Walks 43 what’son Walks Thirsk and Sowerby

marriage of King George V with etched onto the wooden door. Behind Walk Information Princess Mary. There are many the Old Manor House, which stands interesting alleyways leading off the on the site of a medieval manor Distance: 5 km (3.1 miles) Market Place and Millgate with house, is a complete group of old Time: 2 hours shops that are no longer found on farm buildings with a wonderful many high streets including example of a brick-built Dove Cote. Maps: OS Explorer Sheet 302 ironmongers, family butchers and The lovely tree-lined street through Parking: Several car parks bakers. Take a moment to look at the Sowerby is lined with cottages, throughout Thirsk variety of buildings – not one is the terraced houses, old farms and same. This corner of the Market mansions – an amazing assortment Refreshments: Pubs, cafes and Place around Kirkgate retains many of houses all of different sizes, shops at Thirsk; pub at Sowerby original and interesting shops shapes, styles and periods but all of How to get there: Thirsk lies just including Johnson’s Butchers Shop, the same brick type. On the corner of off the A19, with its junction with where they have been making their Gravel Hole Lane is an ancient the A170 and A61. prize-winning sausages and pies timber-framed cottage known as Terrain: Pavements, field and since 1830. Thirsk’s most famous Oxmoor Farm, the oldest building in riverside paths, tracks and lanes. house stands at 23 Kirkgate. This the area. At the very bottom of the Easy, flat walking all the way, was the veterinary practice of D. V. village to the right of the modern although some of the riverside Sinclair and J. A. Wight, otherwise road bridge is a small 17th Century paths are overgrown and muddy. known as Farnon & Herriot. bridge over Cod Beck Hambleton District Council bought known as World’s End Bridge, which Please note: Take care walking this house following the sad death of was once the main route into the alongside and crossing the roads; Alf Wight, author of the James village and a busy packhorse route use pavements. Herriot books, in 1995 and opened that linked with the ancient The World of James Herriot some Hambleton Drove Road above Sutton four years later. The Museum brings Bank. The World’s End was a nearby Points of interest the life and times of this world pub that opened to serve these HIRSK is a picturesque famous vet vividly to life as this is drovers. Turn left along the main road cross Lock Bridge but walk straight market town situated on the the actual surgery of Alf Wight and 2 through Sowerby (wide, tree-lined on along the riverside path ( on flat Vale of Mowbray with Donald Sinclair and has been Pudding Pie Hill is a large street with houses set back behind a your left) to reach a stile, after which T carefully developed to look like it prehistoric bowl barrow, or burial narrow green) and follow this road carry straight on bearing slightly the Hambleton Hills rising to the east. People have been living in would have done fifty years ago as mound, that dates back to the late straight on passing the Crown and away from Cod Beck to reach a this area since prehistoric times, Skeldale House depicted in the Stone Age. It was later used in Saxon Anchor pub on your right all the way kissing-gate, after which head however “Tresche” was first books. Further along Kirkgate times for burials, and was once to reach the end of the village (last straight on across the middle of the mentioned in the Domesday Book, stands St Mary’s Church, one of believed to be the home of fairies! of the houses) where you turn right field (towards the buildings) to reach its name is somewhat of a rarity as it finest parish churches in England Interpretation Boards along this (just before the National Speed Limit kissing-gate and small bridge across is derived from an old Celtic word and a stunning example of walk provide further fascinating signs) along Back Lane for a short a beck that leads onto a lane/parking meaning “place by the water”. Cod Perpendicular Gothic architecture. information. distance then, where this road bends area. Follow this lane straight on to Beck flows through Thirsk and is right, turn left along a lane (The emerge onto the road (Ingramgate) also an ancient British word that Just off Kirkgate is a field known as The walk Ranch) then branch left again after a beside a bridge across Cod Beck. means “wood”. In 1767 an ambitious Castle Garth that was once the site short distance along a driveway scheme was launched to make Cod of Thirsk Castle. In 1092 Robert de From the Clock Tower in Thirsk passing the World’s End (house) and Cross the road (take care) and Beck navigable to the ; Stuteville built a wooden Norman 1 Market Place (facing the Golden follow the grassy lane down to 4take the path opposite that leads mooring were built at Thirsk as part castle on land he had been granted Fleece), turn right alongside the quickly reach the World’s End back along the riverside to soon of this Thirsk , however, a lack by William the Conqueror. However, main road across the Market Place Packhorse Bridge across Cod Beck. emerge out onto The Green in Old of money meant that the scheme in 1174 Roger de Mowbray held the (towards Ripon) then, a short Cross the bridge and walk on to Thirsk. Walk straight on along the was abandoned. castle during an unsuccessful revolt distance before the main road bends quickly re-join the road (A618 road road across the Green, passing the against Henry II and it was reduced sharply round to the left at the end bridge to your right). Lord Nelson pub then, as you reach Thirsk lies at the crossroads of to ashes in the following year; all of the Market Place, turn left along a the end of the Green where the main several busy routes north and east that remains is a ditch and mound in passageway beside the Yorkshire Cross the road and take the road bends sharp right beside Alpha and became an important staging the field. Bank (Porters Vaults). Follow this 3footpath opposite, after which Signs, turn left (take care) down post during the 18th Century passageway between the buildings to bear left across the rough field to along a path out of the bottom between London, York and the The area of open common land join a road across your path (Chapel join the wooded banks of Cod Beck corner of the Green that leads to a North and a number of fine old between Thirsk and Sowerby is Street) opposite the Cottage on your left. Follow the path straight footbridge across Cod Beck. Cross coaching inns still line