THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017 The Northern Echo 39 Walks what’son Walks Nether Silton and

existing religious site. Inside its on through the forest (keeping Walk information candlelit interior you will find a fairly close to the bottom edge of Norman font, fine zig-zag Norman the forest for most of the way) for Distance: 5.6 km (3.5 miles) stonework above the doorway and a 1.25 km to eventually reach the end Time: 2 hours stone-flagged chancel roof believed of the track (with a blue and yellow to be unique in . This waymarker on the left-hand side of Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL26 - roof is supported by 15th Century the path), with the road just ahead always take a map on your walk oak beams from old sailing ships to your right. At this waymarker, Start / Parking: On-street parking brought here from the shipyards follow the path down to the right throughout Nether Silton of Hartlepool many centuries ago. to quickly reach a bridlegate in a Refreshments: Gold Cup Inn at The small bell that hangs in the fence on the edge of the forest that Nether Silton tiny bell cote is said to have come leads out onto a field. Head to the left down across the field to reach a Terrain: Fields, farm tracks, from nearby Mount Grace Priory. It gate that leads onto a road. country lanes and forest tracks, really is a spiritual place. some of which are very muddy Just to the west lies Over Silton, underfoot. A couple of stiles. a lovely quiet village with old Turn left along the road and How to get there: Nether Silton cottages, from where a track 4follow it climbing up (take care) lies just to the east of the A19 leads up through Silton Forest to back into Over Silton. Follow the between and Osmotherley. emerge below the natural outcrop road bending round to the right known as the Hanging Stone, set towards ‘Nether Silton, , Caution: Take care walking along on a promontory of land. From just Borrowby’ and passing the the roads. The forest tracks are below the Hanging Stone, there Borrowby turning and continue very muddy – good walking boots or are far-reaching views northwards along the road through the village wellies recommended. towards Osmotherley set beneath then, at the end of the village, Beacon Hill, with the flat Cleveland follow the road bending sharp right Points of interest Plain stretching away into the then, where the road bends round distance. The return track leads to the left, head straight on off WALK around the ‘Siltons’ back through the forest along a very this bend through a red metal gate has featured in this column a muddy track to Over Silton, from (signpost ‘bridleway’). After the Acouple of times before, most where an old bridleway leads down gate, walk straight on across the recently back in 2014. I love this across rough pastureland to reach a rough field alongside the hedge/ part of the world, with its beautiful hidden ford across Penny Beck set just as you enter the woodland (and fence on your right (field gradually villages, ancient churches and in a small wooded valley. the lane bends to the right), take gets narrower), to reach a gate at the escarpment of the Hambleton At the road, head along the the end of the narrow field (set 2track opposite (slightly to the the rough bridleway up to the left Hills rising up as a backdrop. This into woodland (signpost). amongst hawthorns). After the walk starts from Nether Silton, The walk right) that leads over a stile beside gate, head to the left down over an attractive village with a large a gate (ignore the path to the left) a ford across Penny Beck then sloping village green and country then head up the field alongside Follow this sunken path follow the rough track bending pub. From Nether Silton, a path From the Gold Cup Inn at Nether the hedge on your right to reach St 3climbing quite steeply up – it to the right and rising up (Penny leads across a couple of fields to 1Silton (with your back to the Mary’s Church on your right (in the soon levels out and leads on, Beck down to your right) to reach reach St Mary’s Church, which is pub and facing the village green) middle of the field). As you reach keeping close to the edge of the Greystone Farm. Head straight situated on its own in the middle turn left along the road through the gate in the wall that leads into forest on your left, for 200 metres on passing through the red metal of a field. I was hoping that the the village passing the church on the churchyard (church on your to join a clear muddy forestry gate between the stone barns that churchyard would have some early your right then, as you reach the right), turn sharp left across the track. Follow this track straight leads into the farmyard where you snowdrops, but alas I am still a end of the churchyard after a short field (after visiting the church), on heading through the forest carry straight on along the farm couple of weeks early (although I distance, turn left through a small across the middle of the field and – the track is level for the first track (leaving the farm behind) and did see some in Gargrave recently). white gate immediately after the up through the slight ‘dip’ in the 300 metres or so and then drops follow this to reach a road on the This wonderful old church that Old Post Office on your left with low embankment then straight steadily down for a further 225 outskirts of Nether Silton. Turn dates back to at least the 12th its small post-box set into the wall. on across the field to reach a red metres before levelling out. Carry left along the road back into Nether Century, although it stands on Follow the enclosed path straight metal gate at the far end of the straight on along this track for 175 Silton. a much older Saxon religious on between the houses to soon field that leads onto the road on the metres through more open forest site. But why was this church reach a stile that leads out onto outskirts of Over Silton. Follow (good views ahead) then follow the built away from its neighbouring fields (leaving the village behind). the road straight on through the track curving slightly round to Mark Reid villages? Perhaps it was built to Carry straight on across the field village passing the turning to the right (with the Hanging Stone Walking Weekends 2017 serve the surrounding villages, or alongside the hedge on your right ‘Borrowby’ just after which follow outcrop up to your right) for 250 Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, perhaps the original village stood then, as you reach the end of the the road bending round to the metres to reach a junction with Lake District & Snowdonia around the church, as there are field, bear very slightly left to right then take the turning to the another (rougher) track coming walkingweekenders.co.uk certainly lots of embankments reach a stile across your path at right ‘No Through Road’ (signpost in from your left, marked by a Unique corporate activity days, nearby that could possibly mark the end of the field. Cross this stile ‘Thimbleby’). Follow this road up to blue waymarker post. Turn left navigation skills and team building the foundations of medieval then walk straight on alongside reach the last house on your right (waymarker) back on yourself experiences in the great outdoors. farms. Or maybe the Normans the hedge on your right across two (North Cottage) where you follow along this level track and follow teamwalking.co.uk simply built their church on the more fields to join a road. the lane ahead for 50 metres then, this clear but muddy track straight

