THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 The Northern Echo 35 Walks what’son Walks Around Woods

clear forest track along the top of the escarpment once again (and wooded hillside). Turn right along Walk information this track and follow it slanting steadily downhill across the steep Distance: 7.5 km (4.7 miles) wooded escarpment for 375 metres Time: 2 hours to reach a junction of tracks (waymarker post), where you Maps: OS Explorer OL26 ‘North as well as the Norman gatehouse follow the track bending sharp left. York Moors Western Area’ were retained as follies in these After the sharp bend, follow this Parking: Plenty of parking gardens. Our route initially follows track straight on for 400 metres throughout Guisborough. Cleveland Street, an ancient through the forest to reach a wide Refreshments: Plenty of choice footpath that is thought to have fork in the track, where you follow throughout Guisborough; nothing linked Gisborough Priory with the right-hand track heading down en route. Whitby Abbey, before climbing through the forest for a further 175 up onto the ridge of Guisborough metres to reach another wide track Terrain:Field paths, farm lanes Moor. This ancient highway is still junction. Turn left at this junction, and forest tracks. Some very muddy clearly visible as a broad grassy and follow the track straight on paths, a number of inclines and two track. through the forest for 200 metres road crossings. Our route then climbs up onto the to reach a junction of tracks, How to get there: Guisborough escarpment of the Cleveland Hills where you turn sharp right back lies just off the A171. above Guisborough Woods, much on yourself slightly. Follow this track over a cattle grid (signpost metres to enter woodland (Spa track straight on for 100 metres of which has recently been felled; ‘Cleveland Street’) towards Foxdale Wood), where you continue along then bending to the left, winding Points of interest the views from this escarpment are Farm. Head up along the track for the lane rising up through the down (keep to the clear track) for a extensive and impressive across the 175 metres then, where the track woodland for a further 250 metres further 200 metres to reach a metal UISBOROUGH, the surrounding hills and plains, with bends to the right, take the path to reach the top of the woods, barrier across the track at the end historic ‘capital’ of Guisborough clearly visible cradled straight on off this bend (signpost). where the lane begins to level of the forest, with an enclosed Cleveland, is an old amongst the hills. Follow the clear sunken grassy out. Turn immediately right just track in front of you. Follow this market town set beneath track up to reach a stile (just to after the end of the woodland Gthe steep wooded enclosed track straight on for 550 the right of a gate in the fence through a small gate along the metres to reach a bridge across the escarpment of Guisborough The walk corner), after which head straight Cleveland Way (signpost). After Moor – out objective for today’s old railway line. From the entrance to St on along the clear well-trodden the gate, follow the clear path walk. The town is dominated by 1Nicholas’s Parish Church beside path alongside the fence on your straight on along the top of the the stark ruins of Gisborough Guisborough Priory (with your left across two fields. After this escarpment, over a small stream After the bridge, follow the Priory (spelt without the ‘u’) and back to the church, looking down second field, carry straight on then on to soon reach a small 5track to the left alongside the the Parish Church of St Nicholas. Church Street), turn right along along the clear path now enclosed gate to your right that leads onto old railway line on your left (in This Augustinian Priory was the road then almost immediately by hedgerows then, where the a forest track along the edge of a wooded cutting) for 250 metres founded in 1119 by Robert de Brus, right again into a small square hedgerow ends on your left, the escarpment and Guisborough to reach a crossroads of tracks a powerful Norman lord who had (parking) and along a broad path continue straight on down along the Wood (recently felled). Turn left (metal signpost and old railway been given a great swathe of land in out of the top corner of the square, clear path with the hedge on your along this track running along line on your left). Turn right at this the North East. He was a member with the church now on your right. right. At the bottom of this field, the top of the escarpment / felled crossroads, and follow the clear of the powerful de Brus family (or Follow this paved footpath straight head straight on through the large forest for 475 metres then follow enclosed track (Butt Lane) straight Bruce) of Skelton-in-Cleveland on alongside the churchyard on gap, over a small stream and carry the track as it bends to the left on for 550 metres (housing on your and Annandale in Scotland; their your right (passing Prior Pursglove straight on across the next field away from the escarpment (ignore left) to join a road that leads into most famous family member was Collge) then, at the end of the with the hedge now on your left the footpath to the right on this the housing estate, which you , the Scottish churchyard where the clear path all the way to reach the main road bend) and continue along this follow straight on to quickly join king. Gisborough Priory was richly bends sharp left, head to the right (A171). track for 150 metres then, where the main road (Whitby Lane). Turn endowed with large areas of land through a kissing-gate out onto a the track curves right, you come to left along the main road (pavement) including vast sheep farms on the field (small copse of trees). Follow a T-junction of tracks where you and follow it for 300 metres to reach North York Moor and grew to be the very clear tarmac footpath At the road turn right (signpost) take the track that turns sharp a road junction, where you turn 3then immediately right up along one of the wealthiest monastic straight on, with the large East End right back on yourself slightly right along Bow Street back into the farm lane towards ‘Old Park houses in England; however, of the Priory across to your right, (signpost ‘Cleveland Way’). the centre of Guisborough. following its suppression in 1539 for 500 metres across the middle of Farm’ passing Little Waterfall www.teamwalking.co.uk under the orders of Henry VIII, the field and then through a belt of Farm after a short distance. Follow the Priory and its estates were woodland to reach a road (Whitby this clear farm lane winding up for Follow this clear track straight Mark Reid Teamwalking 2016 sold to the Chaloner family, who Lane). 175 metres to reach the old railway 4on following the ‘Cleveland subsequently pulled down many track-bed (metal signpost), where Way’ through felled forest for Hill Skills and Outdoor Adventures of the priory buildings in the you carry straight on along the 350 metres gently rising up teamwalking.co.uk late 17th Century to make way Turn left along the road for a farm lane ahead (sign ‘Guisborough then take the narrow path that for the ornamental gardens of 2short distance (take care - cross Forest, Commondale’) along the branches off to the right, marked Unique corporate activity days, their new house, Old Gisborough when safe to do so) then, just before edge of the field for 300 metres to by a waymarker post (Cleveland navigation skills and team building Hall. The magnificent East End the entrance to Guisborough reach a fork in the lane. At this Way ‘acorn’ symbol). Follow this experiences in the great outdoors. of the church, one of the North Hall (just after the old ‘Whitby’ fork, carry straight on along the clear path bearing slightly to teamwalking.co.uk East’s most famous landmarks, milestone), turn right along the left-hand lane rising up for 275 the right for 125 metres to join a

