Country Around Carlton Moor

diary Based on Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown copyright: NOWDROPS are usually expected to Walks AM26/09 be the first flowers to come into bloom Sin the New Year but this year freezing weather held them back, so in many places by Mark Reid their hard-tipped leaves are only now spearing up through the soil. But there is another plant in the countryside that flowers The walk even earlier than snowdrops. From the Fox & Hounds at West Burton, head left Flowers of winter heliotrope, a member of 1down across the green to the bottom right corner the dandelion family, appeared almost as where a lane leads down (Waterfall) passing Mill soon as the snow thawed. Although it was House to reach West Burton Falls. Cross the pack- originally introduced from the western horse bridge over Walden Beck and follow the path Mediterranean, this relative of our native up to the left to a small gate, then head right up along butterbur has become naturalised in a the enclosed path to another gate beside a barn. Head number of places in our region – including through the gate and continue up across the field (wall Castle Eden Dene on the Durham coast. Its on right) then, where this wall turns away after 100 pale pink tuft of flowers is held aloft on a metres, head right keeping close to the wall/fence stalk that’s about six inches tall and is (Rookwith Bridge, Cote Bridge) on to reach a wall- produced before the season’s new crop of gate. After this wall-gate, head straight on rising up round, serrated leaves, but its most to soon join a track which quickly leads up to anoth- distinctive feature is its scent – a strong er wall-gate (beside a gate). Head through the gate aroma of vanilla. This attracts bees that and carry straight on across fields through a series of sometimes emerge from hives to feed on wall-gaps passing Riddings Farm just across to your mild days in winter, like those we’ve right after which continue straight on through a fur- experienced recently. ther two wall-gaps then head down to the right By the end of January winter aconite, through a bridlegate in the field corner then bear left sharp left and round to the right then straight on pass- FACT FILE another garden-escape that occurs across the next field to reach Rookwith Bridge over ing a small copse of pines on your right after 0.5 km occasionally near villages in the region, will Walden Beck. Do NOT cross this bridge but turn left after which continue along the track for 400 metres Distance: 21 km/13 miles also be in bloom. This member of the immediately before it and head straight on along the then head through the squeeze-stile to the right at the Time: 6 - 7 hours buttercup family has single, cup-shaped field perimeter (and Walden Beck) on your right to join end of the second field on the right after the pines. Maps: OS Explorer OL30 yellow flowers surrounded by a ruff of green a track to the right of a barn that leads on to join the Head down the field (wall on your left) zig-zagging Start/Parking: West Burton green leaves, but in this species the brilliant yellow road beside Cote Bridge. down a short but steep bank then on across a flat shelf Refreshments: Pubs at West Burton, Carlton petals are not quite what they seem. Most of land before another short but steep bank and on and West Witton. flowers are protected by green sepals while Turn left along the road for a short distance pass- to reach a squeeze-stile that leads onto the walled Terrain: Moorland tracks (boggy), field and they are in bud and these fold back to allow 2ing the entrance to Cote Farm (and driveway to a track of High Lane. riverside paths. Exposed moorland, several the attractive petals to expand, but in winter house) after which take the track off to the left past steep descents and a number of small fords. aconite it’s the sepals that are brightly the old smelt mill chimney (Carlton) then climbing 5At High Lane, take the path opposite to the left and Caution: Involves a long and steady climb coloured and the petals are rolled into small steeply up to reach a gate across the track. Head head down the steep bank (stream on your right) up over Carlton Moor into Coverdale; however, tubular structures at the base of the through the gate and continue up along the track (en- to reach a squeeze-stile at the foot of the bank, after which head straight on alongside the wall on your left navigation may be difficult in poor weather. Take stamens. Each one of these tubes is brim-full closed by walls) which levels out slightly for a short care crossing the roads. Allow plenty of time to of nectar, which means that these too are distance then bends up to the right then round to the to reach a squeeze-stile that leads onto the track of Watery Lane. Head over this track and walk straight do this walk, take map and compass. popular destinations for early-emerging bees left climbing up (ravine of Thupton Gill down to your left) to reach a second gate across the track (enclos- on across the next field keeping the tumbledown in late winter, providing a high-energy nectar right through a series of gates to reach Adam Bottoms ing walls end). After this gate follow the track bend- wall/line of trees on your left, through a wall-gap at reward. Farm. As you reach the farm buildings, head through ing sharp right up alongside the wall/fence on your the end of this field and on to quickly reach a junc- Phil Gates the small gate