6 The Northern Echo Thursday, May 13, 2010 7DAYS northernecho.co.uk COUNTRY DIARY WALKS ADYBIRD beetles are famous for their bright colours, but L there are two other beetle species that are found at this time of year whose colour schemes are even By Mark Reid more vibrant. Tiger beetles, which are quite common on sandy moorland WALKFACTS soils and on the soft, crumbling HERE are 42 mountains magnesian limestone cliffs of the Distance: 13 km (eight miles) Durham coast, are instantly and fells in the identifiable by their brilliant green Dales with a Time: four to five hours colour, overlaid with ever-shifting T height of 600 metres of Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL30 patterns of iridescent purple when more, and a relative Start/parking: Large pay and the sunlight strikes their shiny bodies. height of more than 20 metres. display car park at Buckden. Their movements are distinctive too, Here is the third of the rapidly running over the soil surface “northern and central” Yorkshire Refreshments: Pubs at Buckden and often taking to the air for short Dales – Buckden Pike (702m), and . flights when they’re disturbed. These which is also the lowest of the Terrain: A stony track climbs insects are ferocious hunters, running seven fells in the out of Buckden before a rough, down their prey and impaling it on above 700 metres. grassy path climbs steadily up needle-sharp jaws. When my The summit of Buckden Pike onto Buckden Pike, with a short daughter was a child she made the offers far-reaching views across the but steep final climb to the mistake of catching one of these Pennine hills, with massive summit. The walk across the jewel-like beetles in her cupped shoulders of moorland gently broad summit ridge heads over hands and instantly regretted it when rising and falling away into the boggy ground to join Walden it sunk its jaws into her finger. These distance and Pen-y-Ghent and Road (bridleway). This grassy beetles are small – less than an inch clearly visible. path then leads steadily down long. The jaws of tiger beetle larvae, A short distance to the south all the way to Starbotton, with that live in vertical shafts in sandy some steep sections, soil, are equally impressive and are from the main summit trig point along the broad summit ridge is a particularly the final descent held level with the soil surface, ready into Starbotton. From to snap shut on any small insect that memorial cross erected in memory Starbotton, the route follows the blunders too close to the burrow. of the five Polish crew of an RAF riverside path all the way back Wasp beetles that are found in plane that crashed in a snowstorm to Buckden. woodland look dangerous because in January 1942. their black and yellow colour scheme There was one survivor, who How to get there: Buckden is on mimics a wasp – and their jerky followed the footprints of a fox in the B6160 at the head of movements and constantly quivering the snow which eventually led him , between Aysgarth antennae add to the general air of down to the White Lion at Cray and . menace that surrounds them – but and safety. A bronze head of a fox Open access: The section from they are completely harmless. Their peeps out from the base of the Buckden Pike to Walden Road defence depends on bluff. They feed cross, the lone survivor’s personal crosses open access land. See on nectar and are often seen on the tribute to the fox that led him to local signs for information or flower heads of cow parsley. Their safety. visit openaccess.gov. uk larvae feed by tunnelling through From the memorial cross, our rooting wood – such a poor diet that route continues along the ridge to Caution: This is a strenuous it takes them over two years to soon reach the old “road” across walk to the summit of Buckden become fully fed. the fells between Wharfedale and Pike (702 metres). The walk Based on Ordnance Phil Gates Walden, which offers a wonderful across the summit ridge Survey mapping © descent back into Wharfedale with between Buckden Pike and Crown copyright: BIRDWATCH superb views across the dramatic Walden Road heads across AM26/09 side-valley of Cam Gill Beck. exposed moorland that is boggy underfoot. The walk includes a OOD sandpiper is another number of steep sections. Map, Head through the gate and follow Buckden”). Follow this path down migrant on extended show Leave Buckden along the stony the clear grassy path straight on, to reach a large footbridge across W 1track at the top end of the car compass and hill-walking gear because of the near-wintry are essential. heading across the steep hillside, the . After the conditions.Most years, a few rest on park (signposted “Buckden Pike with the deep side-valley of Cam footbridge, turn right (signposted our wetlands for a day or two, but and Cray High Bridge”). Gill Beck falling away to your left. “Buckden”) along the riverside this spring the number is above Follow this clear track (Buckden path to reach the trig point on the Follow the path, dropping very path to soon reach a small average and they’re lingering longer. Rake) climbing quite steeply up summit of Buckden Pike. gently down for 400 metres to join a footbridge over the side-stream of through Rakes Wood for 1km up to Fosse Gill. Numbers at individual locations have As you reach the trig point, wall on your right, where you reach a gate in a wall across your continue straight on to soon reach After the footbridge, continue been small –no more than three at 2 carry straight on alongside the path at the top of the climb, after a gateway in another wall across straight on along the riverside path both Bothal Pond, west of Ashington, wall on your left (signposted which the track levels out for a your path. across two more fields to reach a Northumberland, and Pulfin and “Suggested route to war short distance (wall on your left). Head through this gateway and wall-gate beside a gate in the field High Eske reserve, near Beverley, memorial”) to soon reach a ladder It gently rises up and, where the follow the clear path straight on, corner (river bends away to the East Yorkshire. But an impressive stile over a wall across your path. total has built up with one or two track divides, head straight on with the wall now on your left right). Head through the gate and along the left-hand track, with the Cross the ladder stile and carry reported