Once again a few walks on the Wolds plus one walk which I was scheduled to lead for the Walking Club, from Ravenscar.

Sunday 1st August
After a few days of rain, the forecast today looked a little better - overcast but mostly dry. I opted for a walk that wouldn't be wet and muddy, included bits that I hadn't done before, and that I would finish in time to be home to see what turned out to be an action-packed F1 Grand Prix. So at just after 10am, on my own, I was at Kiplingcotes Station on the Hudson Way Rail Trail. The station is on the Beverley to York railway opened in 1865 by the infamous 'Railway King' George Hudson and closed 100 years later in 1965 by Dr Richard Beeching. A look at the map reveals that Kiplingcotes station is in the middle of nowhere - it was built for Lord Hotham of Dalton Hall for allowing the line to be built through his estate. The station remains largely intact in private hands - the Station House, Goods Shed (Furniture Warehouse), and Signal Cabin (Artist's Studio) - whilst the goods yard is a car park for the Hudson Way Rail Trail which makes use of much of the line between Beverley and Market Weighton. I set off towards Beverley on the Rail Trail. The old railway passes through wooded cuttings and over embankments as it cuts across the undulating landscape. There are good views from the embankments. Most road bridges have long been demolished but there are a couple serving farm tracks near Gardham. I hadn't walked this section towards Etton before. To the north the tall spire of South Dalton Church could be seen. Nearing Etton I cut down a tractor track (following advice from a local dog-walker) and took the road towards South Dalton. The Church spire is now directly ahead as I followed this straight road over the hill towards South Dalton. This road is a very popular cycle route with many groups and individuals passing in both directions. As the road dips into South Dalton the church disappears behind trees and doesn't come into view again until you are almost upon it. The slender spire of St Mary's Church is 208ft high. The Church was completed in 1861 for the 3rd Lord Hotham in the Gothic Revival style by architect John Pearson, replacing an old medieval church. Opposite the church, a private driveway leads across Dalton Park to Dalton Hall. To continue my walk I had to retrace my steps for a short distance and turn towards West End. Here is situated the very popular 'Michelin Star' inn - The Pipe & Glass. Next to the Inn a gate leads to the public road across Dalton Park. This single track unfenced road crosses the private drive from the church, and up to left is Dalton Hall, home of Lord Hotham. The Park was occupied by sheep who seemed bemused by my presence. Leaving the park at the gate/cattle grid the narrow road, called Park Lane, continues on and on, onto South Dalton Wold. With relief the white signpost at its end came into view. Turning left the at the road junction towards Kiplingcotes the trend undulated downhill crossing the course of the Kiplingcotes Derby on Common Wold. The Kiplingcotes Derby is England's oldest annual Horse Race, and has taken place in March every year since 1519 over a distance of 4 miles from near Kiplingcotes Station to Londesborough Wold Farm. My walk, of about 7½ miles, finished in light rain back at Kiplingcotes Station.

Thursday 5th August,
Just a little walk on Thursday morning with Caroline, as we each had other things to do later on. I chose Goodmanham as there are several options for different walks. As we set off through the village we noticed lights were on at the historic All Hallows Church, so we took a peep inside where a lady was cleaning in preparation for a wedding at the weekend. Our walk continued along the Yorkshire Wolds Way but we took a deviation via Easthorpe Wold where there are views firstly south back over Goodmanham, then north over Londesborough. Back on the Wolds Way we headed down through Londesborough Park past the lakes and then turned left along the track to the road by the Lodge gates. At the road we turned up Intake Hill to the corner of Easthorpe Lane, then rejoined the Wolds Way back across the main road down into Goodmanham to complete a pleasant little walk of about 5 miles.

