6 The Northern Echo Thursday, December 10, 2009 7DAYS northernecho.co.uk COUNTRY DIARY WALKS HERE aren’t many fruits whose edibility improves after being Cold Kirby Tfrozen but sloes – the fruits of blackthorn – certainly benefit from being exposed to frost. By In autumn ripe sloes look quite appetising, with their attractive purple Mark Reid skins, but anyone who has ever bitten and into the flesh in the expectation that it POINTS OF INTEREST Scawton will taste like a plum will certainly HE Hambleton Hills are Based on Ordnance Survey remember the experience for a long dissected by an intricate mapping © Crown copy- time. Sloes have a bitter astringency web of deep, steep-sided right: AM26/09 that lingers on the palate but a few valleys cloaked in frosts soften the fruits and, although T woodland with sparkling they won’t turn them into a instant streams fed by countless springs delicacy, do make them almost trickling along the valley floors. palatable. And that’s the time to These valleys feed into Ryedale, harvest them, prick holes in their skins, and are a walkers’ paradise. Cold pack them in bottles with sugar and Kirby has an exposed location high gin and keep them in a dark cupboard on the plateau of the Hambleton for a few months, to make sloe gin. Hills from where there are far- The alcohol is the magic ingredient reaching views towards the Vale of that turns a bitter hedgerow fruit that Pickering. The layout of this linear even hungry birds leave until last into village has changed little since something rather special, producing medieval times with cottages and an aperitif with a beautiful purple hue farms lining the single street and and an almond-like aftertaste. The narrow strip-fields running back colour comes from the pigment in the from the village. St Michael’s fruit skins, dissolved in the alcohol, Church dates from the 12th and the distinctive taste probably Century, although almost comes, in part at least, from flavours completely rebuilt in 1841, and was that seep out of the fruit stones and originally ministered by the Order that takes some time to develop fully. of Knights Templars. Experts say that, after drinking the sloe gin, the best thing to do with wrinkled BETWEEN Cold Kirby and fruits left in the bottle is to dip them in Scawton is the deep valley of melted chocolate to make a sweet Flassen Dale, which comes as quite confection – something I’ve never tried a surprise as you walk across flat but which sounds like a very good idea. fields to reach it. Beyond Flassen WALKFACTS Dale lies Scawton. In medieval the farm track for a path that There is one other fruit that Distance: 7.5 km (4.75 miles) times, the lane through this quiet branches offto the left down into improves after being frosted and that’s Time: 2 – 3 hours Spring Wood (The Inn Way signpost). the medlar. It needs to be frozen and village was the main road from path that brings you back out in Follow the clear path slanting down then allowed to rot a little – a process Helmsley via Rievaulx up to the Maps: OS Explorer OL26 – ancient route of Hambleton Street the centre of Scawton. through the woods to reach a known as bletting – to make it always take a map on your walk. crossroads of paths and tracks palatable, although its resinous flavour that still runs along the edge of the Parking: On-street parking at Turn right up along the road (Bridge Road) at the bottom of the is an acquired taste. escarpment of the Hambleton Cold Kirby 3through Scawton then, as you valley in a clearing. Head across the Phil Gates Hills. It was developed by the monks of Rievaulx Abbey to Refreshments: Pub at Scawton reach the Hare Inn, turn left along track (signpost Cleveland Way), over provide a route between Byland a track immediately before the stepping stones and through a small Terrain: Clear tracks and paths gate then bear slightly left up a track and Rievaulx abbeys as well as to lead across fields and through pub. Follow this track bending left BIRDWATCH their granges and the important just after the pub (track becomes to quickly reach a junction with a thickly wooded valleys, with clearer, wide track (on a bend). trade routes. It is said that the several muddy stretches and a an enclosed path) passing behind NE of the fascinating things Hare Inn was originally built by the houses down to reach a track number of inclines. Head straight on (to the right) about bird-watching are the the monks of either Rievaulx or across your path (farmyard to your Ochanging fortunes of various 5along the track and follow this Byland in the early 12th Century How to get there: From the A19, left). Cross over this track and heading up into the steep-sided species, demonstrated so well by the to refresh travellers on this ancient head east along the A170 up head to the right through a gate wooded valley of Nettle Dale to reach rise of Little Egrets and the decline of road. Scawton’s unique Norman Sutton Bank towards Helmsley (waymarker). After the gate, walk White-fronted Geese. a junction of track after 400 metres church, dedicated to St Mary, has then, at the top of Sutton Bank, straight on across the middle of The northward spread of Little (where the narrow flat fields on your altered little since it was built by take the turning offto the left the field bearing gradually away Egrets since they colonised the south right end). Follow the left-hand track the monks of Byland Abbey in and follow this to Cold Kirby. from the hedge on your right to coast during the 1980s has been (signpost Cleveland Way) heading up 1146. These monks had originally reach a telegraph pole in the phenomenal and they are now such Caution: Many of the paths are through Flassen Dale (right-hand side settled near Old Byland at what is middle of the field (with a junction an everyday species in Cleveland that wet, muddy and slippery of the valley with a narrow strip of now Tylas Farm, however, they of wires coming from it). Carry they excite no real comment. Further underfoot. There is a short but open land to your left) for 350 metres could hear the bells of Rievaulx a straight on across the field north they are less plentiful so quite steep descent and ascent then, just after the third solitary tree few miles down the valley so after (following the electricity wires) currently five or six ranged between into and out of Flassen Dale. in the middle of this narrow field, you four years they moved to Oldstead and into undergrowth/trees to Druridge Bay and