immediately to the right of the low barn right then, where this wall turns downhill after 200 me- tion of paths where you follow the path to the right then follow the path skirting behind the farmhouse to tres, follow the track bending sharp left (track levels slanting down through the woods to reach a squeeze- reach a gate in a wall just beyond the farm. Head out). Follow this track gradually heading up with Thup- stile at the bottom of the wooded bank. Head straight ton Gill falling away to your left. The track becomes on across the field keeping close to the hedge on your straight on across fields to join the main road through Birdwatch stony after a while and joins a tumbledown wall on right then, as you approach the end of the field, bear a squeeze-stile beside a gate. your left which you follow rising up then, where this left to reach a squeeze-stile in the bottom left corner, wall turns sharp left (as you approach the top of the then head over the next field through another Turn right along the road over Hestholme Bridge moorland), carry straight on along the track up onto squeeze-stile that leads onto a enclosed path to 9just after which take the footpath to the right at the CTOBER'S great grey shrike influx was the top of the pass (Carlton Moor) – after 100 yards emerge opposite the Wensleydale Heifer in West Wit- top of the driveway towards Hestholme Farm. greater than for many years so it's the track bends slightly left then right (S-bend), head- ton. Head diagonally across the field and through a gate- Operhaps no surprise that there has been ing across the saddle of moorland between Height of way in the far right corner after which head on to a a series of reports of overwintering birds Hazely and Harland Hill, for 200 yards to reach a gate Turn right along the road then take the lane to the squeeze-stile in the field corner that leads onto an en- recently. in a wall at the top of the pass. After the gate, follow 6left in-between the houses just after the shop. Fol- closed path (River Ure on your right). Head along this Most have been in clearings of coniferous the path bearing right across boggy ground to join a low the road down passing the Church on your right short stretch of enclosed path, over a squeeze-stile forests and plantations in North Yorkshire wall on your right which you follow to reach a gate in then steeply down out of the village to join another after which follow the riverside path straight on (wa- starting early this month with sightings at the corner of the field, after which carry straight on lane, which you follow to the left for 1.25 km to reach terfalls) through another squeeze-stile that leads onto Widdale, west of Hawes, Swaledale, and near across moorland gently dropping down to join a track High Wanlass Farm (gate across the lane). Go through the riverbank where you follow the path climbing up Grimwith Reservoir, Wharfedale. At the just to the left-side of Howden Lodge (shooting lodge) the gate (squeeze-stile beside the gate) leading into the bank to the left. At the top of the bank, follow the weekend one was around six miles lower down hidden in a small stand of trees. As you join this track the farmyard (farmhouse ahead) then turn immedi- path straight on along the top of the bank, over a stile Wharfedale at Storiths near Bolton Abbey. (gate leading to Howden Lodge on your right), head ately left through a gate in a wall. After the gate head and bridlegate after which carry on along the top of the Subsequently the focus switched to the left along this track over a small ford then round to the on bearing slightly right across the field to reach a wall bank (fence on your left), through a bridlegate then con- North York Moors and Langdale Forest's west right (following the wall on your right) after which head gap (75 metres to the right of the gate), then contin- tinue on along the top of the wooded bank alongside end accessed from the A169 Whitby-Pickering straight on across moorland (leaving the wall behind) ue across the field bearing right to reach the steep the fence on your right rising up all the way to reach road. BirdGuides Online reported two there on for 0.75 km to reach a gate at the top of a walled track. wooded banks of the River Ure. Head left along the the left-hand corner of the small copse of woodland. Monday at May Moss (grid reference SE Follow this track straight on dropping down into ridge with the river down to the right then, where the Follow the path through the woods then down across 873958) and about three-quarters of a mile to Coverdale for 1.25 km to join a road which you follow river bends away to the right, head down the steep a field to reach St Andrews Church. the east at Woof Howe Grain (SE897964). straight on down to reach a T-junction with the main bank to join the river. Head straight on across the flat So far the region’s only non-Yorkshire report road through Carlton. Turn left at this junction into pasture bearing very slightly left (following curve of Head straight on through the churchyard to was from Northumberland's Longframlington the village. the river round to the left) to join a wall and the wood- 10reach the entrance porch where you turn left Common over the 9th-12th but possibly more ed riverbank on your right. Head up the small bank along the path up through the churchyard to reach the will be discovered in similar habitat elsewhere Follow the road into the village then, where the road (alongside wall on right) and on across an undulating main road. Cross the road and take the path opposite as, weather permitting, birders venture into a 3bends slightly right after a bridge across Mel Beck, field then, where the wall curves left, cross a ladder (Eshington Bridge) and follow the path straight on wider range of the region’s uplands over the turn left (beside the phone box) and follow the track stile over this wall. After the stile, head straight on with through a small wall-gate then down into a dip, over a coming weeks. up passing to the right side of Carlton Methodist the wall on your right to reach a small gate in the cor- stile then up to reach another wall-gate. After this wall- One moorland spot probably not checked Church and through a gate. Follow this track up along- ner of the field on your right. Head through the gate gate, head on alongside the wall on your left over the during the severe weather of late November side the stream then, just after a waterfall on your and follow the path down to reach Redmire Force. brow of the hill then bear away from the wall to the right and December was Sleddale on the left, follow the track through a gate to the right (just through a small gate in a fence. Continue straight on Cleveland/Yorkshire boundary where up to four before the small building). Head straight on along the As you reach the waterfalls, head up the steps to bearing left down across the hillside, through a wall- rough-legged buzzards were present in mid- track up to reach a gate to the left of a (roofless) barn, 7the left and through a wall gate at the top of the gate in the bottom of the field then on to quickly reach autumn. One seen from the usual watchpoint after which head to the right across the field (close to bank, after which head straight on along the top of another wall-gate to your left after which head straight at the chevrons steep hill roadsign between the wall on right) then down along a track over a ford the grassy ridge and over a wall stile. After the stile down the field through a wall-gate beside a large tree Commondale and Kildale villages on Tuesday across Micklethwaite Gill and up to quickly reach a head straight on across the field bearing very slight- that leads onto the road. was, I think, the first report since November gate in a fence. After the gate, turn immediately left ly to the right to reach a ladder stile in the field cor- 19. up across the grassy moorland to reach a gate in a ner (woodland on your right), then carry straight on Turn right along the road over Eshington Bridge, Meanwhile, there’s been an upsurge of fence. After the gate, head straight on rising up across alongside the wall on your right, through a gate in a 11just after which take the footpath to the right waxwing reports with Darlington producing the the moorland to join a path alongside a wall on your fence then on along the top of the bank to reach an- (˜West Burton) and head straight on across the field to region's biggest count – up to 180 in the right – follow this path straight on (wall on your right) other ladder stile in the corner of the field. Cross the a stile. After the stile follow the path straight on across Houndgate area since Saturday. Two flocks to soon reach a gate in a wall across your path (moor- stile and head along the top of a ridge of land (river the field alongside the wall on your right then where totalling 150 were reported at Lobley Hill and land ahead). Carry straight on, over a shooters’ track down to right) to reach a stile over this fence (where this wall bends away continue straight on to reach two Leam Lane, Gateshead, and 70 at and follow the path straight ahead which soon fords the fence joins a wall). After the stile, turn right to wall-gaps in quick succession beside a bend in the Hampsthwaite near Harrogate. Melmerby Beck – carry straight on along the path quickly reach a wall stile then head on over another river (Bishopdale Beck). After the wall-gaps, head This year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is heading up across the gently rising moorland of stile across a fence after which head straight on straight on away from the river across the field, through over this month's final weekend and could well Melmerby Moor for 1.25 km to reach another track across the field bearing slightly right to reach a gate a gate to the right of a barn then on across the next produce interesting results after the recent cold across your path where you continue straight on to in the far right corner above the wooded banks of the field to a stile by a gate that leads onto the road. Cross spell. Everyone interested in the birds quickly join a road (cattle grid). Ure. After the gate turn left through woods and down the road and head up the steps opposite and follow occurring on their home plot should to join a riverside path that leads on to reach the step- the path up between the houses back into West Bur- participate. Turn left down along the road then follow the road ping stones at Slapestone Wath. ton. More details: rspb.org.uk/birdwatch. 4sharp left around Penhill Farm just after which, as Mark Reid Brian Unwin you reach the brow of the hill, follow the track off to Cross the stile alongside these stepping stones, Author of The Inn Way walking guidebooks the left (Penhill Quarry). Follow this track on bending 8then head straight on alongside the river on your innway.co.uk northernecho.co.uk Seven Days 49