Sunday 1 April 2012

Where rivers meet.








I have done this walk many times and posted about it before, but as I really enjoy the walk every Spring I am assuming that you are happy to hear about it again too.

The River Cover flows through Coverdale and the River Ure flows through Wensleydale. The two rivers meet just beyond Coverbridge and from there go on as the River Ure, finally to join the River Ouse, flow through York and into the Humber Estuary before finally joining the North Sea.

From Coverbridge to Jervaulx Abbey there is a footpath along the side of the river and it is here that we walk. What makes it such a lovely walk this time of the year is that it is a sheltered walk and that means that the trees and wild flowers come out early. No orchids or bluebells yet but there are oxalis, cowslips, violets (in abundance) and a host of celandine. The blackthorn is in full bloom and ash and sycamore buds are bursting.

The farmer and I took Tess after lunch today and walked about two miles, which is my limit. The only fly in the ointment was that when I returned home I remembered that I had left a Simnel cake in the oven. The one fault with the Aga is that you can't smell anything cooking. I had looked at the cake before we went and said that it needed another five minutes - then completely forgotten it. Result one charcoal cake. I think even the hens will turn their beaks up at it. Still, it's no use crying over spilt milk (or burnt cake - at least I am in good company as King Alfred did it.)

We parked the car by a field full of sheep and lambs. In the background is Ulshaw Bridge over the Ure and a tiny RC church at the side of it. If you enlarge the picture you will see it more clearly.

12 comments:

angryparsnip said...

Wonderful photos, wonderful walk but I didn't have the last photo of sheep in a field didn't post for me.
Sounds lovely though.

I so would love to have violets in my yard somewhere...

cheers, parsnip

Heather said...

Such a lovely walk with so many delights to look for - no wonder you love it so. The wood anemones remind me of walking through a wood with my father to visit his parents and I am so pleased that violets seem to be spreading in my garden.
How sad about your cake - it is so easily done.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

What a beautiful walk. I do sympathise about the cake!

Robin Mac said...

Beautiful photos of a lovely walk. I am always fascinated by the names of the rivers in your area and wonder about the origin of them. Sad about the cake. Cheeers

Crafty Green Poet said...

What a lovely place to walk, sorry about the cakes...

Penny said...

Such a lovely walk. I have a very bad habit of walking away from things I am cooking and forgetting them, so far I havent burnt the kitchen down, just some ruined saucepans and the odd incinerated cake!

Irene said...

You do have some excellent photos today. I love how hopeful the wildflowers look. It's so nice to see them at this time of uear. You do see a lot if you look down, don't you? Thanks for posting them.

Cloudia said...

ah but it is a different walkabout in every light, every sky, every season.... and well worth it!


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Anonymous said...

What a glorious walk to have close at hand (or foot), Pat. The pictures show that once again Yorkshire is ahead of North Hertfordshire in the spring flower stakes. I've found celandine, viper's bugloss, bluebells, violets and some very tentative primroses.

Dave King said...

I have been to Jervaulx Abbey - once - would love to go again, especially walking from Coverdale. A beautiful post.

John Going Gently said...

........not as nice as your photos pat x

Elizabeth said...

Thank you, as ever!