6 The Northern Echo Thursday, December 17, 2009 7DAYS northernecho.co.uk COUNTRY DIARY WALKS T’S amazing how a change in the weather can turn the mundane into Around Great Isomething magical. Last week’s dense fog covered the landscape in a grey blanket, reducing trees to vague By silhouettes, but at the same time the millions of airborne, microscopic water Mark Reid droplets clinging to the silken threads of old spiders’ webs turned these into Pinseat POINTS ON INTEREST objects of beauty, long after the spiders RKENGARTHDALE is a that spun them had died. wild landscape of high Spider silk is a remarkably tough and fells, deep ravines and durable material and the remnants of steep hillsides touched by last summer’s webs survive deep into A Based on Ordnance Survey mapping © melancholy, for this Crown copyright:AM26/09 winter. British spiders can produce up landscape is scarred by centuries of to six different kinds of silk and the lead mining with spoil heaps and toughest forms are stronger than steel abandoned workings all around. It threads of the same diameter. The most was once one of the most important remarkable quality of spider silk, and productive areas in Britain for though, is that some forms can lead mining especially during the combine this tensile strength with 18th and 19th Centuries. At their elasticity. The ability to stretch is vital, height the CB Mines employed otherwise a web would become a around 300 men; however, by the wreck of broken threads every time a late 1800s most of the mines had spider made a successful capture. closed due to cheaper imports. The Instead, the threads stretch to absorb numerous spoil heaps, mine shafts, the impact of the colliding victim, rather cottages and moorland tracks are like an arrestor wire on an aircraft reminders of this early contribution carrier deck. The silk is also highly to the Industrial Revolution. Our resistance to attack by fungi and walk explores the decaying remains bacteria which, together with its of this once flourishing industry. strength, probably explains why remnants of webs, that are highlighted An old miners’ tracks leads up from by water droplets in fog, hang around Arkle Town across Reeth Low Moor for so long in winter. to reach a moorland road at Fore Spiders produce different forms of Gill Gate high above the valley of WALKFACTS silk for specialist purposes and some is Bleaberry Gill where the road fords used for wrapping eggs. This doesn’t the stream. This watersplash was Distance: 12.75 km (8 miles) need to be so strong, since its main made famous during the opening purpose is to provide an insulating, Time: Allow 4 – 5 hours sequence of the TV series All Map: OS Explorer OL30 – protective cocoon for the eggs Creatures Great and Small where throughout winter. You can often find always take a map with you. James and Siegfried drove their Start/Parking: Pay & Display these egg masses in greenhouses and Austin 7 through the ford. From car park at Langthwaite sheds in winter, attached to the rims of Fore Gill Gate, another old miners’ old flower pots and seed trays. In a few track leads up onto Turf Moor Refreshments: The Red Lion months from now they’ll hatch, as the passing old spoil heaps and at Langthwaite. No facilities next generation of these useful workings before gently dropping en route. predators that help to keep garden down into the upper reaches of Terrain: Riverside path to pests in check. Bleaberry Gill, known as Wetshaw. Arkle Town then moorland into the broad, shallow valley of across your path (with old Phil Gates We follow the infant Bleaberry Gill tracks climb steadily up to Bleaberry Gill (known as Wetshaw) workings/tips in front of you). Head upstream to its source amongst peat reach Bleaberry Gill. An to reach the end of the track straight on along a path to quickly pick BIRDWATCH hags, beyond which an old stone indistinct path then heads up amongst old workings and spoil up a clear track just to the left-hand wall guides us to the summit of through this shallow valley, heaps at the bottom of the valley, side of the low gravel spoil heaps/tips. HEN the weather is miserable, Great Pinseat. Along the way, we with rough and boggy ground, with the stream and a stone wall Follow this track straight on (to the days are very short and dark pass a small quarry where there is up to the summit of Great just across to your left. left) down to reach the main valley Wand good birds are rather an inscribed stone Wetshaw Head, road. Pinseat. After another short Head across to the left to quickly scarce, there is no better time to catch April 1797; this is the only date- section across open moorland, up on various county annual reports. stone for a drystone wall I have seen 4join the stream and stone wall, Turn right along the road and our route joins a track, which where you head up alongside this 7follow this for 0.75 km to reach the The latest Cleveland Bird Report, in the Yorkshire Dales. The Trig is then followed all the way published by the Teesmouth Bird Club, Point on the summit of Great stream/wall on your left (narrow cluster of houses of Eskeleth to your down to the valley road. indistinct path for most of the way) left. Immediately after the houses, turn is one such must-read and is jam- Pinseat affords a wonderful view Tracks, lanes and field paths across the northern Yorkshire and follow this for 1.25 km climbing left through a wooden gate (signpost) packed with information. Covering lead back to Langthwaite. 2008, it details the first county breeding Dales, with County Durham and the gradually up into the very upper along an enclosed track passing in How to get there: Langthwaite records of Avocet, that famous symbol North Pennines stretching away to reaches of the broad valley (stream front of the row of houses on your left of the RSPB. There are also detailed the north, and Swaledale to the lies along a minor road to the disappears after 0.75 km – keep to then follow this track bending left reports on two North American super- south. north of Reeth in Swaledale. the wall all the way) to eventually around the houses to quickly reach a rarities, namely Britain’s second Open Access: Open Access reach the Trig Point on the summit squeeze-stile in the wall ahead that Glaucous-winged Gull and Cleveland’s THE WA LK Land from Bleaberry Gill to of Great Pinseat (situated next to leads out onto a field. Head straight across the middle of the field to reach first Long-billed Dowitcher. The latter From the car park at Great Pinseat. the wall). the wooded banks above Arkle Beck on brought the county’s total wader list to 1Langthwaite, turn right along Caution: This walk heads up the other side where you follow the