Welly Walk at Bolton Abbey
2August 19, 2013 by talkaboutyork
Since writing my list of things to do in Yorkshire over summer, we have been ticking them off at a pretty impressive rate. Our most recent trip was to Bolton Abbey, in the Yorkshire Dales.
Here’s my top tip: If you haven’t been there yet, GO!
It ticks all my favourite boxes:
– cheap (£7 to park your car and that’s it for a full family day out)
– outdoors (I have boys, they need a lot of running)
– encourages kids to get dirty
– lets me be a kid again
Over this summer, Bolton Abbey Estates has put on a Welly Walk. You do not actually need to wear wellies to do the walk. But trainers would be good. It involves a number of obstacles and challenges for children (and their not very mature parents) to try out. There were stepping stones, balance beams, rope swings (which you shouldn’t go on if you weigh over 9 stone….I may have ignored that sign), tunnels to crawl through, netting to climb, slides to slip down, jails to lock your parents in, trees to climb with professional climbers (that cost an extra £2.50), pooh sticks to race and acres and acres of woodland to explore.
Our favourite activity was the Caterpillar which was a row of drums that spun around. The challenge was to crawl like a caterpillar from one side to the other without falling off. I didn’t do very well…
Going…
Going….
Gone!
After doing the entire trail, we had a picnic on the banks of the River Wharfe, with the spectacular Abbey ruins as the backdrop. The kids skimmed stones, the dads snoozed in the sunshine, we all played a game of cricket and I attempted to fly a kite.
It was lovely.
The children returned home filthy and tired and sun-kissed. It was a day of letting little boys be little boys the way God intended. Mucky.
So if you haven’t been yet, get yourself down there before the Welly Walk shuts up shop.
P.S. There are longer walks we could have done – which we will do next time we go – if you are up for a bit of a stomp, perhaps with older kids or teens. There are also areas for BBQing and some lovely tearooms with scones and tea if you forget your picnic.
(Thanks to my lovely friend S for taking the pictures)
Talk About York 
It looks fabulous. I’m very impressed that you were brave enough to wear white jeans – and you look immaculate!
That looks great – as do you, in the pictures, but I’m with BW – how on earth did you keep your white jeans so spotless???