AS Whitsuntide approaches, Remember When? reader Gerry Hird shares his memories of Bradford's annual Whit Walk.

"My mother was a keen walker. Well into her 70s, she and her friend, also aged 70-plus, would walk.

Their favourites included a tram ride to Queensbury then a walk over the top to Thornton, having stopped for a cup of tea at Sandal Farm. A walk from Yeadon to Otley was another on the 'favourites' list.

But at Whitsuntide she would get a tram from Bradford out to Saltaire then make her way through to Shipley Glen and, by way of Glovershaw Farm, Golcar Farm and Dick Hudson's public house, the starting point to follow the track across the moor and eventually down into Ilkley from where the weary walker can catch a train back to Bradford.

With her usual walking companion unavailable, my mother enlisted me for one particular Whit Walk. I grumbled at first but really I quite enjoyed myself. I could climb on the stone lions outside the library in Sir Titus Salt's model village. Having passed over the river, we arrived at the bottom station of the Glen tramway; two open-topped carriages on twin tracks of narrow gauge rail. I loved to watch as one carriage would be travelling down from the top station as another was travelling up to the other. The tracks passed through the wood which had a spectacular spread of flowers, particularly in the spring.

Not far from the top station of the railway was a small fairground, the chief of the attractions being a chair ride - you sat in a suspended chair on a cable between pylons and were whisked at great speed around the park. A delight for a boy of 13, like me.

There was a long walk through the Glen, before taking the path through the fields of Glovershaw Farm then over the Baildon road and up a track to Golcar Farm, which was the farm I was evacuated to during the war. I grew up in Idle but my parents had feared that Bradford may be bombed, so sent me to the countryside for a couple of years. By the time we reached it on our walk, the farmer's wife who looked after me had left, but it was interesting to wander through the farm yard and look into the stables.

My mother strode on as we made our way to Dick Hudson's pub where Mother had a glass of beer and I drank Vimto (don't seem to see this nowadays).

Dick Hudson's was where the path to Ilkley began. The path which crossed from one side of the moor to the other was, or rather is, about two miles in length. On this day there was a stream of walkers in each direction. My mother strode out as though she was determined to over-take any of the walkers who walked before her. I didn't mind but must admit that, after a mile I found the walk quite tiring. Relief was in hand when at one point I noted that the path began to descend and the town of Ilkley was in view.

When we reached it there was a treat in store - Stones ice-cream shop. It was so popular there was a queue outside. I was treated to a large cornet, then we made our way to the railway station and boarded the steam train to Bradford. I have to concede it had been a grand day out."