Birdwatch By Ian Kerr

WO extremely rare species, for detailed views that the ever come across a super rarity The first British record been recorded in Britain after one recorded only seven realisation dawned that it was which was more accessible and involved a juvenile at Farnham from moving westwards from T times previously in something very special. showing so well just 50 yards gravel pits near Knaresborough breeding grounds in Siberia. Britain, have turned up to really The bird moved on Saturday from a public car park. No in January 2007. Since then The latest has been delighting enliven the region’s mid-winter to nearby Ladyburn Lake wonder it has proved so popular six others have occurred, most watchers at Dunnington, North birding scene over the past at Druridge Bay Country with folk anxious to get it on regularly off Cornwall. The Yorkshire, where it has been week. Park where it has remained, their British lists. Yorkshire bird, like that at present in the Intake Lane area The most spectacular is a giving incredible close views Pacific divers breed across Druridge Bay, was first thought since last Friday. There are juvenile Pacific diver, closely to hundreds of birders from the Arctic regions of North to be a black-throated diver. It’s previous regional records from related to black throated divers, throughout the country. When America and along a narrow highly likely that others, which Filey, Bempton, Flamborough regular but uncommon visitors I saw it on Saturday it was coastal strip of Siberia. They have not been close enough and Knaresborough and also to our coastline. In fact, for diving and feeding just 25 yards winter along the Pacific coast for scrutiny of the subtle from Northumberland. The sole three days after it arrived at out, seemingly oblivious to the from Alaska to Mexico. Others plumage differences, have been Durham record involved a bird Chevington North Pool on sounds of appreciation from frequent waters off Japan and overlooked. found feeding with a group of Druridge Bay it was reported watchers and the clicking and China. Birds which reaches The second rarity is a well- yellowhammers in a garden at as being a black-throated bird. whirring of cameras. Since Britain are therefore thousands marked male pine bunting, a Langley Moor in March 1998. It was only when it approached then it has, on occasion, been of miles outside the normal species at the other end of the Sadly, it was later killed when it close enough last Friday even closer. I don’t think I’ve range. size scale. Around 50 have so far flew into a window.