6 The Northern Echo Thursday, December 3, 2009 7DAYS northernecho.co.uk COUNTRY DIARY WALKS OST members of the Christmas tree family – the conifers – Apedale and Mproduce seeds in woody cones but yew trees do it differently. Their seeds are carried singly in fleshy pink By cups that are a ripe now, although thrushes will have already eaten many Mark Reid of them. Yew foliage and its seeds are Castle lethally poisonous to mammals, but the Bolton soft pink tissue that surrounds the hard POINTS OF INTEREST seeds contains no toxins and they pass HE village of Castle quickly and safely through a bird’s gut, and so are dispersed far and wide. Bolton, with its old stone No country churchyard is complete cottages lining the green, without yew trees. They’ve been Tis completely dwarfed by associated with sacred ground for the majestic Bolton Based on Ordnance Survey mapping © centuries, although opinions are Castle. The castle was built in divided as to exactly why this might be. 1399 by Richard le , the Crown copyright:AM26/09 Some say that it has nothing to do with Chancellor of to Richard Christianity and that they were originally II. Its walls are nine feet thick and associated with sites of pagan worship, stand 130 feet wide by 180 feet which were later taken over by early long, with four massive corner Christians. Perhaps the ancient gnarled towers nearly 100 feet high appearance of venerable yews became enclosing a central courtyard. associated with the idea of immortality. The stone for the castle came There are many well authenticated from quarries in Apedale and records of 700 year-old trees and it’s local legend also tells us that probable that they can live for two these early builders used ox blood millennia, so there’s probably no better mixed with the mortar to give it symbol of long-life in the British added strength. The castle has landscape than a yew tree. Others suggest that yew trees might witnessed a number of pivotal have been planted in churchyards to moments in English history. provide a strategic supply of wood for Mary, Queen of Scots was making longbows, as yew woodlands imprisoned in the castle from July are not common in Britain. Yew’s 1568 until January 1569 before springy, elastic wood has long had a being taken to Castle in reputation is good material for bows but . She was treated the best wood for this comes from well during her stay at Bolton sections cut from felled trunks and not Castle, having her own chambers branches, so it seems unlikely that and 40 servants, although legend many ancient yews alive today would has it that she attempted to be survivors of this destructive escape but was recaptured on harvesting technique. Besides, Shawl at a spot that is imported yew wood grown in dry now known as The Queen’s Gap. Mediterranean regions is said to have The castle played an important been the preferred source of supply of role in the as a highest quality timber for longbow- garrison for Royalist forces, making. however, Parliamentary forces Phil Gates besieged the castle in 1645 and the Royalists surrendered. The castle BIRDWATCH was made untenable in 1647, under orders from Cromwell, after WALKFACTS real touch of winter marked the which it remained uninhabited past few days after weeks of for almost three centuries; the Distance: 7.5 km (4.75 miles) Acomparatively mild south westerly weakening of the structure in Time: 2 – 3 hours weather – and suddenly the North Sea 1647 contributed to the collapse of looked interesting again. the north east tower during a Maps: OS Explorer OL30 – always With winds and heavy rain from the take a map on your walk. north followed by plunging storm in 1761. The 11th Lord temperatures, sea-watching for those Scrope died in 1636 after which Parking: Car Park behind Bolton hardy enough to be out and about the estate passed to his Castle in the village of Castle yielded rewards, although the number illegitimate son John, who Bolton. of birds was small. defended for the Refreshments: Tea Rooms at For example, hopes of an influx of King during the Civil War. John Bolton Castle. No facilities en storm-driven Little Auks were not died of the plague soon after route. realised with only one or two noted from surrendering and the estate Hartlepool Headland, Whitburn, St passed to his sister Mary who Terrain: Quiet country roads and Mary’s Island and East Chevington, married Charles Powlett in 1653, moorland tracks (stony and indicating that only very small numbers who later became the Duke of grassy) all the way, with a long had been driven from their normal Bolton. Further down the dale, ascent and descent into and out Atlantic wintering grounds by the strong near to Wensley, stands Bolton of Apedale. winds. Hall which was built in 1678 by How to get there: There was consolation in other sea- lies along the minor road through bird movements, in particular involving the fourth Duke of Bolton as the green just beyond the castle. beside a gate in a wall across your Great Northern