an impressive 54 species, equal to that the road then take the turning to the to the summit of Great As you reach the Trig Point on path down to the right to reach a of much larger Northumberland. right over the bridge into the centre Pinseat (583 metres above sea 5Great Pinseat, turn right (north) footbridge. Do not cross this footbridge The 120-page publication also of the village (Red Lion Inn sign). level). heading at a right-angle away from but walk straight on, with Arkle Beck provides write-ups of all other species, As you enter the small square (Red the Trig Point/wall across open Lion on your left), turn immediately heather moorland (no clear path – to your left, to soon reach a squeeze- both rare and common, noted during stile that leads onto the road beside the year and a full ringing report. right along a track and follow this your left) then bearing round to the head towards the large grass- bending round to the right to join right after 0.75 km and over a small covered spoil heap just ahead) for Eskeleth Bridge. Head through the gate However, it was not all simply about opposite to the right (signpost) and birds. The club was actively involved in the banks of Arkle Beck. Follow this ford (ignore the two grassy tracks 300 metres to reach a clear grassy riverside track straight on heading offto the left – keep to the clear track across your path. Turn right follow the track across the field passing campaigning over issues ranging from a house on your left to reach a gate wind farm development to the downstream for 0.75 km to reach a stony track) then curving round to along the grassy track and follow it footbridge across the river just the left up onto the shoulder of old spoil heaps and workings for 500 after which follow the track curving to preservation and improvement of a the left then turn right through a whole range of wildlife habitats. before the track bends to the left Cringley Hill after which continue metres to reach a fork in the track away from the river (near a stone straight on for a further 0.75 km to (marked by cairns). Follow the left- squeeze-stile just before the next house. As the former co-editor of a county Head across the field to quickly join a report, I can fully appreciate the barn). Cross the footbridge, reach a metalled road at Fore Gill hand track straight on for about 100 immediately after which turn right Gate, with the watersplash down to metres before bending down to the metalled lane in front of West House tremendous amount of painstaking (bridge leading up to Scar House across effort by editor Graeme Joynt and his and follow the path climbing up your left. left, then round to the right. Follow across the steep wooded hillside this track straight on gently to your left). Head to the right along the team in providing this superbly lane and follow it on to reach the main (steps) to a wall gate, then head Turn right along the road and dropping down across the hillside illustrated publication. The report is road just beyond St Mary’s Church across the old churchyard and 3follow it rising gently up for a further 400 metres before available at £8-50p (including p & p), where you turn left back into through another wall-gate that alongside a wall on your right. bending sharp left heading downhill cheques payable to the Teesmouth Bird Langthwaite. Club, from John Fletcher, 43 Glaisdale leads onto a lane at Arkle Town. Where this wall ends, continue (Whaw Moor) to reach a track Turn left along the lane to reach the straight on along the unenclosed junction just before a large spoil Avenue, Middlesbrough, TS5 7PF. Mark Reid main valley road. Head left along road for about 200 metres then take heap (Danby Lead Level mine). Some attractive winter visitors have Author of The Inn Way and Walking the main road and follow it rising up the track to your left (signpost). dominated the past few days, Weekends series to reach a cattle grid across the road Follow this track sharply back on Just before this large spoil heap, particularly a Black-throated Diver at innway. co.uk Tunstall Reservoir in Durham and 13 (farmhouse just to your left). yourself then bending sharp right 6turn sharp right back on yourself after a short distance rising up along a grassy track and follow this Bewick’s Swans, now a regional rarity, WA LKING WEEKENDS LAKE Immediately after the cattle grid across the hillside – continue along heading gradually down across the at Cleasby gravel pits in North DISTRICT 2take the footpath to the right this clear, stony track for 800 metres, steep hillside. As you reach the flat Yorkshire. Mark Reid’s latest guidebook features (signpost) up through the heather. level for a while before steadily moorland at the foot of this steep Smaller species included very 24 walks from 12 villages throughout Follow this narrow grassy path rising up across the hillside to reach slope on your right, continue along impressive counts of Water Pipits with the Lake District – ideal for a weekend climbing up to reach a stony a distinct fork in the stony track the grassy track bearing away from seven at Saltholme and nine at Cowpen break. innway.co.uk Marsh where there was also a Green shooters’ track after about 100 (just before some old grass-covered the steep slope. The track soon Sandpiper. Another Water Pipit went metres, where you carry straight on spoil heaps and workings). Take the becomes a sunken track, which you into its second month at Whitley Bay. up along the narrow path climbing left-hand track and follow this follow gently down across the ■ While every effort is made to ensure that walks are accessible and are The highest count of Twite involved 141 up across the heather moorland for straight on passing between the grassy moorland to reach an rights of way, The Northern Echo at Greenabella Marsh while around 50 a further 100 metres to reach spoil heaps for 300 metres to reach embankment at the end of the another stony track across your another fork in the track where you sunken track (Moor Intake Farm cannot guarantee that fields, paths or Snow Buntings continued to feature at pubs will be open. If you are walking in the South Gare with smaller numbers path (where the hillside levels out again follow the left-hand track across to your left). As you reach slightly). Turn right along this straight on (passing grouse butt this embankment, head offto the the countryside, please remember the frequenting Seaton Carew. Country Code. Ian Kerr stony track and follow it gently No.8 on your left). Follow this track right along a track, which you rising up (with Calver Hill across to gently dropping down for 600 metres follow down to reach a clear track wwwnorthernecho.co.uk/leisure/walks