Route: Byland Abbey and Cockerdale
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 1st June 2018
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.7 miles
Ascent: 800 feet
Weather: Weak sunshine, warm and hazy
Byland Abbey is an English Heritage site and was once of the greatest monasteries in England, and was the most ambitious Cistercian abbey built in England during the 12th century. It was designed to accommodate about 100 monks and 200 lay brothers. Its early gothic layout inspired the design of church buildings throughout the North. It’s a wonderful place and well worth a visit in its own right
We started today’s walk from the small car park near the abbey and, after spending some time wandering around its atmospheric ruins, we walked along the road to Wass for 200 yards or so before turning off to follow a drive, and then a path through the fields, to the edge of Abbey Bank Wood. There followed a delightful section through the woodland until we finally emerged onto open fields leading to Cam Farm. This was the highest point of the walk at around 800 feet, and as we walked towards the farm we had good sightings of curlew, oystercatcher and lapwing. We also had an unusual sighting of a young fallow deer, grazing with a herd of sheep who seemed to have accepted it as one of their own
Cam Farm marks the start of the return journey, and after enjoying some lovely views over the valley we descended gently through Great Cockerdale Wood towards Oldstead. The remainder of the walk was through unspoilt countryside (save for the environs of Oldstead Grange, which are an unsightly rubbish dump). This minor blemish excepted, it was a perfect walk in unspoilt countryside and in the space of 3 hours or so we’d only passed by 2 other walkers
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
Iris and allium in the garden earlier in the week
The start of today's walk as we enter Byland Abbey
The ruins of the abbey church - the church is the largest single building at Byland, and exceeded many contemporary cathedrals in size
Looking across the abbey ruins to the church
The presbytery, and the remains of the ancient tiled floor
Abbey Bank Wood in the background, which we'll be walking through shortly
A last view of the Byland Abbey before we head along the road to nearby Wass
We turn off the road to follow the drive to Abbey House, and then follow a path through the fields on the right
We walk towards the village of Wass
A glimpse of Byland Abbey as we look back
We pass by a new plantation, with Wass beyond it
We arrive at the lane into Wass - this is looking back to the village
The path hugs the edge of Abbey Bank Wood...
Some of the many wildflowers seen along the way
We follow this track into the woodland...
...and then ascend to a higher path at the top of the wood
Rhododendron
The path emerges onto open farmland on Byland Moor
We were surprised to see this young fallow deer grazing with the sheep, as if part of the flock...
Near Cam Farm, the highest point of the walk
Looking into Cockerdale as we pass by the farm - our return route will be along the valley below...
We descend into Cockerdale
We're aiming for the track below
Great Cockerdale Wood...
Down to valley level
We follow the road for a few yards and then turn off at this cottage along the drive to Oldstead Hall...
We walk along the tree lined drive
Just before the Hall we branch right at the sign
We follow another sign for Oldstead
The path follows the edge of the woodland...
A line of hawthorn trees in blossom as we embark on the home straight
Byland Abbey comes into view once more...
The end of a wonderful walk, during which we'd only seen 2 other walkers
