Due to Market Day, the coaches couldn’t pass through Leyburn so just after entering the outskirts of Leyburn we turned left  from the A 684 onto the Middleham Rd (A 6108) and we left the coaches a short way down the road adding ca 0.5 Km to our walk.  After a visit to the toilets, 6 of us continued up the slope through the market, following the signs to Leyburn Shawl.  While there had been a bit of cloud on the coach journey, the weather was now excellent with full sun and warm.  Several groups were heading along the Shawl, an indication of how pleasant this part of the route is.  As we gradually climbed on a good footpath we had excellent views across Wensleydale although the trees in Leyburn Plantation did reduce our view a fair bit of the time.  At the end of the plantation we had a much clearer view and it was here we stopped for our morning coffee break.  Pen Hill was directly opposite us, a great sight on the far side of the valley.  I took the opportunity for a group photo with Pen Hill in the background.

Continuing NW for about another Km, we then took a left turn and started our descent to Tullis Cote.  After passing the buildings we took a track on our right heading N.  After a short distance we turned about 170 deg into the trees,  crossed a stream and then continued WSW across a field.  This brought us to a minor road leading into the small attractive village of Preston Under Scar.  After stopping for a couple of minutes chat with Bob’s group, we continued along the road thro the village before turning left into a field at the end of the houses.  This brought us to a minor road which we joined for a short distance before turning left again and descending to the Wensleydale Railway.  After crossing the line, we headed S down some fields.  Unfortunately, we should have been heading more SW but missed the point where we should have crossed a fence just after the railway line.  Eventually we found a way to get into the next field and we were then able to cross a field to bring us to Wood End Lane.  Heading NW along the lane we came to Redmire church and entering the graveyard we found a seat and a wall behind the church, an ideal spot for our lunch. 

After lunch, joining the Lane for a few yards, we again made a 170 deg turn onto Well Lane and then we left Well Lane heading across several short grassy fields in a SE direction towards West Wood.  Entering  the woods it was a pleasant walk on a good track.  There was some shade from the trees which was just as well as it was becoming very warm in the sunshine.   At the end of the wood we then had the excellent view of Bolton Hall.  After passing the hall, we continued eastwards through the attractive and extensive Wensley Park.  This brought us to the attractive village of Wensley with several of the group impressed with the structure of some of the old houses.  Turning south we crossed Wensley Bridge and then turned immediately left to walk along the south bank of the R Ure.  With the sun glinting off the river, this made for another scenic part of the walk.  Reaching an Oxbow turn in the river, we turned south then east to the other leg of the oxbow and looked for a suitable spot for an afternoon stop.  While finding a suitable place, unfortunately the river view was blocked by trees – you can’t have everything.

On our way again, we back-tracked about 50 m and then turned south, climbing the hill that I had warned the group about.  In the event, it was not too onerous, the biggest problem being finding the path,  the mobile GPS coming in very useful.  Reaching Sharp Hill Farm we joined the road heading E past some nice modern houses and then down into Middleham with the top of the castle guiding us, not that we needed guiding at this stage.  A short climb up to where the buses were parked ended an excellent day, both for scenery, weather and company, although by the finish some of us were complaining that it was too hot and we were not even halfway through April.