LEVEN WALKING CLUB - WALKS REPORT

By Bogtrotter

LIFE BEFORE LOCKDOWN There are two Club walks to report on from earlier in the year, before we were all instructed to STAY HOME due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Sunday Feb 16th - to Londesborough (11 miles) After the previous Sunday walk (Feb 9th) was cancelled due to Storm Ciara, today's walk from Market Weighton was threatened by Storm Dennis! However the decision was made to go ahead, with some possible changes to the route, particularly avoiding the low level route back via Towthorpe and the 'Clay Fields'. Despite the grim forecast, twelve walkers met at Market Weighton and we set off at 10am, led by Joyce Davidson, and headed towards Goodmanham. The weather was better than forecast - it was very windy but with only a few short squally showers. We took a coffee stop at Towthorpe picnic site and then continued on the Wolds Way across a 'squelchy' Londesborough Park into the village where it was 'Snowdrop Sunday'. As it was not yet lunchtime when we arrived in Londesborough and the weather was looking ok, we decided to continue with the Cleaving Coombe loop, taking us to about 450ft above sea level. Here there are great views towards York…. on a good day! Back in Londesborough at about 12.45pm we ventured into grounds of the former hall to find a sheltered lunch spot and to see the display of snowdrops, which were sadly just past their best. Our return took us back across the park onto Easthorpe Lane where we rejoined the Wolds Way to Goodmanham. From there we retraced our steps along the 'Rail Trail' with the sun in our eyes, into Market Weighton. Amazingly we ended up walking just over eleven miles, two more than on the programme, as a result of keep to the higher ground to avoid flooded fields! Afterwards some of us visited the Fiddle Drill Tearoom in Goodmanham to end a good day with tea and cakes.

Feb 16th - Snowdrops at Londesborough

Sunday March 15th - Wharram Percy & North Grimston (8 miles) Into March and the weather was still serving up a familiar mix of wind and rain. Despite this, seventeen walkers (including two newcomers) gathered at Wharram Percy car park. Setting off at 10.00am we initially faced a tricky slippery descent following the overnight rain. Then the long-closed Malton railway track provided level going for the walkers, albeit with a lot of standing water, as far as the site of Wharram station. Although there was no more rain, it was still very windy, so from here we opted for a more sheltered route by continuing along the old track-bed to North Grimston rather than following the Luddith Road over Grimston Brow. This section of the old railway is not a right-of-way but seemed well-used by walkers and horse-riders. At North Grimston we passed the old railway station and turned into the village, passing the Church and the Middleton Arms pub. From North Grimston we followed the farm road towards Woodhouse Farm until we encountered our old friend the Wolds Way, which we would follow all the way back to the car park. First though, there was a slippery descent (where one of us came to grief!) to the footbridge over Whitestone Beck. Then came a steep and muddy climb - two steps forward then one back - up the other side to the shelter of some barns for our lunch stop. After lunch it was all straightforward through Wharram-le-Street, with a detour to see the historic St Mary's church, and along the road past Bella Farm to our cars, for a fairly early finish to our walk. Keeping to the old railway had shortened the walk to about 8 miles, and also eliminated one of the hills. I suppose this compensated for last month's walk being longer than advertised! An early return to Leven saw some of us visit the New Inn for drinks - little did we know then that we wouldn't be walking or drinking together again for quite a while!

March 15th - Walking towards Woodhouse Farm

LIFE DURING LOCKDOWN So the imposed 'lockdown' dragged on into summer. Fortunately the weather was generally kind to us and many have been walking locally for 'exercise', either individually or with family members. With the gradual relaxing of the restrictions, some Club members have arranged walks in groups of up to six, individually maintain 'social distancing' of course. Walks on the Wolds have proved popular and, slightly further afield, on the Yorkshire Moors around Levisham and Goathland, and on the coast near Ravenscar .

Locally the walk has been lovely in Spring and early Summer. Many butterflies (peacock, orange tip, holly blue) and birds (reed bunting, goldfinch, ducks, swans, geese, heron, lapwing) could be seen or heard (cuckoo) in the spring sunshine. A good 9 mile walk is to head down the canal to the . Turn left along the river bank and complete a loop of the lake past Pulfin Bog near High Eske (look out for cormorants, geese, grebes, and egrets) and then back alongside the canal. The return can be varied by cutting along the track (not a public right-of-way) by the wetlands to the airfield. Continue along the lane to pass the beautifully renovated manor house at Hall Garth, visit St Faith's graveyard and come back into Leven along West Street.

Leven Canal and Hall Farm Wind Turbines

I've noticed that as 'lockdown' restrictions have been relaxed, along with the generally fine weather, a lot more people have been out walking in the countryside. I have done several walks on the Yorkshire Wolds in recent weeks and have noticed that popular locations like Millington, Huggate and Thixendale were becoming grid-locked with parked cars because, unless you are a couple, you must still travel individually.

With not having to plan or lead Club walks, I occasionally try to venture somewhere a little different. For 21st June, I planned a walk from Sancton going the 'back way' to the rhododendron woods on Houghton Moor. After skirting round near Houghton Hall and onto new ground (for me) past Castle Farm, I was surprised to meet several groups of people walking towards me. At the hamlet of North Cliffe I came across many cars parked on the green, something that wasn't appreciated by the residents, going by the hand- written signs! Later on, in Houghton Woods, I met the same folk as earlier. "Is this the way back to North Cliffe?" I was asked a couple of times! Later, I discovered the walk had been publicised by the Hull Daily Mail as 'East Yorkshire's best-kept floral secret'. By the way, the rhododendrons were past their best by the 21st June!

The Yorkshire Wolds near Huggate

A week earlier I was taking a break on a walk from Huggate, when two ladies, walking dogs, appeared. "Which is the way to Thixendale?" they asked. I pointed them in the right direction. It was about 3 miles to Thixendale, but where had they come from, and would they find their way back? Then another group of walkers appeared "Is this the right way to Fridaythorpe?" I was asked. "Straight on, then first right to Wold Farm" I replied. Then a middle-aged couple appeared "Are you lost?" I asked. "No, we do a lot of walking around here. Why?" was their reply. "It's because everyone else who has come past has asked for directions!" We laughed about this and then went our separate ways. By the way, I wasn't lost either.

The moral of these stories is that if you're out walking in the countryside go properly equipped, and that includes having a decent map like the relevant OS Landranger or Explorer, or a Mapping App on your Smartphone (although this can let you down due to a poor signal or low battery)

For updates & photo blogs please visit my Dales Trails website: www.dalestrails.co.uk The & Leven Walks programme has been suspended until further notice

STAY ELERT, STAY SAFE