Sunday 8th August,
Having put myself down to lead this Club walk from Ravenscar, I was faced with a dilemma as the weather forecast wasn't looking good. For several days the weather had been unsettled with heavy showers and occasional thunder and Sunday's forecast was no different - sun and showers all day, with a risk of thunderstorms from about 2pm. We had been caught out here once before in a thunderstorm, and I didn't want that again! Come Sunday morning people were calling off, some were away, some not well, so in the end just three of us, Betty, Neil, and myself, made the 40 mile drive to Ravenscar. Having checked that no-one else had turned up unannounced the three of us set off up the road past St Hilda's Church. It was a fine sunny morning with great views across Robin Hood's Bay. Heading along Robin Hood Road (formerly School Lane) there were more views across the Bay in which was anchored the new research vessel the 'Sir David Attenborough', on trials. At the end of the lane a path across Brow Moor leads to Stoupe Brow Road, at 750ft above sea level. From here it would be all downhill for us to the beach at Boggle Hole. Our route took us past the stone cottages at Stoupe Brow then down to Browside Farm where we joined the 'Cinder Track'. The Cinder Track follows the Scarborough to Whitby railway which was closed in 1965. Between Ravenscar and Robin Hood's Bay the track makes a big loop inland following the contours above Stoupe Beck and Mill Beck. The track, as always, was popular with cyclists. We took a drinks stop near the site of Fyling Hall Station before continuing to meet a road within sight of Fylingthorpe. Here we headed along Mark Lane and an enclosed footpath to reach the clifftop overlooking the Bay and joined the Cleveland Way. So far the route had gone more or less to plan but as we reached the top of the steep steps down to Boggle Hole it began to rain, quite heavily. We took advantage of being under cover of trees to put on our waterproofs before continuing down the steps. Boggle Hole is the location of YHA Boggle Hole - a Youth Hostel based on the original watermill but greatly extended and modernised in recent years. It has a café open to the public with outdoor seating under umbrellas, which were proving popular with everyone retreating from the beach. We three found unusual places to shelter - the two wooden 'changing booths' - with Neil in the 'gents' and myself and Betty in the 'ladies' (or 'mermaids'). Fortunately no-one else needed these facilities whilst we had our lunch! The rain eased off so we emerged, forded Mill Beck and, fortunately as the tide was out, headed off along the beach towards Stoupe Beck. With the rain passed people were emerging again from shelter onto the sands as we reached Stoupe Beck. Fording this beck we now faced the steps of the bank to the road at Stoupe Bank Farm. Here I opted to stay on this lane up to rejoin the Cinder Track rather than use the exposed clifftop path. We then had a fairly easy finish to the walk in the shelter of trees and Stoupe Brow as two more heavy showers swept through (but no thunder). We passed the quarries where shale was once mined for the Alum Works down below. 200 hundred years ago this was a thriving chemical industry where the shale was heated up with urine, imported by boats from as far away as London and Newcastle. The alum ( a complex aluminium compound) was used in the dyeing and tanning processes. Our walk finished with a gentle climb up to the National Trust Centre on Raven Hall Road at just after 2.00pm. We had completed almost exactly 8 miles in 4 hours (including breaks).

Sunday 15th August,
With six dales radiating from the village of Thixendale, hidden away in the Yorkshire Wolds, I reckon there are a number of possibilities for short 6 to 7 mile walks, by going up one dale, across the top, and back down the next. So on an overcast Sunday morning I met Caroline for a 6½ mile walk, heading up Thixen Dale to Hanging Grimston and back down Water Dale. We got away from the village just ahead of a large group of 'ramblers'. We branched left into Thixen Dale which in turn leads to Milham Dale, both well-populated with sheep. Behind us we noticed the 'ramblers' were also coming our way. We climbed past Thixendale Grange where there were a few Herdwick sheep (Caroline's favourite) and onto the farm road over the top. It started to rain - the forecast mentioned light rain but this quickly became heavy. We got to the shelter of a few trees and put on our water-proof jackets. After ten minutes or so the rain stopped so we continued up the road to Hanging Grimston and the spot above Deep Dale where we rescued the 'lost lamb' earlier in the year. We walked along Hanging Grimston Wold overlooking Deep Dale with views towards the Vale of York. Then we re-crossed the road and headed down into Brownmoor Dale. There used to be a pond here, unusual in this chalk landscape, but no sign of it now for a couple of years. There is some marshy ground around some springs but no sign of any surface stream flowing down into Water Dale. With the weather now warm and sunny we removed our waterproofs. About a ¼ mile down the road into Water Dale, the south-facing side of the dale is designated 'access land'. It is uneven underfoot but worth the effort following sheep tracks gradually up the steepening side of the dale, with great views opening out. You have to climb to the top because you come to a fence and the gate is at the top. Through the gate we took our lunch break on some logs. Along the top, walking was easier as we crossed an area known as Cow Wold, where appropriately there were cows - Highland cows. These look intimidating with their large horns, but a generally very docile and they just stood and watched us pass. There was also a bull, lying down resting. Interestingly he had down-turned horns, whereas the cows are upturned. Soon we reached Beamer Hill where we looked down on Thixen Dale along which we had set off in the morning, and the adjacent Water Dale, our return route in the afternoon. From Beamer Hill you get a bird's eye view of Thixendale village, squeezed into the narrow valley. Simply now down the hill into the village, although the track surfaced with chalk stones is not very good for walking! Safely back to our cars we had done about 7 miles in about 3½hours, and encountered sheep, cattle and a heavy shower.

