Walks 33 what’son Walks Aldfield Spa and

the track (woodland on your left) for Walk Information 250 metres to reach a fork in the track, Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles) where you take the left-hand track that leads down through woodland Time: 3 hours (Laver Banks) to reach Woodhouse Maps: OS Explorer Sheet 298 Bridge across the . ‘Nidderdale’ Parking: Fountains Abbey Visitor Turn right immediately after Centre; please note, this car park is Woodhouse Bridge along a track locked when the Visitor Centre closes. 5and follow this riverside track/ Refreshments: Cafe at Fountains path (waymarkers) for 1.25 km mean- Abbey. No facilities en route. dering through woodland and across Terrain: Undulating tracks and paths riverside pastures (keep to the river- through woodland, along riverbanks side) all the way to reach Galphay and across fields, with some stretches Mill Bridge across the River Laver. along quiet country lanes. Many of As you reach this bridge, follow the the paths are muddy underfoot. field boundary round to the left There are numerous stiles to cross. (walking parallel with the road) for How to get there: Fountains Abbey 50 metres to reach a gate to your Visitor Centre lies to the west of right that leads onto the road. Turn just off the B6265. right along the road, over Galphay Mill Bridge and follow the road Caution: Take care walking along climbing up the wooded Laver Banks the country roads. Many of the then, as you emerge from the woods paths are muddy underfoot. There at the top of the bank (house on your are numerous stiles to cross. left) turn right along a track (sign- post) and follow this across fields for The Walk 1 km to reach Low Lindrick Farm. From Fountain Abbey Visitor As you reach the farm, follow the Centre, walk to the small round- track straight on passing to the 1 about by the entrance to the 6left of the buildings, after which Visitor Centre, where you take the carry straight on along the driveway first road to the left towards ‘West heading gently down across park- Gate Entrance’, and follow this road land for a further 0.75 km to reach straight on for 300 metres (use road- the B6265 opposite the North Gate side path on right-hand side) passing (Lindrick Gate) into Studley Royal. the car park on your left then, where As you reach the road, turn right the road bends right, take the stony along the verge for a short distance track that branches off to the left and then, just after the entrance to High follow this down to re-join the road. Lindrick Farm (track and a roadside Turn left down along the road then, cottage), turn left across the road where this road bends sharp left and through the door in the deer (road ‘chevron’ sign) turn right over park boundary wall (National Trust a stile beside a gate (signpost). After a few paces, take the path up to the a kissing-gate 75 metres beyond Bay small gate, head straight across the sign ‘Fountains Abbey & Studley the stile, follow the track straight on right that quickly leads up to join a Tree Farm (opposite the phone box). field bearing very slightly left (way- Royal’). After the doorway, follow the down to join the banks of the River clear, level path which you follow to After the kissing-gate, head across marker post) to reach a stile over a track to the left to soon join the lane Skell on your left. Follow this river- the right heading back down through the field to quickly reach two stiles fence just before (and to the left of) leading from the North Gate entrance. side track straight on to soon reach a the valley (track you just walked in quick succession on either side of North House. Cross the stile then Turn right along this lane and follow gate across the track that leads into along down to your right). Follow a line of trees, after which bear left walk across the small enclosure it for 850 metres across the Deer Park Spring Wood, beside an old stone this path straight on, level at first across the field to join the fence on (house to your right) to reach a stile to reach a crossroads of lanes, where bridge across the river. then rising up across the wooded your left. Follow this fence straight beside a gate, with views ahead you turn right and follow the lane valley side to reach a stile at the top on across the field for then, where across the Laver Valley towards gently rising up across the Deer Head through the gate (ignore of the wooded bank. Cross the stile this fence bends slightly left as you Church. After the gate, Park, passing St Mary’s Church to bridge) and follow the riverside and walk straight on along a slightly approach the end of the field (line walk straight down across the field reach a gate in the boundary wall. 2track straight on heading up sunken grassy path out onto a field. of telegraph poles), carry straight to reach a stile in the bottom right After the gate head immediately left through the steep-sided wooded valley After a short distance this sunken on (bearing away from the fence) to corner then continue straight down and follow the roadside path back of the River Skell, with the river on path disappears – bear left across the soon reach a stile over the fence/ across the next field to reach another to reach Fountains Abbey Visitor your left, following the curves of middle of the field (towards the hedge, with Clip’d Thorn Farm ahead stile in the bottom corner that leads Centre. the river valley for 1.75 km through buildings of Aldfield) and