Middleham Pinconvenience to People but for Many Wild Plants in the Countryside They’Re a Essential for Survival

6 The Northern Echo Thursday, February 18, 2010 7DAYS northernecho.co.uk COUNTRY DIARY WALKS ROLONGED spells of cold winter weather may be a severe Middleham Pinconvenience to people but for many wild plants in the countryside they’re a essential for survival. Without By freezing temperatures, their seeds would not germinate. Mark Reid In late summer seeds of some wild Wath flower species – including primroses, & Bird Ridding cowslips, violets and hellebores – POINTS OF INTEREST accumulate natural chemicals that will IDDLEHAM is an prevent them from germinating during elegant town of occasional mild days in mid-winter, Georgian houses and when delicate seedlings would soon older cottages set be killed by frost. These compounds M around two old are gradually broken down by freezing market places, behind which lie the temperatures, so that the seeds are ruins of a castle with a fascinating Based on Ordnance Survey map- released from their dormancy just in history. Described as the Windsor ping © Crown copyright:AM26/09 time for the return of good growing of the North, Middleham Castle conditions in spring. This process for dates back to 1190 and has played breaking dormancy, known as an important role in the history of stratification, can be mimicked by England as this was once the keeping seeds in a fridge. About five stronghold of the powerful Neville weeks exposure to temperatures of family, Earls of Warwick, for over around four degrees centigrade is 200 years from where they ruled usually enough to break the dormancy their vast Northern estates of primroses and violets. A few virtually as a separate kingdom. species, including hellebores and the The heyday of the castle was globe flowers that grow in Teesdale during the 15th Century especially need a much longer period of chilling during the War of the Roses. and may only germinate after a second Richard Plantaganet, later the winter of low temperatures. Duke of Gloucester then Richard Seeds of some trees also need a III, grew up at the castle where he cold winter to trigger germination. Take later met his wife Lady Anne a look under sycamore or Norway Neville, the daughter of the Earl of maple trees now and you’ll find that Warwick – the Kingmaker. Their their winged seeds that blew down son Edward, Prince of Wales was from the tree have just started to born at the castle. Richard became germinate, with tiny white roots king in 1483 but was killed at the beginning to appear. These will extend Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The into the soil, anchoring the new plants, castle soon fell into disrepair and and their new shoots will begin to remained Crown property until sprout in March, as the days lengthen 1625 when passed into private and temperatures rise. These trees ownership. Much of the stonework produce a vast crop of seeds and a was plundered in the 17th Century miniature forest of seedlings will have and went to build local houses. Braithwaite Hall. After the small WALKFACTS developed by the beginning of April. wall-gate, head straight up Most will be eaten by mice, rabbits and If you visit Middleham during the alongside the wall on your right Distance: 10 km (6.25 miles) grazing animals. Only a lucky few will morning, you will most likely see heading up the rough field Time: 3 hours develop into saplings and fewer still will lines of sleek racehorses either (alongside a small gully) to reach a Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL30 survive to become mature trees. going up onto or returning from gate in a fence across your path in Phil Gates the gallops across Middleham Low follow this road up to quickly reach the field corner, after which Start/Parking: On-street parking Moor. Horse breeding and training the Swine Cross (weathered stone continue straight on across the throughout Middleham field alongside the wall on your can be traced back to the monks of animal) and Water Fountain in the Refreshments: Pubs and shops at BIRDWATCH Jervaulx Abbey; however, it was small market place known as the right gently rising up to reach a stile in the field corner that leads Middleham. No facilities en route. NLYaweek ago I bemoaned the during the 18th Century that Swine Market. Turn left along the onto a track set in a very narrow Terrain: A mixture of field paths, fact that those delightfully racehorse training began to lane to quickly reach the entrance tracks and quiet country lanes, Ocolourful wanderers, Waxwings, flourish in this area as the wide to Middleham Castle, just after field. Turn right along the track had been very scarce this winter. open spaces of Middleham High which turn right along the track through the gate immediately after with a short section through dense This column had hardly appeared and Low Moors provided the and follow this up (with the Castle which turn left to quickly reach a woodland. Many of the paths are when they began to turn up in small perfect gallops. The growth in on your right) to reach a gate at the small wall-gate that leads back out muddy underfoot and there are groups across the region although racehorse training brought top of the walled track (open field on the left-hand side of the wall. numerous stiles as well as a mainly at the time of writing north of prosperity to the town and it was ahead). After the gate, head Carry straight on alongside the number if inclines along the way. the Tyne. not long before a racecourse was straight on up across the field wall on your right across the field, How to get there: Middleham lies through a squeeze-stile in a wall But with their general habit of laid out on High Moor, with races alongside the wall on your right to along the A6108 between Masham across your path then, two-thirds of moving southwards through Britain, being held until 1873. Middleham reach a stile beside a gate in the and Leyburn gleaning berries and fruits as they go, remains a major centre for wall corner (at the top of the small the way across the next field (just Caution: Many of the paths are it seems only a matter of time before it racehorse training with over a hill), after which continue straight by the top of the narrow plantation could be the turn of birders in County dozen trainers in the town. on with the wall now on your left on your right) cross a stile to the muddy underfoot. Take care Durham, Cleveland and North gently dropping down across the right that leads down into this walking along the sections of road, Yorkshire to delight in their presence. Our walk heads south from field for 500 metres then, as you plantation. Follow the path particularly on the final approach Figures suggest that the influx so far Middleham to reach the wooded reach the top of a bank above the straight down through the middle back into Middleham. Be aware of has been fairly light rather than a gorge of the River Cover, known as River Cover and a small wooded of this dense plantation to reach a racehorses whilst walking across classic large scale invasion from Cover Banks. Indeed, the name of gully on your left (waymarker small wall-gate at the bottom of it, Middleham Low Moor. Scandinavia although the fact that this river is derived from the post), turn right across the bottom after which head straight down the groups have been recorded in over a ancient British word that means of the field to quickly join a fence middle of the field to reach a gate which follow the driveway curving dozen localities could mean that many ‘stream that flows through a deep along the top of a wooded bank on at the bottom of the field that leads gently to the right then rising up to others are still to be found. ravine’. Our route heads down to your left. Head straight on onto a road (signpost). reach Fern Gill (house) on your right. The largest groups so far involved Hullo Bridge, which spans a small alongside this fence/wooded bank Continue along the driveway (passing 28 at Ashington, 26 at Jarrow and 25 at and narrow limestone gorge, before for 400 metres to reach a stile to Turn left along the road for 200 the house on your right) rising up to Forest Hall with individuals and smaller climbing up to reach the road near your left just before the corner of 3metres then take the enclosed soon reach a fairly narrow gateway groups elsewhere. In the southern half Braithwaite Hall. This is a fine the field (and the end of the grassy path to the right (just by the (stone gateposts) that leads out onto a of the region six were at Whitby and example of a 17th Century hall, woods), which leads through the red metal gate) and follow this track along the edge of Middleham one at New Skelton. with its distinctive three gabled corner of the woods to quickly down to reach Bird Ridding Wath Low Moor. Turn right along this track In a week when new rarities were roof. The Hall retains many cross another stile that leads out (ford and footbridge) across the and follow it for 2.25 km across distinctly scarce two birds of prey from original features including wood onto a field. Follow the grassy path River Cover. After the footbridge, Middleham Low Moor (beware of the Arctic were very good finds in the panelling, fireplaces and an oak straight on heading gradually follow the enclosed path bending racehorses) and down to reach the more remote areas of Durham.

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