from nine other locations then, after 400 metres, the path follow the clear path straight wall on your left, and through straight on alongside the wall on between Tyne and Humber. On joins a clearer, but rough, track at a alongside the wall on your left another gate. Immediately after your left heading across the top of signpost. Continue straight on heading across flat pastures (path Tuesday, more were in at least ten this gate turn right (signposted the broad moorland ridge for three- along this rough track, with the enclosed by walls on both sides in other counties farther south and “Buckden Pike”) and follow the quarters of a kilometre to reach a wall still on your left, for a further places) for 1.5 km all the way to west. After overwintering in central clear, grassy path heading up wall across your path and a ladder 400 metres to reach a gateway in a join a clear track along the foot of Africa, these elegant waders are alongside the wall on your right for stile to your left, with the war wall across your path at a junction the steep wooded hillside (Birks bound for nesting grounds in Arctic 100 metres, then follow the path memorial just across the wall. of walls. Wood), marked by a signpost for latitudes, their summer range bearing to the left up across the Cross the ladder stile, with the Head through this gateway and “”. stretching to the tops of Norway, field to reach a gate in a wall on the war memorial just in front of you follow the track straight on across Follow this track straight on Sweden, Finland and Russia. So opposite side (National Trust sign and turn right alongside the wall the field to soon reach a gate in a through the woodland, passing a hanging on in the North-East makes for “Upper Wharfedale”). on your right and follow this wall, fence/wall, after which follow the large stone barn on your left, 150 sense; if the temperature is below After the gate, continue straight gently dropping down across boggy clear track straight on alongside metres after which follow the path zero overnight here, what must on along the grassy path, ground for 400 metres to reach the the wall on your right, with the bearing offthe track to the right conditions be like there? gradually bearing up across the “Walden Road” bridleway across valley of Cam Gill Beck falling (signpost) down through a wall- Also delayed this week were 12 gently shelving rough hillside and your path beside a bridlegate in the away to your left, gently dropping gate. dotterel – possibly making for through a gateway in a wall, after wall on your right, just before the for three-quarters of a kilometre, After the wall-gate, turn right Norway – near Malham Tarn, in the which continue along the clear wall bends sharp right. before the track curves round and down to quickly reach the end of Yorkshire Dales, while the target rough path slanting up across the Turn right through this down to the left, heading steeply the small section of wall, where destination of a curlew sandpiper on hillside through another gateway 3bridlegate and walk straight on down towards Starbotton before a you bear right to quickly reach the floodwater at Port Clarence, in a wall below a line of limestone alongside the wall on your left for final steep descent along an field boundary on your right with Teesmouth, is Arctic eastern Siberia. crags. 300 metres to reach a broken wall enclosed track into Starbotton. the River Wharfe just beyond. Head The pectoral sandpiper at nearby After this gateway, continue across your path (where the wall As you reach the outskirts of straight on along this clear Saltholme reserve may also be along the path, climbing gradually on your left bends away). Starbotton at the bottom of the riverside path heading across the heading there or northern Canada. up across the hillside passing After that, carry straight on steep hill you join a lane across top of a levee (River Wharfe on The weather has slowed the red- below these limestone outcrops to along the clear grassy path, your path just above Cam Gill your right) for three-quarters of a rumped swallow influx. The only new reach another gateway, after which passing a ruinous enclosure on Beck, where you turn left to milometre, to join a road beside reports involve two in the Wawne- continue along the grassy path your right, and the start of the quickly reach a bridge across the Buckden Bridge. Turn right over Weel area, near Beverley, up to bearing up across the hillside to descent back into Wharfedale. stream, immediately after which the bridge back up into Buckden. Saturday.A honey buzzard over the reach a gate in a wall. Starbotton comes into view far turn right along the lane down to A19 at the Leven Valley viaduct, Head through the gate and walk below at the foot of the steep-sided reach the main road through the Mark Reid south-east of Yarm, on Tuesday is straight on up through a shallow side-valley of Cam Gill Beck. village beside the Fox and Hounds Author of The Inn Way series of the region’s top individual raptor “saddle”, after which follow the The descent is steep at first but, pub. guidebooks –innway. co.uk report of the week. However, marsh rough, boggy path bearing after about 300 metres, the path Turn left along the road, taking gradually to the left up across the levels out temporarily as you reach ■ While every effort is made to harrier wins the numerical prize, with 4 care, and follow this through ensure that walks are accessible and up to four at Dorman’s Pool, rough, undulating hillside to join a a shelf of land. However, you soon the village. Then, as you reach the are rights of way, The Northern Echo Teesmouth, on Monday and three at wall on your left (signpost) and a reach steep ground again at the last house on your left on the edge cannot guarantee that fields, paths or Spurn on Tuesday plus one or two much clearer path. very head of Cam Gill Beck, where of the village, just before the pubs will be open. If you are walking reported from six other places. Follow this clear path up you follow the path bearing down National speed limit signs, turn in the countryside, please remember Brian Unwin alongside the wall on your left, to the right to soon reach a gate in right along an enclosed path the Country Code. climbing steeply up a pitched-stone a wall. (signposted “A rncliffe, Kettlewell, northernecho.co.uk/leisure/walks