Selhow one

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Coming out of Selby was lovely, the market was on (it was a Saturday) and it made for a great pit stop. The walk along the Ouse was nice, alot gentler on the feet! But the access gates are a bit disconcerting, as some are small even when you pull they apart - it felt a squeeze just with 3 layers of clothing on. You see some farm animals, wildlife and people walking their dogs along the river. The downside is that it can feel a bit long, and the smell from the sewage station wasn’t pleasant!.

This route is easy to navigate as it follows the river and then a single lane through villages to Howden.
The aftermath of recent regional flooding was an issue for us twice; points to note being the underpass at the rail lines just after crossing the bridge leaving Selby town centre, and where the route passes Barmby on the Marsh Wetlands Nature Reserve just before reaching the Barmby on the Marsh Tidal Barrier where the river Derwent enters the Ouse.
The first half of the walk is on a mix of hardcore gravel/tarmac and grass footpath, hugging the river. I personally liked this walk a lot, finding the river peaceful, with birdsong and waterfowl, but others could find it bleak and monotonous - it is not the most picturesque walk, passing HGV distribution units, a vast grain processing factory and distillery (which on approach smelled of bread, cake, then beer), derelict farms, Drax power station, and a very small sewage plant.
The tidal barrier just before Barmby village is an interesting spot, with information boards about the regeneration of the neighbouring nature reserve.
The road from Barmby on the Marsh onwards to Howden, through Asselby village, was not particularly good to walk, being hard ground most of the length. Some portions felt a bit dangerous, walking a narrow uneven path up against the road edge, but this is not a particularly fast road and there is space to step towards the fields.
There is a pub in Asselby. Howden is a small town with a selection of standard shops and places to eat/drink.

Reviewed in mid-March 2024

The underpass from Station Road in Selby was still flooded (over ankle height) so we took a detour via Barlby Road then turning right on Recreation road and then right again and walking to the bottom of the road (allotments to your right) to re-join Turnham lane/Ouse Bank and walk along the river.

The walk along the Ouse is relatively accessible but very monotonous. There are long stretches of concrete and sites are industrial and/or desolate. There is a brewery followed by a sewage station - it is really not an appealing walk in terms of sights/experience. There aren’t any obvious spots to rest until Barmy Barrage. From there and until Howden is almost exclusively concrete and urban. It is pretty uninspiring and very taxing on the feet. There is a pub in Asselby (The Black Swan) if you need shelter/rest. Howden has a variety of shops and places to eat/drink.

Not too hilly. Worth considering that there are not that many pubs/places to stop and get food or drink along the route. Maybe not super accessible e.g. I think there are a couple of places where you need to hop over a stile.

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