Harrogate & District Walks

Hollybank Lane

Date: 21st April 2012
Distance: 5.1 miles
Ascent: 438 feet
Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SE284603

Walk Summary:
A walk to see the bluebells of Hollybank Wood before a soggy visit to the old stocks in Clint.

Route Summary: Ripley - Hollybank Lane - Clint - Clint Grange Farm - Whipley Hall - High Rails Farm - Sadler Carr - Ripley

Pictures:

1. Ripley Lake

2. Rain clouds gathering over Ripley Castle

3. Cowslip

4. Woodland Anemone

5. Bluebells

6. Bluebells in Hollybank Wood

7. Looking back along Hollybank Lane to Hollybank Wood

8. The stocks at Clint

9. Looking towards Whipley Hall with Harrogate on the far horizon

10. Deer in Ripley Park

Walk Detail: A springtime visit to Ripley and a walk into Hollybank Wood to see the bluebells has almost become an annual occurence in recent years. This time I extended the walk further by continuing along Hollybank Lane to Clint and then around to Whipley Hall and back to Ripley.

The sun was shining when I arrived in Ripley but there was also some ominously dark clouds as well and the contrast allowed me to get a dramatic picture of Ripley Castle. I took my time walking through the woods along Hollybank Lane taking pictures of the numerous spring flowers. Whilst there were plenty of bluebells I have seen more on previous visits so I was possibly too early to get the full display.

Shortly after leaving the shelter of the woods one of the large rain clouds decided to empty itself on me and in the short space of time it took me to reach Clint I was thoroughly drenched. After a brief detour to visit the old stocks I made my soggy way along the access to track to Clint Grange Farm. By the time I reached Whipley Hall the sun had come back out and I was able to enjoy the walk back to Ripley which included a sighting of the deer in Ripley Park.

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