THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014 The Northern Echo 35 Walks what’son Walks The chalk valleys of Thixendale

through and make for very easy at the signpost back on yourself and Walk information walking, a legacy of the days when follow the clear track slanting up the Distance: 8.8 km/5.5 miles these valleys were open sheep walks. steep valley side (with the valley you Time: 3 hours The word ‘wold’ incidentally means have just walked up down to your left) Maps: OS Explorer sheets – always ‘high, open ground’. then, as you reach the top of the climb, carry a map with you The village of Thixendale lies at the follow the track bending to the right to a gate, after which carry straight Parking: On-street parking very heart of the Wolds. It is said that the name of this village on along the clear track to soon reach throughout Thixendale – please park a road, opposite Gill’s Farm (screened considerately. means ‘sixteen valleys’, although it is most probably derived from a Danish by trees). Refreshments: Pub and shop at personal name ‘sigsteinn’ and ‘dahlr’ 2. Cross over the road and take the Thixendale for valley. Our route heads through bridleway opposite through the gate Terrain: Grassy valleys and country Thixendale, Brubber Dale and Water (signpost Fridaythorpe, Wolds Way), lanes, with a couple of short but quite Dale, and passes the sculpture ‘Waves and walk straight on along the edge steep inclines. The path through and Time’ at the head of Thixendale, of the field alongside the hedge/fence Brubber Dale heads across Open designed by artist Chris Drury as on your right (passing the buildings Access land – please observe signs and part of a series of artworks along the of Gill’s Farm) to join a clear track notices. Wolds Way. just beyond the buildings. Follow this track straight on then, as you How to get there: Thixendale lies reach the end of the field, follow the along a minor road to the north of the The walk track bending sharp left then, after A166 at Garrowby Hill (to the east of 1. From the village hall in the centre a few paces, head sharp right at the Stamford Bridge) of Thixendale (with your back to the village hall), turn right down along fork (waymarkers). Follow the track Caution: Take care walking along the the main road through the village heading down alongside the hedge on roads. Be aware of horses and (ignore the turning to the left towards your left to reach a gate and kissing- livestock. the pub) to reach a T-junction at the gate at the end of the track (signpost bottom of the village. Turn right Wolds Way). Head through the gate and Points of interest (signpost Way) and follow the grassy path heading down THE Yorkshire Wolds form an area follow this road straight on, ignoring the shallow grassy side-valley to reach of rolling hills and deep dry valleys the two turnings up to your left in a gate that leads out onto the bottom in the , quick succession (signpost Wolds of the broad grassy valley of Brubber sandwiched between the Humber Way) Continue along this road along Dale (Wolds Way acorn sign ‘Filey and the North Moors. The the valley bottom of Thixendale for 39, Hessle 40’). Head through the gate underlying rock is chalk, a pure 600 metres then, just before the road and turn immediately left, alongside form of limestone that was laid down begins to gently rise up (with the the fence on your left, heading down in a tropical sea as algae some 100 side-valley of Long Dale coming in through Brubber Dale (Open Access million years ago. This chalk is the Land) to soon reach a gate in a fence from your right), turn left along a clear ahead that leads out onto a field on (signpost). Cross the stile (ignore the most northerly to be found in this across your path. Head through the track (signpost ‘Wolds Way’), following the left-hand side of the fence. Walk track just beyond the stile) and follow country, and forms part of a huge gate and follow the grassy valley floor the curve of Thixendale to your left. straight on alongside the fence on the path straight on heading down area of chalk that stretches down the of Brubber Dale heading down through Follow this track straight on for 100 your right for 30 metres to join a clear through Water Dale to eventually east of from the White Cliffs this glorious chalk grassy valley for 1 metres to reach a gate in a fence, after track again, on the brow of the steep pass between the cricket ground and of Dover and South Downs to the km to eventually reach a road – as you which carry straight on along the clear valley slope overlooking Water Dale sports pavilion to reach a gate that Yorkshire Wolds and Flamborough approach the road, bear right to pick path heading up through Thixendale (telegraph pole). Follow this track leads onto a lane. Follow this lane Head. It is this rock that gives this up a track that leads through leads along the foot of the steep valley slope to the left slanting down across the straight on passing the Cross Keys area its unique landscapes. Carved through a gate onto the road. on your left (and a fence on your right) hillside all the way to join the road pub back into Thixendale. out by glacial meltwaters some 12,000 for 500 metres to reach a gate across 3. Turn left along the road and follow along the bottom of Water Dale. years ago, the wolds form a plateau your path. Head through the gate it rising up for 950 metres then, just 4. Turn left along the road for 225 of modestly high ground dissected by and continue along the grassy path before the road bends slightly left metres then take the track to the right countless deep and steep-sided dry, heading up along the floor of beautiful (and before you reach Gritt’s Farm), Mark Reid (signpost), just beyond the bird pens. grassy valleys; and these valleys are Thixendale for a further 500 metres take the turning to the right (Dead Walking Weekends 2014 Follow this track straight on to soon supremely beautiful and a delight alongside the hedge/fence to reach End sign) and follow this lane straight Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, reach a fork in the track – follow the to walk through. Here you will find another gate, after which continue on for 750 metres to reach Paradise Lake District & Snowdonia left-hand track rising up for a short an abundance of wild flowers in the along the path up through Thixendale Cottages (cottages and barns). Just walkingweekenders.co.uk distance then, as you begin to rise up alkaline soils, lush grasslands and for 450 metres, following the valley after you have passed the cottages on the bank, take the narrow, indistinct Unique corporate activity days, pretty villages, all tucked away in curving round to reach a junction your left (by the wooden barn on your path to the left heading almost navigation skills and team building a maze of sinuous valleys. As the of paths (and dales) at the swirling left, where the track bends sharp right along the bottom of the bank for 150 experiences in the great outdoors. valley floors are flat and grassy, free earthwork sculpture of ‘Waves and towards some barns) head straight metres to reach a stile over a fence teamwalking.co.uk of water, they are a pleasure to walk Time’, marked by a signpost. Turn left on through the rickety wooden gate

