Warter Circular Walk 25 July 2010

I had an earlyish start today; I was walking along the Roman Road out of Warter by ten o’clock, after a twenty-odd drive from home. The route started with a steady near four hundred foot climb up to the wold top in hot and humid conditions.

The Wolds aren't high, but they stand proud from the surrounding plains giving extensive views: Holderness, the Vale of York, Hull and, over the Humber, Lincolnshire. The wind farm at Lissett is a new feature of views from the Wold tops, giving a good indication of the coast south of Bridlington.

The lanes hereabouts are quiet and not at all unpleasant to walk along. Indeed, on this Sunday morning, the four or five  passing bicycles easily outnumbered cars. The tarmac was left at Cobdale Cottage to join a terrific green lane, the Hawold Bridle Road, for the next three miles.

I’d last been this way about five years ago when walking the Minster Way, a route between Beverley and York. Since then Well Dale, running south from the track, has become open access land. My impression is that the landowners aren't over enamoured with the new arrangements: the information board has been vandalised with a nail, the access gate is festooned with a home made notice, “Warning Gas Guns in Operation!” and a new fence has been imposed on the landscape. Despite these minor annoyances, and despairing of the selfish attitude of the few, the walking was grand.

The track passed a large area of polytunnels filled with strawberries, enough to accompany a tanker full of cream. The aroma was magnificent. Scorning temptation I passed without sin.

I left the Minster Way at Blanch Farm.

Lavender Dale is now Open Access land allowing an easy walk along the dale bottom instead of clinging to its top edge. After a steep pull out of the dale there were more fine tracks before joining the lane just outside Warter.

I’m afraid my not-so-new boots continue to wreck my feet. I’d bought new insoles thinking they might help: a pair of Sorbothane type ones and a pair of light Odour Eater type. I started well with the heavy duty insoles until my heels became sore. I swapped to the lightweight ones which promptly rucked up inside my boot before being discarded. The net result of my experiment was painful, skinless heels. Back to the drawing board.

Feet apart, I was fine...     

The day’s walk was a shade under ten miles. The route was courtesy of East Riding of Yorkshire walking website.

Fordon Circular 18 July 2010

I had a short, but sweaty, five mile, local walk today, from the hamlet of Fordon. It’s a walk I’ve done quiet a few times over the years, with variants and as part of longer outings; the last time being in August 2008, just before my Coast to Coast walk.

The route explores dry Wolds valleys and touches briefly on the Yorkshire Wolds Way.

The way has improved since my last visit; the addition of a new style into the eastern extremity of access land at Fordon Banks saves a good half mile of road walking and substitutes flower, bird and insect rich, unimproved, chalk grassland, for tarmac (the half dozen hares and a Sparrow Hawk, disturbed on my traverse, seemed to enjoy it too).

The walk uses an green lane from East Dale onto the Wold top at Danebury Manor. The old farm house was in a sorry semi-ruinous state in 2008, but has now been resurrected and is in the final stages of a complete renovation (it could be now two, if not three, new dwellings).

As usual the Wolds Way showed no sign of walkers, nor did Lang Dale or North Dale on the pleasant walk back to Fordon. The big black bull in a field near the hamlet, fortunately, was more interested in his harem than my presence.     

Photos: Windermere Way (Part), 11 & 12 May 2010

Walks Update

It’s a while since I last updated the Walk Diary. I didn’t manage the hoped for September expedition last year for family reasons. Despite this spell of indolence, and the unfortunate addition of a wee bit of weight, I’ve not been entirely inactive.

Windermere Way (about 8 and 13 miles)

After Easter we had a few days in Ambleside, cut short by Rita developing the lurgy. I did, however, manage to walk a couple of sections of the Windermere Way on the 11th and 12th of May, 2010.

I say walk, at times it was something of a hobble. I’m afraid I always have a lengthy bedding-in period for new boots while my feet assume the shape of the unyielding bits of the shoe last. In fact my boots traditionally only become truly comfortable in the last few miles before they fall apart.      

The first segment was between Windermere and Ambleside. There was a fair covering of snow on Fairfield and even a flurry just below the modes, but rewarding, summit of Orrest Head during the morning. Despite this, the weather was generally grand and the surroundings superb.

The route scales Wansfell Pike the easy way: via Robin Lane and the Hundred Road. I think I’d been up there as a lad, but, if I had, I’d forgotten just how steep the drop to Ambleside is. A trip up and down once a week would make an athlete of a sloth.

The following day’s route was generally pretty good too: Ambleside to Ferry House, via Loughrigg Fell (I dodged the option to revisit the top), Loughrigg Tarn, Skelwith Bridge, Wray Castle, Belle Grange, and Claife Heights.

The segment between Ambleside and Skelwith Bridge is magnificent and well trodden. From there to Wray Castle, however, is mainly on lanes and best done quickly to gain the lake shore and the unfrequented (at least by me) Claife Heights. It’s quite a pull up to the heights but well rewarded by views across Windermere to the Howgills and on to Ingleborough.

Rosedale Circuit (about 12 miles)

I was next out on July 1 for a trip round the head of Rosedale using the track of the old ironstone railway: Rosedale Abbey, Northdale, East Mines, Dale Head, Sheriff’s Pit, Thorgill and Rosedale Abbey. This, with variants, is a favourite outing: an hour’s drive from home to the heart of the North York Moors. But it was hot… And the boots hurt my feet…

I was more than a little concerned that the years have begun to catch up with me and I’d permanently lost my stamina. I walked slowly, frequently had to pause and, more often than I should, needed to take longer breaks. Still, I did do the round, albeit taking an hour or more longer than I would have expected. Despite all, it was enjoyable; painful but agreeable.   

With a multi-day outing pencilled in for September (the exact dates being subject to some surgery Rita’s having) I’m hoping to get in at least one decent walk (ten miles, plus) every week. So, blisters healed, it was out into the heat again today.

Flamborough Cliffs (about 10 miles)

I stayed local with another favourite, a walk circular walk from Flamborough: out onto North Cliff, following the cliff top to North Landing, Flamborough Lighthouse, South Landing, Beacon Hill, Beacon Farm and back to Flamborough.

I felt a whole lot better today: stamina much improved with far fewer “photo stops” and rests. This in spite of the day being, if anything, hotter than during the Rosedale outing. I might not be due for the knacker’s yard for a while yet after all!

The walk was marked by an abundance of wild flowers (I’ve just bought a book so might be able to name them soon), butterflies, moths and seabirds. There were plenty of people about too, particularly for the half mile either side of the road access.

The path diversion remains at Thornwick Bay, necessitating a lengthy loop inland instead of the former and preferable drop to, and climb from, beach level. It is now beginning to look permanent. The diversion uses a permissive path, which continues through, or beside, the caravan site and links with the outward path from the village. This path might prove a better option for future visits.  

I’ll post some photos of the trips when I recover from a technical hitch with my IT.

Now then, where’s the map? Where to next week?