Beautiful Yorkshire walks featured in new guidebook

Written by Margaret Atherden, a former geography lecturer at York St John University, the book is her third and possibly final contribution to a long-running series of illustrated guides.

Dr Atherden said: “I’ve totted up the mileage, doing each walk many times as I wanted to see them in different seasons and be sure of my ground.

“Taken together the three books have taken me two decades to complete and will probably be my last.

“But it’s also given me a sense of the measure of the land and a chance to explore magnificent landscapes.”

Margaret Atherden and her pet terriers Bertie and Benji stride out near Kirkham Priory, one of the walks described in her new book (Image: PLACE)

The book features 14 routes, mostly in North Yorkshire, and includes historical, floral, and wildlife highlights along the way.

Walks range from four to 10 miles and are primarily circular.

One of the featured walks is a seven-mile route through the Derwent gorge, beginning at Kirkham Priory in the Howardian Hills.

Dr Atherden serves as chief executive of PLACE, a York-based charity promoting research into Yorkshire’s natural and cultural heritage.

She previously co-authored a book on North Yorkshire’s wildflowers with colleague Nan Sykes.

The fully illustrated guide is available for £15 through www.place.uk.com.