Countrydiary By Phil GatesBBirdwatch y Ian Kerr

HE longest day has passed and from search for insects. HE superb mid-summer run of rare another protracted period giving many the now on dusk will fall a little earlier In rural areas, near species has continued with the chance to renew acquaintances or others T every day, which is a timely reminder T old, well-established highlight being the return of one the opportunity to see it for the first time. to make the most of wildlife-watching woodland, look out for of last year’s star performers, the Farne This habit of rare terns in migrating back opportunities during summer evenings. the noctule, our largest Islands bridled tern. This striking adult, to the Farnes is nothing new. Between The hours between sunset and nightfall bat species. thought to be the 2013 individual, turned 1984 and 1997 another African species, a offer some of the best opportunities Dusk brings up on Inner Farne in the same spot lesser crested tern, returned annually and for seeing animals that remain hidden distinctive scents and favoured last summer when it attracted produced hybrid young when paired with during the day. This is the time when sounds too. Flowers well over 2,000 birders from throughout Sandwich terns. hedgehogs most often appear in gardens like honeysuckle Britain plus even a few from Europe. Birders who wanted to see the region’s and hedgerows, snuffling through the only release their full Bridled terns, whose nearest breeding other new rarity, a much tougher undergrowth in their search for slugs that fragrance after sunset. area is on the coast of West Africa, are so proposition, also had to head northwards crawl out from shelter when the air is cool Several garden flowers, rare in Britain that it’s hard to believe this where a little bittern was a huge attraction and moist. It’s also a good time to look including stocks and wasn’t the same individual which a day at Gosforth Park nature reserve. Little sweet rocket, save their for hares. But most of all it’s the time to earlier had been seen in Shetland, showing bitterns breed in wetlands across southern watch bats, which usually begin to emerge most powerful aroma for this time of day. that it must have moved more than 300 Europe and Asia. But even in prime from their roosts about half an hour after Then, as the light fades in the western sky, miles in less than 24 hours. However, breeding areas where they are reasonably sunset. Their fast flight and amazing you might hear the hunting calls of tawny last summer’s bird proved to be a fast, common they are incredibly elusive. aerobatics when they chase insect prey can owls and – if you visit favoured sites like long-distance wanderer, with occasional Frustratingly, the Gosforth bird proved be exhausting to follow. The most common recently felled conifer plantations within away days when it suddenly flew south the same. It was only discovered because species is the tiny pipistrelle but if you are Hamsterley forest – you might even hear the to the Tees and Saltholme and then, in a very alert visitor knew its song and was near a river of stream you might also see strange churring call of nightjars. Summer the opposite direction, moved for a short able to track it down and obtain fleeting Daubenton’s bat, which often swoops low evenings are too precious to spend indoors, period to Aberdeenshire, before returning glimpses. That’s about all anyone can hope over the surface of water in its evening when such memorable experiences beckon. to the Farnes. Hopefully it will remain for for from this secretive species.