Daffodil Miracle in Farndale

Legend has it that the daffodils were planted by monks
 at nearby Rievaulx Abbey (1132-1538).

Spring sure took its sweet time this year but it’s been super summery and lovely in Hull last week! To cool off we ventured to North Yorkshire to see one of northern England’s most spectacular miracles of nature. It occurs every spring along the river Dove and annually attracts approximately 40,000 people: wild daffodils (also known as Lent Lilies). Myriads of them turn the sleepy North Yorkshire village of Farndale into a busy tourist attraction.

Early May seemed awfully late for going to see daffodils but this long winter has really taken its toll and delayed the daffodil season by a few weeks. On top of that, North Yorkshire’s climate always struck me as a little colder and wilder than what we’re used to in Hull. So daffodils might be in full bloom here but that doesn’t mean they will be out 60 miles north of us yet.

We took the Walking Englishman Daffodil Walk, which is a little longer than the traditional walk most people take. We started off in Lowna and headed North towards Low Mill. The footpath took us by some typical Yorkshire stone cottages, through people’s gardens, fields full of sheep, old woods (with plenty of tasty wood sorrel) and across the rugged North Yorkshire Moors before leading us back to the car along a river.

Wild daffodils are smaller
than our garden variety.

Despite going really late in the season there were still a lot of daffodils out. However, if they could have talked they would have said something along the lines of “Tell your sister, you were right...” before taking their last breath. A week later and I reckon we would have missed most of the spectacle. Having said that, there were still thousands and thousands of them in full bloom to make the daffodil valley live up to its name. Wild daffodils grow in clusters and I’ve never seen so many in my life. They used to be widely spread in Britain but in the 19th century intensification of agriculture, clearance of woodland and uprooting of the bulbs for use in gardens diminished their population drastically. That’s why injuring or plucking daffodils in Farndale will be fined with £5.

The walk is worth it even when the daffodils aren’t out. It’s incredibly scenic and there’s plenty of wildlife to be seen along the way... well, mostly pheasants: “Oh look, these people have a pheasant in their garden... no two.. three... seven.... what the hell!” At 7 miles it’s not a very long walk (I even hesitate to call it a hike... when does a walk become a hike anyway?) and we only managed to squeeze in three coffee breaks by trying really hard. But it isn’t a walk I wanted to rush as there are ample opportunities for photos along the way! Many of them featuring sheep looking silly.

So to round it all off here are some famous words on how uplifting daffodils can be!

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth - Daffodils (Final Stanza, 1807)