Harrogate & District Walks

Harewood Park

Date: 29th May 2012
Distance: 5.0 miles
Ascent: 426 feet
Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SE326432

Walk Summary:
An exceptionally easy evening ramble around Harewood Park with plenty of interesting wildlife to be seen.

Route Summary: Cote Hill - Wallside Plantation - Harewood - Church Lane - Home Farm - Stub House Plantation - New Bridge - Cote Hill

Pictures:

1. Harewood House

2. Rhodedendron

3. The permissive path through Wallside Plantation

4. All Saints Church

5. The view across Lower Wharfedale to Stainburn Hill from North Park

6. A reindeer enjoying the evening sunshine

7. Almscliff Crag

8. A fallow deer in the woods

9. One of three red kites I saw hovering over Home Farm

10. A glimpse of the lake below Harewood House

11. Stub House Plantation

12. The hidden away set of Emmerdale

13. New Bridge

14. The Leeds Country Way as it heads for Lodge Hills

15. Late evening sunshine over Harewood Park

Walk Detail: After spending what was a glorious day cooped up in my office at work I couldn't resist the impulse to head out for a walk in the evening. Virtually at the last moment I opted for this simple route around the outer edges of the Harewood Estate.

I've visited Harewood House a number of times (though not for some years) but I'd never before walked any of these paths. It was supremely easy rambling, mostly on broad woodland tracks or access roads. Whilst the woods were quite pleasant the undoubted highlights of the walk was some of the local wildlife - I saw a number of fallow deer, reindeer, as well as getting a good look at no less than three red kites.

The only blip in the walk came when I had to take evasive action to avoid an unsavoury looking group of young bullocks who were walking down the path directly towards me as I approached Carr House. The beautiful late evening sunshine towards the end of the walk was more than ample compensation though.

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