the Market known as The Flatts and provides Hospital. Turn left along this road on to soon reach a gate in a fence the bridge and follow the path Place. The Three Tuns Hotel is a fine the residents of this area with an then, just after you have passed the across your path, after which follow straight on to join the road 18th Century house originally built oasis of greenery right in the heart back of the Golden Fleece, turn right the path and wooded riverbank (Kirkgate) directly opposite Thirsk for the Bell family and retains a of the town with views of the along another passageway (Villa curving round to the left (passing Parish Church. Turn left along wonderful sweeping staircase. The Hambleton Hills stretching away Place), and follow this to emerge out Pudding Pie Hill across to your Kirkgate (pavement) and follow this Golden Fleece dominates the Market into the distance. Sowerby retains its onto a sports field. Head left across right) and follow this riverside path back into Thirsk, passing The World Place as it has done for over 200 own separate identity away from its the sports field to reach a kissing- to join the road (beside an of James Herriot along the way. years and has an elegant charm close neighbour, indeed this has gate beside a field gate in the bottom information board). Turn left along about it reminiscent of days gone by. always been a separate village since left-hand corner, after which follow the road (take care) for a short Mark Reid Behind these two old inns are the it was first settled by a Danish the path straight on across The distance then take the path to the Author of The Inn Way guidebooks remains of the old stabling blocks; farmer in the 10th Century literally Flatts (rough grassland) then bear right immediately before the road innway.co.uk the town once supported 30 pubs and on the doorstep of the older left to reach Lock Bridge across Cod bridge across Cod Beck. Follow the four breweries. settlement of Thirsk. St Oswald’s Beck. Do not cross this bridge but path straight on across fields for 500 Yorkshire Dales Outdoors Festival Church was almost completely turn sharp right across The Flatts to metres to reach a small, narrow September 13-15, Wensleydale The focal point of the Market Place restored during the 19th Century reach a gate beside some houses on footbridge across a side- to Try your hand at drystone walling is the ornate Clock Tower, built in although an ornate Norman the edge of Sowerby. Follow the lane your left. Cross this bridge and walk ot have a go at orienteering 1896 on the site of the ancient doorway remains intact with straight on to join the main road on (Cod Beck on your left) to quickly yorkshiredalesoutdoorfestival..com market cross to commemorate the inscriptions dated 1680 and 1739 through Sowerby. reach Lock Bridge again. Do not Countrydiary Birdwatch

OTHS are usually thought of as identity. These ADERS are always very exciting and Rainton Meadows. creatures of the night but there are moths can’t survive birds, conjuring up images of the All these very attractive waders were W vast Arctic tundra and other bleak M our winters and migrate several day-flying species that are eclipsed by a couple of north American often seen at this time of year. here from southern northern areas where many breed to take species, a pectoral sandpiper at Saltholme advantage of a brief summer, but one Burnet moths, pictured, are among the Europe every year, and, much rarer, a spotted sandpiper on the incredibly rich in insect food for their most colourful insects in Britain, whose often arriving in River Aln at Foxton, , the chicks. That short summer is emphasised black wings have a greenish sheen and are large numbers region’s first since one was at Scaling Dam by the fact that many have already marked with large crimson spots. Both five in late July and in June last year. The Alnmouth bird completed their nesting cycle, and returned and six spot burnets occur in our region early August. remained for its fourth day on Tuesday. They breed and southwards to appear alongside post- and the caterpillars of both feed on bird’s At the weekend I watched a flock of 300 produce a second breeding flocks of our own local lapwings, foot trefoil plants. This food source is newly-arrived knot. Most were still in brick- generation, so that curlews and redshanks. common almost everywhere and often red breeding plumage, living up to their they often become very common by the thrives on waste land in urban areas, so Other plentiful northern breeders are also American name of red knot, rather than end of the summer. The silver Y is a once the moths colonise their numbers can arriving with small parties of dunlins, the dull greyish birds we see in autumn restless insect but another immigrant from build up very quickly. The caterpillars golden plovers, bar-tailed godwits and and winter. They are usually strictly southern Europe, the hummingbird hawk- pupate in a papery cocoon on grass stems sanderlings appearing at various beach and coastal birds so singles which ventured moth which is almost twice as large but and often emerge in synchrony. The adults other waterside areas. inland to Castle Lake and Washington much less common, is hyperactive. It tend to be weak fliers, and spend most of More unusual waders over the past week wildfowl centre were noteworthy. whizzes between flowers and hovers in their time crawling over flowers, probing included curlew sandpipers at Saltholme, front of them while it probes for nectar The bridled tern which caused so much for nectar with their long tongues. Seal Sands and the Farne Islands and wood with a very long tongue. This species excitement at Druridge Bay and the Farne sandpipers at Dorman’s Pool, North Gare, Silver Y moths are dull-coloured but far sometimes turns up in gardens, where it Islands moved away northwards at the East Chevington and Hauxley. Green much more active day-flyng moths, flitting tends to feed selectively on blooms that weekend. It was last seen on Saturday with sandpipers were also prominent with an from flower to flower in search of nectar produce the most nectar, because feeding other terns on the Isle of May in the Firth impressive gathering of seven at Lambton and rarely settling for any length of time – while hovering uses so much energy. of Forth but, at the time of writing, had not but when they do the distinctive Y-shaped Pool. Early returning ruffs were at Castle been subsequently seen. Phil Gates mark on their forewings confirms their Lake at Bishop Middleham, Hetton Lyons Ian Kerr