Getting the outdoor habit at Bolton Abbey

The second day of our break from the office took us to Bolton Abbey over the border in Yorkshire. The ruined abbey is in a beautiful setting on the banks of the River Wharfe, and the extensive grounds offer a number of possibilities for walks catering for all levels of fitness.

Our short walk firstly took us across the river near the priory. The row of stepping stones accross the river looked firm enough to cross, but a couple of them were submerged and there was a notice explaining that others needed re-setting, so we took the sensible option and crossed via the nearby bridge. From the other side of the river, the priory still stands defiantly, but must have been an even more majestic sight before Henry VIII ordered its dissolution nearly 500 years ago.

From here, the walk follows the river, undulating through the woods before eventually returning to the riverbank near the pavilion. Although this is a good place to stop for refreshments, we'd brought our lunch with us and foolishly braved the cool breeze to eat it on the picnic tables by the river.

After lunch, we unpacked the kite, thinking the breeze would be enough to let it fly. However the breeze wasn't consistent enough, but at least it meant we kept ourselves warm retrieving the kite every time it crashed!

Before returning home, we headed into Skipton for a look round before the rain eventually came. That was the end of our outdoor activities, but on the way home we turned off the A59 at a village called Worston to visit the Calf's Head, a smashing village pub serving delicious food. A great way to round off the day.