The Rotary Club of Bradford Betwixt Christmas Walk

The Rotary Club of Bradford

Betwixt Christmas Walk

Friday 30^th December 2022

Beckfoot/ Cottingley Woods Bingley

Some Muddy Paths Boots essential  4.5 miles easy

We aim to meet at Shipley Beckfoot Golf Club, Beckfoot Lane, Bingley BD 16 1LX

Coffee can be bought from Club House from 10am

Setting off from the Car park at 1030am. We will walk along Beckfoot Lane (narrow road with passing places) with Beckfoot tennis Club on our right and the Golf course on our left. Before arriving at the Ford and Beckfoot Templar Cottages we will take a signed footpath on our right, passing allotments on our left before arriving at the footbridge over the river Aire. On crossing the bridge, we enter Myrtle Park…bottom field, close to where the paddling pool was situated many years ago. Walking around the large field with the river on our left arriving at Coronation bridge we again cross back over the river and head up into the woods bearing left at the top to walk alongside the large house that overlooks the river and the park…before dropping down to see the Beckfoot ford and Templar Cottages.

Heading away from the ford we walk up the lane to what was Beckfoot Mills… now redeveloped as flats and housing. Immediately before the Mill we take a footpath (signed) on our left which takes us across the Golf course… following white marker posts and watching out for golfers and their balls. Safely across the fairways we enter the woods and gently climb slight right to reach a wide track at the top. Taking the track to our right we walk until we reach St. David’s ruin/ a folly built by the Ferrand’s many years ago before the woodland plantation blocked the views.

From here we retrace our steps along the wide track (and with care we search for a path across to our right that leads away from the more obvious wide track (which if followed takes us into the private estate of the Eaton family. Of Margaret Eaton fame…which is fenced and gated off at the Cottingley side. Our path (if found) leads us out of the woods and takes us safely up and onto the Cottingley housing estate near to the Throstle nest pub… but not quite. Here we head downhill via a series of narrow snickets all signposted which brings us eventually back onto Bradford Road near to Bingley Fencing. We turn left towards Bingley and within yards arrive in familiar territory at Beckfoot Lane and the short stroll up to the Golf Club House.

Between 12.15 and 1230 pm we may be joined by non-walkers for soup and sandwiches bought from the Club

Please return to Chris by Friday 16^th December 2022

Numbers for the walk and lunch….                           for lunch only….

Names please: