Dob Park bridge

The main objective of my walk in the Washburn valley was to visit this Grade II listed, 17th century packhorse bridge across the river. The single span bridge with a high round arch is made of gritstone and paved with stone setts. It was built to enable horses with panniers to cross the river, even when the river was in flood. It carried the routeway from Dob Park Mill. Beside the bridge are the remains of a paved ford, part of a medieval monastic trade route and used by farmers and traders in Nidderdale to get their carts to the market in Otley. It's an attractive spot, though the river was quite full after recent rain and it was tricky to get a good vantage point from which to take photos.

On my way back to the car, I saw a red kite soaring over the fields. They were reintroduced in 1999 to the nearby Harewood House estate as part of a conservation initiative. They have since spread out across a wide area, a very successful reintroduction for what was once an endangered species. Although you often see the birds nowadays, it's still a lovely sight. They are quite distinctive, with their characteristic forked tail. I was quite pleased with this photo, as I don't have a very long lens.