Lindisfarne is come to a junction of tracks. Head to and then finally settled at Byland reach a second telegraph pole, noteworthy for Northumberland. the right up along a rough track that where you continue straight on In contrast, White-fronted Geese of Abbey where they built their climbs up through a narrow, wooded through trees/undergrowth to both Eurasian and Greenland races magnificent abbey. It was whilst side-valley. Follow this track up to this track along a narrow path that reach a third pole. Continue have declined so sharply that when I they were at Old Byland that they reach a gate, after which follow the slants steeply down to reach a straight on down into the wooded wrote last week of a small group of built this small church at Scawton. rough track bearing slightly left up to track along the valley bottom. valley of Waterfall Gill following a Eurasian birds at Cresswell Pond I Old paths lead from the village emerge from the trees and out of the down into the wooded confines of muddy path bearing very slightly described them as a ‘regional rarity’. Turn left along this track then valley. Follow this clear track (Low Checking on old records I found that Nettle Dale, one of Ryedale’s left at first then the path Field Lane) straight on for 1.25 km largest and most attractive 2almost immediately turn right disappears – carry straight on was an understatement. When The up along a clear path that leads back towards Cold Kirby. As the Atlas of Wintering Birds in tributaries with the hidden side- down into the valley to quickly houses of Cold Kirby come into view valleys of Low Gill, Tanker Dale, steeply through woodland to a stile reach a waymarker post set in a Northumbria was published in 2003 at the top of the hill. Cross the just ahead, you pass two large grey they were recorded in small numbers Flassen Dale and Bradley Howl small clearing at the bottom of the barns on your right, just beyond converging near a delightful trio of stile and head straight across the valley. As you reach this in 21 areas over three winters. Now field and over a stile just beyond a which the track curves distinctly to small lakes. waymarker post, head to the left the left – at this point take the path local birders, surveying for the new farm track. Cross this stile and along the clear path that leads offto the right (signpost Cleveland BTO atlas, have recorded them in just continue straight on across three gradually up across the right-hand Way). Follow this path down into a two spots in Northumberland in the fields alongside the fence/hedge on past two winters. THE WA LK side of the valley, through trees to shallow grassy valley then bear left your right to reach a gate in the One of these was Grindon Lough, From the centre of Cold Kirby, reach a gate at the end of the along the clear path rising up to field corner near the top of the the region’s only regular local 1walk down along the main woods. Head through the gate and emerge back in the centre of Cold wooded valley of Brignal Gill. wintering site for Greenland White- street then, where the road forks continue straight on alongside the Kirby. Cross the stile to the right beside fronts. Nine are currently present but as you reach the small tree-shaded fence on your right gently this gate then, keeping close to the often vanish for long periods into local green, follow the right-hand road dropping down to reach a stile/gate Mark Reid meadows or fly off north of the Roman passing the church on your left fence/wooded valley on your left, at the end of this field that leads Author of The Inn Way series of Wall to another feeding area. (The Inn Way signpost) and follow follow the grassy track swinging onto a metalled farm lane. guidebooks The past week’s birding has been this road out of the village (road sharply round to the left around innway. co.uk generally quiet. Great Northern Divers becomes a track). Where the track the head of the wooded valley (do Turn left along this lane and continued to show at Hartlepool, forks after 150 metres (clearer not follow the grassy track up 4follow it down into the wooded NEW BOOK – WA LKING Whittle Dene Reservoirs and Holy track bends sharp left) follow the through the valley) round to reach valley of Waterfall Gill (heading WEEKENDS LAKE DISTRICT Island and a Black-throated Diver was right-hand track straight on a reach a stile over a fence. Cross down the right-hand side of the Mark Reid’s latest walking guidebook at Skinningrove. Whooper Swans through a gate. Follow this rough this stile then head to the right valley). As the lane curves slightly is now available. 24 walks from 12 included a party of 11 at Skip Bridge, track straight on across fields across the next field to reach the left and levels out for a short villages throughout the Lake District Hurworth, and 18 on floodwater at then, where it bends away to the left-hand of two gates in the far top distance (as you cross the floor of – ideal for a weekend break. High Newton, Northumberland. A left, continue straight on along the corner of the field just by the farm this valley) take the clear footpath www.innway.co.uk Bittern was at Haverton Hole and a right-hand side of a hedge buildings (do not enter the that branches offto the left Black Redstart at the South Gare. (signpost) across a field down to farmyard). After the gate, head climbing gradually up through ■ While every effort is made to ensure Snow Buntings were in several reach the top of the steep wooded straight on across the next field woodland to join the road. Turn that walks are accessible and are areas but no flock could match a slopes of Flassen Dale. Enter the alongside the fence/farm buildings left up along the road then, where rights of way, The Northern Echo gathering peaking at 110 between the woods and bear down to the right on your right to reach another gate the road bends sharp left (chevron cannot guarantee that fields, paths or North Gare and the sewage works car to quickly join a clear track which in the field corner (waymarker), sign) head right through a gate pubs will be open. If you are walking in park. almost immediately forks – follow after which turn right across the along a farm track towards the countryside, please remember the Ian Kerr the left-hand track then next field and through a kissing Stocking House Farm – Country Code. immediately head to the left off gate that lead onto an enclosed immediately after the gate forsake wwwnorthernecho.co.uk/leisure/walks