much interest in us
We’d planned to follow the path along the length of the Rigg, but decided instead to descend into Lowdales and so followed the path downhill through Hackness Head Wood. We then joined the quiet lane running along the beautiful valley of Lowdales back into Hackness to conclude a wonderful walk
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The First World War Memorial in the car park of Hackness Village Hall at the start of today's walk
Looking across the fields to Coomb Slack
We follow the road out of Hackness
Looking back to Hackness
We pass by Mill Farm
The footbridge over the River Derwent
We follow the path along the bank of the river
One of three old stone barns which we pass by
Further along the path, with Hackness on the far side of the river
Another old barn, with Coomb Slack beyond
Signs of spring
Coomb Hill
We pass by Derwent View cottage on the other side of the river
Looking back to the last of the three old barns
Further along the path
Looking across the valley to Hackness Head Wood
The River Derwent...
Primrose
We pass by the bridge leading to Wood House
More views along the Derwent...
Near Little Hilla Green
The bridge at Estell Lane - we don't cross the bridge, and carry on along the riverbank...
Just before Thompson's Stepping Stones we take a small off path diversion to join a higher path
Heading towards Bridge Farm
We cross the old bridge leading to Bridge Farm
Passing through the farm...
Start of the return leg as we follow the road towards Broxa Banks
We leave the road here to start the climb up to Broxa
Looking back
Howden Hill
Near the top of Broxa Bank
We follow the path along Broxa Rigg for a short distance
We leave the Rigg here to descend through Chapman Banks Wood
Heading into Lowdales...
Lovely Lowdales
We join the valley lane
The lane ends at the head of the valley so there's little or no traffic
Looking back
Further along the lane
Loffeyhead Wood
We join the road through Hackness
A peep through the trees to St Peter's church
Back to the start of a wonderful walk