Birdwatch By Ian Kerr

OLDEN plovers are birds was a wonderfully bright optical breed in fairly small numbers return back on the moors by Over the past week the largest which really live up to illusion created by the massed in our uplands, particularly the late February and early March local flocks have involved over G their name, provided, of North Pennines, where the high, ranks of several thousand so in most years to establish their 60 at both Billingham and course, that it is a sunny day. closely packed together that they somewhat melancholy, whistles breeding territories. In contrast, Washington and 150 around Then the mottled ochre and white hid the ground. They were also of the displaying males are a many northern birds linger on Hexham. patterning of their backs and filling the air with a lovely low feature of early spring. However, through April and often well into Among rarities, a single heads can really glow, showing melodic trilling chorus. the vast majority of our wintering May when the local breeders shore lark lingered on rough off these plump and common flocks are made up of birds of already have eggs. There is little Golden plover typically move ground near Spion Cop Cemetery, members of the wader family to the northern race which breed in point on them moving earlier as Hartlepool, and seven remained best advantage. between feeding and roosting Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia. their far northern and eastern areas in large, tight fast-flying at the mouth of the Chevington There are certainly plenty Their northern origin becomes breeding areas are still dominated Burn on Druridge Bay. flocks. In flight, they flicker from very clear in early spring when at that stage by snow and freezing of them around to admire this yellow-brown to white as they winter with large numbers at they moult into breeding plumage. conditions. twist and turn into the light. As Saltholme and sizeable flocks in These northern birds have much Among smaller species, they land there is always that many other lowland localities. more extensive black on their waxwings remain the biggest Recently while leading a far-carrying chorus as they jostle chests, bellies and heads then attraction and it seems that more birdwatching group we noticed together. our less distinctly marked local could be on their way southwards a band of deep gold on low-tide There are two races of golden breeders. with flocks of over 500 reported mud. As we got closer, we found it plover. Birds of the southern race Our own birds begin to in two areas of eastern Scotland.