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Journeying through the Yorkshire Dales, August 2025
Wednesday 27th August 2025
Gill Page
Nine guests and two leaders gathered at The Diocese of Leeds retreat house Parcevall Hall on a cloudy Monday afternoon. A relief from the intense heat of recent days. After settling into our rooms, we were treated to some fabulous hearty food for dinner.
After dinner we took a stroll around the English Heritage award-winning gardens. We saw wonderful plants and rockery’s, many apple and plum trees, a large pond and a waterfall. We were hoping to spy the family of deer who live here, we had to wait for day 3 and we spotted them.
Day 1 saw us set off from the house and pass through Skyreholme, a small hamlet and then onto the banks of the River Wharfe. We spotted a duck being very active feeding and a heron that we thought had possibly caught a crayfish. The river Wharfe is 65 miles long, and it derives its name from the old Norse meaning bend, crook or turn. There are still and silent parts and bubbling noisy parts with waterfalls. We left the river Wharfe and climbed Kai Hill where we stopped for lunch with fabulous views of dry-stone walls, derelict barns, sheep, limestone reef knolls and forest plantations. Setting off after lunch we were treated to true Yorkshire wind and misty rain as we traversed the moor. Crossing the road we then descended Trollers Gill, an old mining route. Swaledale sheep, those with the horns, accompanied us as did red kites. The gill led us back to Parcevall Hall.
Day 2 we explored the estate of the Duke of Devonshire, Bolton Abbey and its Priory. The River Wharfe was our company all day and we explored the famous Strid. 27 meters wide only at this point of the river. We were treated to Wordsworth’s poem ‘The Force of Prayer’ about William of Romilly who drowned attempting to jump the narrow dangerous rapids of the Strid while his greyhound was on a leash. The greyhound didn’t want to jump pulling the boy to his death. His mother Alice de Romilly was so grief stricken that she founded Bolton Priory on the site.
Coffee break and a bit of shopping at the Cavendish Pavilion then onto the Priory church. We got a history lesson on the words of Hey Diddle Diddle, the cat and the fiddle. (look it up on Google).
Back down to the river and the crossing. Our route took us along the other side of the Wharfe, Strid Wood, a site of special scientific Interest (SSSI) with its ancient oak trees, ash, silver birch, holly and hawthorn and wonderful views from higher up of the Wharfe. We chose to do a section of this walk in silence.
Day 3 and we climbed Simon’s seat, visible from Parcevall Hall. Our route took us on a gentle incline on a well-defined stony track. Before ascending we dropped by ‘I Love Brownies’ and were treated to coffee and some indulged in the most delicious Brownies, still warm! Simons Seat is 485 metres high granite outcrop on Barden Fell access land with red grouse and purple heather. Lunch at the top afforded us more stunning views and some rather large insects/horse flies/midges!
Descending on a narrow, steep path we arrived back at Dalehead Farm and crossed fields back to High Skyreholme and up the drive to the house. Tea and scones greeted our arrival back.
The quotes from guests:
‘Wonderful variety of walks, many shades of green’
‘Much more than a walking holiday’
‘Each walk was special, and I felt it in my soul’
‘Parcevall Hall gives a feeling of peace and being safe’
‘Such an amazing way to enjoy walking and nature in a laid-back way with fantastic company’
‘Walking with the Spirit is solace for the soul’
Warm-hearted and reflective, sharing silence and song’
‘A perfect combination of good walks, great company and spiritual connection’