through a of you. Cross the stile and walk on into Winksley Plantation. Cross the woodland and across open pastures gateway in a fence/hedge, after which across the field to reach a gate that stile and follow the narrow path Mark Reid (keep to the track and ignore bridges continue straight on across the field leads onto the road opposite Clip’d straight on (fence on your left) down Author of The Inn Way series. across the river) all the way to reach and through a gate in a fence to the Thorn Farm (signpost). through trees/undergrowth to join a innway.co.uk the ruinous stone buildings of Aldfield left of the buildings/houses (edge of road. Turn right along the road for Spa, with its adjacent sulphur Aldfield) then walk straight on Turn right along the road for a 300 metres through woodland then, springs. across the next field to reach a few paces then left immediately just before the road bends up to the Get into the outdoors in 2012 wrought-iron gate in a wall at the top 4after the house over a stile (sign- right, take the track off to the left. with Mark Reid. Navigation skills, Immediately before the ruinous of the field that leads onto the road post) that leads across the gardens Follow this track straight on through mountain skills weekends, wild buildings of Aldfield Spa, take at Aldfield. Turn right along the road and driveway to reach a small gate woodland for 450 metres to reach a camping, guided walks. 3the grassy path to the right that into the centre of the village then in the corner of the small enclosure T-junction with another track (end teamwalking.co.uk leads behind the buildings then, after take the footpath to the left through beside a wooden shed. After the of woodland). Turn left and follow Countrydiary Birdwatch

ith the New Year behind us, days the precociously flowering plants that I ig birds of prey are always impressive, viaduct provides superb and often very lengthening and thoughts turning found. Bulbils are very easily transported none more so than the North-East’s close views of incoming kites. Gatherings W towards spring it’s heartening to in topsoil used in landscaping schemes, Breintroduced population of Red Kites. of raptors seem to attract others and discover that a few spring flowers have and also on footwear – as any gardener With wingspans of over five feet, russet Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel are already anticipated a change in the who has ever introduced lesser celandines bodies, long forked tails, grey heads and regulars. Goshawk, Peregrine and Merlin seasons. soon discovers. They spread rapidly and creamy patched wings, they have no equal have also occurred. More information is A few days ago I found several lesser turn up in unexpected places and the for lightness and flying grace. available at friendsofredkites celandines in full bloom in a car park Sunderland celandines’ bulbils had Alone among British raptors, kites outside My hope that December rarities would flower bed in Sunderland, opening their probably been introduced accidentally the breeding season are highly social birds remain into the New Year was realised starry yellow flowers at the turn of the in soil by the developers that built the and mid-winter is the best time to see with Desert Wheatears still at Bempton year. This is a flower that’s well adapted car park. them. By day they forage widely and in the and Newbiggin, Smew at Hurworth Burn to making an early start to its growing In Teesdale I recently found meadow afternoon slowly drift back to roosting and Crookfoot, Ring-necked Duck at season because it has an unusual method saxifrage, another early spring flowering sites in the Derwent Valley where birds Cowpen Bewley and Lesser Scaup at of reproduction. Soon after they’ve plant that uses bulbils to make an early were released between 2004 and 2007. Whitley Bay. finished flowering and begin producing start, coming into full leaf unusually At present over 40 gather there from Regular readers will be saddened to learn seeds, some lesser celandine plants early in the year. Unlike celandines, around 2.30pm. On fine days before that Brian Unwin, who wrote this column produce bulbils – tiny, hard structures which are common everywhere, meadow roosting they often put on superb shows for more than 20 years, lost his long battle that look like miniature, elongated saxifrage is a declining species. It produces of effortless soaring, diving and chasing with cancer last week. Brian was a founder potatoes that grow in clusters near the clusters of dainty white flowers in spring while mated pairs indulging in synchronised member of Durham Bird Club and one of base of the leaves. When the plant dies but then dies away by early summer, flying in a wonderful aerial ballet. the region’s most respected birders. I’m back in early summer the bulbils remain leaving just a cluster of bulbils to lie in The best vantage point is Nine Arches sure the thoughts of all local birders and dormant in the soil but in a mild winter wait for the return of spring weather. his friends everywhere will be with his they can burst into growth and develop viaduct, part of the Derwent Country Phil Gates Park. It is reached from Thornley wife, Jennifer, and family at this difficult into new plants, far faster than time. germinating seeds could grow. It was Woodlands Centre on the A694 between probably these that were responsible for Winlaton Mill and Rowlands Gill. The Ian Kerr