3 March 2020

Happy Birthday Lady Anne's Way

It's 25 years since Sheila Gordon created Lady Anne's Way, a 100 mile long distance trail from Skipton through the Yorkshire Dales and Eden Valley to Penrith in Cumbria. The route follows the route that Lady Anne Clifford might have taken as she travelled across the north of England restoring castles and building almshouses in the second half of the C17.
The route of Lady Anne's Way

Pendragon Castle

In 1605 Anne's father George Clifford, the Earl of Cumberland, died and left his vast estate to his brother. Lady Anne and her mother spent the next 38 years trying to get it back. Finally in 1643 she succeeded and at the age of nearly 60 she set about restoring the properties which had suffered years of neglect. She travelled between them in a litter accompanied by a huge entourage. 

Lady Anne in her horse drawn litter
Today thousands of walkers follow in her footsteps, enjoying both the history and lanscape of the wild open country of Yorkshire and Cumbria.
Sheila Gordon's guidebook
On Saturday 16th May Sheila Gordon along with Friends of Lady Anne's Way will lead a walkalong the Highway starting at Garsdale station at 11am and climbing up to the Highway, an ancient track used by travellers through the ages including Lady Anne.

Details of the walk and the route can be found at https://www.ladyannesway.co.uk/about