THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016 The Northern Echo 39 Walks what’son Walks Moor and Lonsdale

to reach an ancient crossroads of Walk information tracks at Percy Cross. This cross originally stood on the nearby Distance: 6.7 km (4.2 miles) Bronze Age burial mound beside Time: 2 - 3 hours this junction of tracks but has long since vanished. This cross was used Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL26 as an ancient waymarker along this ‘ Western area’ – once important route across the always take a map moors to Guisborough. From Percy Start / Parking: Roadside parking Cross, our route follows a moorland at Gribdale Gate (NZ 593 109); do not track skirting the head of Lonsdale leave valuables in your car. back to Gribdale Gate. Refreshments: None en route – take a packed lunch. Terrain:Moorland tracks and The walk paths all the way, with a small ford to cross. Some sections of this walk From Gribdale Gate parking are muddy and rough underfoot. 1area, walk down along the road Great Ayton Moor is exposed to the (away from the cattle grid, with the elements. parking area on your right) then, How to get there: Gribdale Gate after 75 metres, take the Cleveland parking area lies to the east of Way footpath (signpost ‘Cleveland Great Ayton along a narrow lane Way, ) up the – follow the signs to Great Ayton steps to the left (ignore rough railway station then continue up track). Follow this path straight along the road to the top of the hill on rising steeply up the steps at (forest on your right). first then, at the top of the steep Caution: Some short but steep bank, continue straight on along sections. Moorland terrain the clear path with a wall on your throughout. Small ford to cross, left. Follow this clear track straight which may be difficult after rain. on alongside the wall and then a Due to a closed road, the final plantation on your left (Great Ayton section of this walk (Point 3 Moor stretching away to your right) onwards) has been taken from my to reach the end of the plantation archives; OS map and compass after 650 metres. Continue straight essential. on along the track still with the wall on your left (Roseberry Topping across to your left) for a to reach a T-junction of tracks. Points of interest further 650 metres to reach a slight Turn right through a gate (blue ‘dip’ (National Trust ‘Newton Moor’ waymarkers) and then a vehicle sign) where you continue on along barrier (‘SSSI Moorland’ sign) HE North York Moors the clear track for a further 550 and follow the clear track heading is renowned for its vast metres (still with the wall on your across the moorland, rising up at swathes of heather left) to reach a gate in a wall across first then heading gradually down, moorland, and Great your path (4-finger signpost). for a total of 1.5 km to reach a T junction of tracks and a gate at the Ayton Moor is one of the finest. This swathe of heather top of a tarmac lane (Percy Cross). the valley falling away to your curving round to the right, slanting moorland rising up to a modest Do NOT head through this gate right). Cross the ford and continue down the hillside back to reach the 318 metres above sea level, but is 2but turn sharp right (Cleveland straight on along the moorland road at Gribdale Gate. Do NOT head through the surrounded by amazing landscape Way, blue waymarker) along a track (heading across Great Ayton broad grassy path heading across 3gate but turn right (back on Mark Reid features and superlative views, Moor) gradually bearing to the including Roseberry Topping, the middle of the moorland (ignore yourself slightly) just before the Walking Weekends 2016 left for 650 metres to reach a sharp Captain Cook’s Monument (on path alongside the wall). Follow gate along the rough moorland Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, left bend and a junction of tracks. Easby Moor to the south), the this path straight on for 450 metres track (signpost). Follow this track Lake District & Snowdonia and Teesside. to reach a gate with a clear track straight on across the moorland At this track junction, follow the walkingweekenders.co.uk clear track to the left then, after The hidden valley of Lonsdale is immediately beyond the gate (blue skirting around the head of the Unique corporate activity days, a short distance, bending sharp a particular delight. Our route waymarker). Turn right along the valley of Lonsdale (falling away navigation skills and team building follows a long stretch of the track and follow it on, with felled to your left) for 1 km to reach a right, heading down the hillside. experiences in the great outdoors. Cleveland Way, before we head forest on your left and Great Ayton small ford across Lonsdale Beck Follow the track down the hillside teamwalking.co.uk down along an old moorland track Moor on your right, for 550 metres at the head of Lonsdale (with for 175 metres then follow the track

Birdwatch By Ian Kerr

HE adaptability of birds to by research scientist Dr Derek There are also great benefits from bridge over the Tyne. Apart from pipit was around the North Gare. exploit new breeding sites Radcliffe when he was able to nesting in more urban areas, not those I haven’t heard of any A drake green-winged teal from T has been highlighted by the cite only eight cases of pairs least a lack of illegal persecution others although several pairs are North America was at Saltholme latest analysis of data collected as using human sites. That rose and an almost inexhaustible now using quarry sites in County and a bittern and a Slavonian part of a national census of our to around 20 by 1993 when he supply of feral pigeons, starlings Durham. Regrettably they remain grebe were at Nosterfield. A late supreme predator, the peregrine. updated his book. Now the latest and other common prey species. absent from eminently suitable sooty shearwater flew north at national survey has shown that Also, they may be forced to use habitats in the North Pennines This reveals a huge change Whitburn. of a national population of these new places because of the with human interference usually from tradition cliff ledge around 1700 pairs at least 160 were lack of suitable natural sites in being suspected on the occasions nesting in favour of man-made recorded as using artificial sites. lowland areas. they try to move in. structures. Almost ten percent of The survey also showed a decline The use of these man-made Among smaller species, the population is now using tall in pairs in traditional northern buildings including churches, sites does not seem to have really waxwings continue to be and western upland sites with a taken off in our region as it widespread with up to 60 around blocks of flats, offices, factories as major shift to lowland localities has elsewhere, even in central Billingham and smaller groups well as bridges, chimneys, pylons where the use of human sites London. Peregrines nest regularly at Hetton Lyons Country Park, and ledges created by quarrying. comes in. on one industrial plant on the Cargo Fleet and Helmsley. The The definitive work on the I suppose that to a pair of Tees and in both 2014 and 2015 a striking eastern black redstart peregrine, the fastest creature peregrines a man-made ledge pair attempted unsuccessful to went into its second month at on earth, was published in 1980 is little different to a cliff site. breed on the King Edward railway Skinningrove and a late Richard’s