West Yorkshire walk: Aberford and Parlington Woods

If you go down to Parlington Woods today you’re sure of several big surprises

Nellie’s Tree, Parlington. Image: Paul Kirkwood 1. Walk south down Aberford Main St then, opposite the turn to Lotherton Hall, turn right down Parlington Lane. Go under a bridge, pass Nellie’s Tree on the right (grid ref SE 424 361) and, shortly afterwards, skirt the Dark Arch tunnel by following the path to the left of it. Proceed as far as the gamekeepers cottage.

Parlington’s Triumphal Arch. Image: Paul Kirkwood 2. Retrace your steps under the bridge. Shortly afterwards turn left over a stile onto a waymarked path with a fence to your left. Turn left at the drive to visit the Triumphal Arch and right to visit the tank pits. Then return to where you joined the drive and resume your previous direction over a stile heading north.

3. Cross straight over the field and continue ahead into a wood, following a track as it bears sharp right and left to reach a road.

4. In front of Leyfield Farm turn right and after 30m left onto a bridleway. At the side of the farm, fork right onto a footpath signed to Becca. Descend on a track, pass through a kissing gate and fieldgate. After 40m turn left through a gate and immediately over a stream. Keep ahead across the next field. At the far side turn right with the hedge on your left. Where the hedge ends keep ahead into a wood.

5. Leave the wood and turn right onto the drive to Becca Hall and past its lodge. Back in Aberford turn right onto Main St. Continue south past the turn for Parlington Lane to visit the almshouses.

Gascoigne almshouses, Aberford. Image: Paul Kirkwood COMPASS POINTS

Start/finish: Aberford, LS25 3BA, grid ref SE 433 371.

Distance/time: 9km/3 hours.

Accessibility: Easy walking, much of the route along an old railway line and estate lanes.

Maps: OS Explorer 289 Leeds, OS Landranger 105 York & Selby.

Parking: Main St, Aberford, for instance beside the village hall.

Map link: bit.ly/YLAberford.

POINTS OF INTEREST

Aberford milestone reflects the villages prominence as an historic route. Image: Paul Kirkwood Underneath the arches

East of Leeds, Aberford used to lie on the Great North Road until it was bypassed by a new stretch of the A1 in 1965. Many clues remain of the village’s former significance. Milestones book-end the main street and a Roman road forms the southern approach. Arches set within buildings were once entrances to stables for horses pulling the post from London to Edinburgh. Aberford once had nine inns but now just one.

The Gascoigne family played a leading role in the region’s development in the 19th century as owners of a colliery in Garforth. It’s old steam railway through Parlington Woods to Aberford provides part of our route and one of its most intriguing features, the Dark Arch. More of a tunnel 100-metres long, it was built to conceal trains as they passed the family seat, Parlington Hall.

Army vehicle repair ramps beside Parlington drive. Image: Plans to replace the Hall with something grander came to nothing. A triumphal arch with an inscription supporting American Independence was built from stone intended for the new house. The arch caused the non-visit of the future King George IV who, on hearing of its purpose, refused to join the Gascoignes for lunch. The Hall (private) was abandoned following the death of Colonel Trench Gascoigne in 1905 and largely demolished by the 1960s. Concrete structures beside the drive were pits used by the army to repair tanks and other vehicles in the Second World War.

Don’t miss Nellie’s Tree, grafted into a N-shape by Vic from Garforth to show love for his girlfriend Nellie of Aberford, and Becca Hall, built in 1783 and owned by Lara Grylls, sister of Bear.

Finally, back in Aberford, divert to the row of splendid Gothic almshouses, endowed by Mary Isabella and Elizabeth Gascoigne in 1843-45 as a memorial to their father and two brothers.

EAT HERE

Aberford Interiors garden. Image: Paul Kirkwood Aberford Interiors. Simple cafe within stylish, long established and tardis-like interiors shop selling teas, coffees, teacakes and novel home-made cakes. Located in Hicklam House, a Queen Anne house and former home of the estate manager. Stunning garden. aberfordinteriors.co.uk/tearoom.

The Arabian Horse, Aberford. Image: Paul Kirkwood The Arabian Horse, Aberford. Recently refurbished, popular locals pub with open fires in the centre of the village. Sunday lunch from £12.95 plus pizzas and burgers. No food Monday or Tuesday. Named after the first Arabian horses to arrive in the UK which were stranded at the pub on their way to training grounds at Masham. See Facebook page.