The Strid and Barden Bridge

Four and a half miles and a little over two hours along both banks of the Wharfe through Strid Wood, past the notorious rock chasm of the Strid to the seventeenth-century Barden Bridge and back; the paths are broad, largely surfaced and good in winter, with a few flights of steps. Start at the Cavendish Pavilion car park, which is pay-and-display and included in the estate parking charge; the 74 bus from Ilkley and Skipton stops at Bolton Abbey. Dogs must be on a lead throughout Strid Wood to protect the ground flora, there are water taps and dog parking outside all three estate shops, and dogs are banned from Barden Moor and Barden Fell; keep every dog well back from the Strid itself, where the current has drowned people.