Skipton Holiday Cottage

Today we drove to Grassington from Skipton and parked at the National Park Centre there. From the car park we dropped down to Linton Falls and walked for almost two miles along the River Wharfe towards Conistone. Our destination was Grass Wood, well-known for its wild flowers and its ancient Iron Age settlement mounds. The steep path to the top of the wood was rewarded by excellent views of Kilnsey Crag, for all its grandeur nonetheless dwarfed by the hills buttressing it. We reckon though that once the trees are in full leaf and the views obscured it will not be worth climbing to the top edge of the wood but following the main drag through the centre will still give the same experience and also leads you past the atmospheric mossy mounds which are the site of the Iron Age settlement.

After leaving Grass Wood its a short walk across fields back into Grassington. We had a pleasant good value lunch and pint in The Devonshire Arms, located in the market-place.The highlight of the day was still to come.

Leaving Grassington on the Hebden Road we drove east through Hebden and onwards until a sharp right-turn is reached signposted Parcevall Hall Garden. Parcevall Hall, at Skyreholme, is now a church-owned conference and retreat centre - of Tudor origin - with extensive grounds on south facing slopes opposite Simon's Seat, the high summit above Bolton Abbey. The gardens were laid out by a former owner in the mid-20th century who was one of the founding members of the Northern Horticultural Society. After his death in 1960 the gardems fell into disuse; but since 1984 there has been a successful restoration programme.

In April it is the extensive drifts of daffodils which first impress. There are also wonderful bursts of pink and red flowering rhododendron and camelia. Two large venerable cherry trees on the terrace were in full bloom today at the absolute peak of their profusion. Well worth a visit later in the year too, when the long borders will be more full of colour.The £5.60 entrance fee is fully justified. Royal Horticultural and Nothern Horticultural Society members get free entrance for themselves.There is a tea-room near the car-park. Be warned - this is not a visit for those who can not cope with walking up and down steep gradients!

Labels: Grasssington Parcevall