Post 146: 25th May 2017, Ripon Rowel Circles, walk 1.
After having just completed my 51st long distance walk after 8 months on Cleveland Circles on the North York Moors, it was time to start a new walk.
The day started badly when a new water drinks hydration system (which allows drinking without having to stop walking), I had bought the previous day was found not to be leakproof so that my rucksack got a drenching. I would have thought the ‘seal’ at the top can never be completely leak proof. I am not sure that calling it a bladder is the correct terminology either! I quickly hunted around for a water bottle as this was not to be a day without water.
I will be taking it back to the shop. My previous Platypus hydration system worked perfectly for many years.
Traditionally in the summer we like to head to the Yorkshire Dales to make a change from the North York Moors and or the Yorkshire Wolds. Summer had definitely arrived with temperatures of 27 degrees. The Ripon Rowel is a 50 miles circular walk from Ripon Cathedral, but the mileage would increase significantly as we were walking it using day circulars.
The first day alone was to be 16 miles.
We left Ripon Cathedral at 9.30am as shown on the Cathedral clock.
The Cathedral dates back to the 7th century and was founded by St Wilfrid in 672. It became a cathedral in 1836.
Our route soon took us along the Ripon canal. It is the northernmost canal connected to the 2,000 mile English canal system.
It is home to a great variety of wildlife including animals, plants and birds.
We soon came across cows that were able to read signs in order in find their way up the river. This was at the confluence the River Ure and the Ripon Canal.
We passed some delightful villages, Bishop Monkton, Burton Leonard, South Stanley and Markington before reaching Markingfield Hall. It was a good job the big bull was looking in the other direction. He clearly can’t read direction signs indicating which way to charge.
After passing through a delightful Yorkshire Wildlife Trust woodland near Hell Wath Cottages, we came across an information board for the Sanctuary Way. This is a 10 mile walk around Ripon created to celebrate the centenary of Rotary International in 2005.
There are Santuary markers close to the original sites that which mark the ancient Sanctuary Boundary.
Soon after, we left the Ripon Rowel walk to follow the delightful River Skell through woodland and Hell Wath Nature Reserve back to the cathedral.
Despite taking a flask of coffee, tea and a small water bottle I was quite dehydrated and bought another bottle of flavoured water and drank it all. It was a very hot day for walking!
Post Update – I returned my ‘bladder’ to the shop next day and exchanged it for a leak proof Camelbak hydration system!
Miles Walked 16
Steps 31,000
Calories Burnt 2,000
Average Pace 17 Minutes per Mile
Fastest Pace between 0-2 miles 16.49 Minutes per Mile
secretwalkscom 