North Wolds Walk (North): 25/08/2008

Unusually, I was out and about and walking, through Thixendale village, by 10:15. The weather was dull, but warm and dry. Today’s walk was loosely based on the northern segment of the North Wolds Walk, with the two legs linked, between Bishop Wilton and Wayrham, via the Manna Green open access area.

The walk began with a gradual ascent through a typical Wolds dry valley to Thixendale Grange, followed by a descent down the escarpment to Kirby Underdale. There are extensive views from the edge across the Vale of York, but, in today’s dullish weather, they didn’t extend quite to the Pennines.

I practically stepped on a leveret laid in its form in the rough pasture on the descent to Waterloo Beck, near Mount Pleasant Farm.

Rita was brought up in nearby Bugthorpe but, despite knowing the area well, I haven’t walked the local paths much. I hiked the Chalkland Way several years ago, which passes nearby, but the paths between Thixendale Grange and the Yorkshire Wolds Way at Bradeham Dale, were new to me. They don’t disappoint: it’s magnificent walking. Perhaps because of the scenic qualities hereabouts, the proximity to York and the fact that today is a Bank Holiday, plenty of other walkers were out and about.

Kirby Underdale is pretty, but was closed. Not a soul was to be seen or heard. The green lane up from Kirby to Garrowby Hill top, however, is a gem – a long, steep steady pull, with ever-widening views across the flat lands beyond. After defying death crossing of the A166, another entertaining path hovers over Bishop Wilton, before heading over the Wold top to Manna Green.

It’s 35 years or more since I was last at Manna Green. Rita’s father rented the dale to graze and condition cattle. My one and only shooting expedition was here. The dale at that time was overrun with rabbits (not a one showed today, so I must have been a pretty good hunter!). I remember taking careful aim with a .22 rifle and watching the poor creature sat six foot from my intended victim keel over dead. I still feel guilty. I’m afraid that if I’d got to kill my meat I’d have been a vegetarian years ago.

The dale is as bonny as I remember it – and the sides just as steep. The pull up from the dale bottom though is relentless. I was pleased to gain the top with just one photo break. Looking from the path across the dale there are a series of circles etched into the vegetation on the opposite slope. The dale is too steep to be cultivated, or for the marks to be traces of structures; the circles seem too perfect to be the result of natural growth(although some sort of fungal growth seems the most likely cause); nothing is marked on the map.

A quick skip back across the A166 at Wayrham deposited me in another system of dales, eventually meeting the Yorkshire Wolds Way, which accompanied me back to Thixendale.

Today’s walk was of about thirteen miles with plenty of ascents and descents. The circuit took about four hours, including a half hour refreshment break. I had no foot problems and was fresh enough at the end to have comfortably walked another five miles or more.