Thursday 19th August,
With me not walking next Sunday due to a family gathering, I fitted a little walk in from home on Thursday morning. This was a double loop on the edge of Leven. I set off alongside the long-disused Leven Canal which in summer is covered with water lilies as far as Sandholme Bridge. Here I than took the lane past the holiday lodges and caravans to the track across the Carrs - flat land drained by dikes, ditches and drains. This track leads back to the main road into Leven (once the A165 but for many years by-passed). I walked along the pavement to White Cross roundabout - here starts the bypass one way and the cycle path, marked by a sculpture, to Beverley the other. I followed the track - a bridleway put in when the by-pass was built - parallel with the busy road which is mostly out of sight but not out of hearing behind trees and hedges. The walk passed opposite the entrance to Yarrows Quarry - locals have complained about the noise from the quarry, but I couldn't hear anything due to the noise of the traffic! At an area known as The Yarrows I turned back towards Leven and crossed Catchwater Drain at Double Bridge (It appears to be double width for some reason, but now has a weight limit of 3 tons). Past the fishing pond and back along the roadside into the village, so completing a pleasant (apart from traffic noise) little walk of about 5 miles.

Tuesday 24th August
With eldest son Matt still with us after Sunday's family gathering, together we fitted a little walk in from home. This was last week's Leven Loop but in the opposite direction. It was innteresting to see how things had changed in a few days. The fields on the Yarrows had been harvested and were being ploughed ready for new crops. The bridleway by the bypass which was prone to flooding in dips and hollows was being improved - by filling the hollows with rubble. It looked a mess, but the workers assured us that once it was finished with chippings and tamped down it would be much better! We then completed the 5 mile circuit via the Leven Carrs and Sandholme Lane to the canal.

Sunday 29th August,
On a rather grey overcast August Bank Holiday Sunday I met Caroline in Goodmanham ... again! The plan - to explore some of the disused railways in the area. Some background history: In the years Before Beeching, Market Weighton was a major railway junction where the Hull - Beverley - York line crossed the Selby - Driffield - Bridlington line. That all ended in 1965. In fact most stations on the Selby to Driffield route had gone by 1954, but it was retained as a through route for Summer Holiday trains until 1965. Goodmanham sits in the fork between the Beverley line and the Driffield line, about a mile east of Market Weighton. After closure the track-bed from Beverley to Market Weighton was converted into the Hudson Way Rail Trail, and part of the Selby line became the Bubwith Rail Trail. The rest was abandoned and sold off for development, or farmland.To the south of Goodmanham is the Hudson Way, and to the north, a section of the Driffield line has recently been made a public footpath towards Market Weighton. The trackbed towards Driffield remains, but it is not a public right-of-way. Firstly we intending exploring the recently opened path towards Market Weighton. A land-owner bordering the line had blocked the track-bed with a 6ft fence but this was challenged and the Ramblers Association secure a right-of-way along this stretch. This section wasn't that exciting - it may now be a public footpath but is a bit overgrown and any views are blocked by trees and fencing. It joins the other former railway, now the Hudson Way, on the outskirts of Market Weighton. We turned back along this trail, but it was so busy with dog walkers that we abandoned it at St Helen's Well and climbed the steps up past the spring to the road. The road was much quieter than the trail and it is more open with better views. We headed up the hill back into Goodmanham, passing All Hallows Church, to follow the Yorkshire Wolds Way towards Londesborough. At the old railway bridge we scrambled up the embankment onto the track-bed of the line to Driffield. This is not a public right-of-way, but there is a walked path through the undergrowth that has encroached onto where trains once made their way to the seaside. (Interestingly a sign on the field-gate by the bridge states 'Private, No Right of Way which we assumed referred to the field). We persevered through the brambles and nettles and came to a clearing where a tractor track crossed. From this point the old track-bed is a clear 'green lane' heading towards Enthorpe. However nearing Middlethorpe Dale, is another tractor track crossing and here there was another Private No Right-of-Way sign, effectively barring the way ahead. The map suggests that the tractor-tracks lead to the Goodmanham Road, but I didn't wish to incur the wrath of the local farmers. So I 'chickened out' here and suggested we retrace our steps. We took a lunch break where there are views across recently harvested fields towards Easthorpe Wold, then headed back towards Goodmanham. We were back in the overgrown section when there was a voice from below "Hello, have you seen a white sock?" Down in the field was a lady with a dog and baby, in a carry-sling. I could see the baby had lost a sock. They had walked up the track and were heading back down the field and somewhere the little one had lost a sock. "We'll look out for it" I replied. So in about 200yds, there among the nettles Caroline spotted a little white sock! Back on the bridge she dropped it to the lady below. We have found lost dogs, lost lambs, and now a lost sock on our walks! Back in Goodmanham we had completed exactly 6 miles, albeit some of it off-piste, as I call it.

Links to Photos of these walks can be found at the top of this page or on the Photo Albums page. Click on this link: Photo Albums