Mill Gill and Signal for Snails to Wake up and Slither out of Their Winter Hiding Places

6 The Northern Echo Thursday, March 11, 2010 7DAYS northernecho.co.uk COUNTRY DIARY WALKS T can’t be long now before the first Ifrost-free nights arrive, which is a Mill Gill and signal for snails to wake up and slither out of their winter hiding places. Large garden snails are the most By familiar species but the smaller white- Mark Reid lipped snail, with its distinctive Nappa banding patterns around the whorls of its shell, is also common. This is a very POINTS OF INTEREST Hall variable species, with several different APPAHall was built colour forms. Some have plain pale around 1450 by Thomas yellow shells, others have a single Metcalfe as a fortified broad dark brown band and many house or ‘pele tower’ on have variable numbers of much N 400 acres of land that narrowed bands. The reason for this had been given to his family by Sir has perplexed biologists for many Richard Scrope of Bolton Castle in years and several theories to account the 15th Century for the bravery of for the different patterns have been James Metcalfe at the battle of suggested. The proportions of the Agincourt. Mary Queen of Scots various types vary depending on reputedly stayed here for two nights habitat and some suggest that it’s all a whilst she was being held ‘captive’ question of camouflage, with narrow- at nearby Bolton Castle, and James banded types being harder to spot by the First also stayed here whilst on predators in grassy habitats, for a hunting trip in nearby Raydale. example. Others have suggested that The Metcalfes were a very it’s all down to temperature, with dark important family in Wensleydale, banded types being more abundant in holding important positions for colder habitats because they absorb generations, including High Sheriff the sun’s heat more efficiently, of Yorkshire and Master Forester of becoming active earlier in the year. It’s the forests of Wensleydale; they certainly the case that some colour even had their own chapel within forms predominate in certain habitats Askrigg church. By the end of the 2 plain yellow ones seem to be 18th Century the Hall had fallen commonest in sand dunes, for into disrepair and the power of the example. family had dwindled. After over 550 There’s scope here for a little years of Metcalfe ownership, Nappa amateur scientific research. Find a Hall was put up for sale in 2008, the thrush’s anvil stone, which it uses to first time in its history. Thankfully, smash snail shells to reach the animal Nappa Hall has been bought by inside. These are usually easy to spot, someone who cares about its history and plans to renovate and Based on Ordnance Survey mapping © thanks to piles of smashed shells Crown copyright:AM26/09 around them. Next, collect a sample of live in it. Nappa Hall is a private all the different colour forms of live residence, so please keep to the footpath through the farmyard. snails thereabouts, to find out which Straits) to a footbridge across the Turn right along the lane colour form is commonest and which 5through Nappa Scar down to THE WA LK stream just up from a small is rarest. If it turns out that live snails reach the main road, where you WALKFACTS From the Rose and Crown at waterfall. After the footbridge, with the commonest pattern are the turn left along the road (take care) 1 Bainbridge (with your back to follow the path up to the right and DISTANCE: 10 km (6.25 miles) then, after about 200 metres, take thrush’s least frequent victims, then the pub) turn left along the road then round to the left to walk on the TIME: 3–4 hours the farm lane down to the right there’s a possibility that there might be towards Askrigg and follow this right-hand side of the wooded (signpost Nappa Mill) that leads to MAPS: OS Explorer Sheet OL30 – a link between their shell colour and down out of the village to reach ravine alongside the wall on your Nappa Hall (fortified farmhouse – always take a map on your walk. visibility to bird predators. Yore Bridge across the River Ure. right up to reach the walled track of private residence). Walk past the Phil Gates Cross the bridge and continue Low Straits Lane. START/PARKING: Bainbridge hall on your left and head down the straight on up along the road village green walled track directly ahead then, at passing beneath the old railway Turn right along the track (Low BIRDWATCH the end of this walled track, turn REFRESHMENTS: Bainbridge and bridge (bridge missing) then take 3Straights Lane) and follow it for right through the gate (signpost). Worton NE of the wonderful things towards the footpath to the right through a one mile until you reach the road. Head straight on bearing slightly to Othe middle of March is the increase squeeze-stile (signpost). Head Turn right along the road and head TERRAIN: Field paths and tracks as in song from resident birds and the diagonally across the field (cutting down towards Askrigg. Just after the left down across the field, well as quiet country lanes lead to through a gate then drop down to imminent prospect of the usual handful the corner offroad) to re-join the the second stone barn on your left the wooded ravine of Mill Gill. A reach a gate beside a stone barn in of typical early migrants. road at Bowbridge. Turn right (just after the Askrigg village sign) narrow and undulating path then the bottom corner of the field that I was awakened the other morning along the road, over the bridge take the footpath to the left heads up through this wooded leads onto a farm lane beside an old by a Blackbird in full voice at the across Grange Beck after which (signpost) over a ladder stile beside ravine (muddy underfoot), with a bridge/ford. Head straight on along ungodly hour of 3.30 and I doubt if I’m take the turning to the left towards a gate. Head straight on alongside fairly steep climb up to join Low the lane (ignore the bridge/ford and the only one with that experience. Helm. Follow this road climbing up the wall on your right then, as you Straights Lane (stony track). This lane to the right) down to reach Song and Mistle thrushes, Robins, passing Gill Gate Farm on your approach the end of the field, cross track is followed down to join a road the ladder stile to the right, after Nappa Mill Farm. As you reach the Dunnocks, Chaffinches and Great and right (with Grange Beck on your above Askrigg. The remainder of which head straight on for a short buildings follow the track to the Blue tits are all singing, something that left) then, where the road bends up this walk follows field paths distance then turn left through a right of the large corrugated metal will get louder and more intense. to the left, take the rough track to (numerous stiles) as well as small wall-gate (signpost) then barn to reach a gate (signpost). Although it is still wintery, their natural the right through a gate (signpost riverside and woodland paths, with straight on across the field, keeping After the gate, head across the field clocks, triggered by increased daylight Mill Gill). After the gate, head some road walking around Nappa straight on along the rough track close to the wall on your left, to to a footbridge, after which bear left don’t seem to have suffered from the reach a gate in the top left-hand through a squeeze-stile then left Scar and Worton. There is a short worst winter for many years. (keeping close to the wall on your but quite steep climb up through right) across two fields then, as you corner of the field that leads onto a over another footbridge and follow As for migrants, it will be fascinating walled path. Follow this walled path the riverside path on to reach a woodland onto Worton Scar. to see if the usual species turn up on approach the end of the second field (with the woodland ahead of you) straight on, which soon becomes an wall-gate that leads onto the road. HOW TO GET THERE: Bainbridge the kind of dates we have experienced enclosed track which you follow Turn left along the road to reach lies along the A684 in Upper in recent years. bear offthe track to the left heading straight on to quickly round over a bridge across Worton Bridge. Follow the road Wensleydale. Because a few tough little Chiffchaffs across Worton Bridge then climbing reach a small wall-gate that leads Newbiggin Beck to emerge in the CAUTION: The path up through remain with us in winter their presence centre of Newbiggin. up a steep bank into Worton. As you can obscure the arrival date of true into woodland and a crossroads of Mill Gill is narrow, rough and path. Mill Gill Force short detour enter the village at the top of the migrants from the Mediterranean and muddy underfoot with steep drops ahead – slippery path. Head straight across the small bank, bear to the right along the North Africa. In my own area there was 4village green along the lane road to reach the main A684 beside to the side of the path in places. The a sudden increase last year from passing between the houses the red ‘phone box.

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