Divers. Three were off family home instead of the Carry straight on along the road path at the top of Black Hill. on the north side of Long Nab at Burniston, Hartlepool ruinous castle; the castle is still towards Reeth across the village Head through the gate (track the valley between Wensley and Headland and St Mary’s Island while owned by Lord Bolton. green, at the other end of which 4now becomes grassy Carperby. two later showed well at Jackson’s continue along the road out of the underfoot) and follow the grassy Caution: This walk involves a Landing and two were seen from Apedale was once a major centre village. Follow this road straight track straight on (enclosed by long stretch of road walking, as Whitburn. Another was at Scalby Mills in for lead mining, which has left a on for 600 metres before winding fences) for a short distance then well as a long and steady ascent North and a presumably wind- legacy of spoil heaps, mine shafts quite steeply down to a bridge bending down to the right and and descent – take care on these driven bird appeared inland at Whittle and miles of tracks. It is a lonely across Apedale Beck, after which round to the left (superb views sections and make yourself Dene Reservoirs in Northumberland. and relatively unknown valley follow the road climbing quite across Wensleydale) then, where visible to traffic. Some of the Three Great Skuas were also off hidden away amongst the hills steeply up to reach a T-junction. the fences end, continue along the tracks are wet or muddy Hartlepool and a Pomarine Skua was on between Swaledale and grassy track heading straight underfoot. the beach there at Parton Rocks. Wensleydale. Its unusual name is Turn left along this road and down across the hillside to reach A late Balearic Shearwater was at not derived from apes but from Burniston, Black Guillemots were off 2follow it climbing steadily a wall corner on your right. Carry the personal name Appi, a Viking Whitburn while Cleveland’s long-staying uphill (take care) for 2.25 km straight on along the grassy track Hooded Merganser put in an chieftain who settled here over (passing the disused down alongside the wall on your appearance at Jackson’s Landing 1,000 years ago, although the Quarry on your right) all the way right, passing a small belt of NEW BOOK – WA LKING before moving to Saltholme. A Great moorland that rises to over 540 to reach a cattle grid across the woodland on your right (Bull Park WEEKENDS LAKE DISTRICT White Egret which toured the Long metres at the head of Apedale is road. Immediately after the cattle Plantation) beyond which Mark Reid’s latest walking Drag, Seal Sands and Greenabella known as Gibbon Hill! The grid take the track that branches continue down alongside the wall guidebook is now available – 24 Marsh could have been the individual descent from Apedale towards offto the left (signpost). Follow to soon reach a metal gate set in a walks from 12 villages throughout noted locally back in early November. Castle Bolton affords superb this stony track straight on for wall across your path, just beyond the Lake District. A percentage of Large numbers of Leach’s Petrels views across Wensleydale above 1.25 km heading up into Apedale a small bridge across a stream. profits from the sale of this book will turned up on the south coast over the the ramparts of the castle to reach a junction of tracks just Head through the gate and follow be donated to the Fix the Fells weekend raising the hopes for local towards Penhill, Walden, beyond a corrugated metal barn the enclosed stony track winding footpath appeal. To order visit: sightings. In the event, the sole report Bishopdale and Addlebrough – a (signpost). down to emerge in Castle Bolton. innway. co.uk was one flying north past Whitburn on strategic spot indeed. Turn right along the road across Sunday morning. Turn left at this track junction the village green, passing behind Goose movements continued on a THE WA LK 3and follow the clear track the castle back to the parking ■ While every effort is made to ensure lesser scale than last month with 700 From the entrance to the car that walks are accessible and are Pinkfeet recorded passing Hartlepool down over a bridge across area. 1 park behind Bolton Castle Apedale Beck then continue rights of way, The Northern Echo Headland. Six White-fronted geese, a cannot guarantee that fields, paths or regional rarity these days, visited (with the castle to your left), turn straight on passing Dent’s Houses left along the road passing pubs will be open. If you are walking in Cresswell Pond with a flock of Greylags on your left (stone-built shooters’ Mark Reid the countryside, please remember the on Saturday. between the back of the castle huts) along the stony track rising Author of The Inn Way series of Country Code. Ian Kerr and the church to emerge out steadily up out of Apedale for 0.75 guidebooks wwwnorthernecho.co.uk/leisure/walks onto the long, narrow village km to reach a small wall-gate innway. co.uk