Country Burnsall &Trollers Gill diary Based on Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown copyright: AM26/09 T looks like being one of the best Walks autumns in a long while for hedgerow I fruits and seeds – the natural supplies that are critical for the survival of so many birds by Mark Reid and animals over the winter. There seems to be a particular heavy crop of hawthorn berries this year, just in time for BOVE Trollers Gill, in Wharfedale, are the annual influx of winter migrant redwings the crumbling remains of Gill Head and fieldfares that descend on these crimson Mines, the last working underground fruits as soon as they make landfall, after the mines in the Yorkshire Dales. Lead long flight from Scandinavia. A was mined here between the 18th Cen- Some of the summer migrants that are now tury and the early 1900s; however, it reopened in leaving our shores have already made the Twenties as a fluorspar mine which then con- inroads into the dangling bunches of scarlet tinued in production until 1981. The surrounding rowan berries, fuelling up for the journey moors are littered with the remains of the lead south. mining industry that once flourished in this area. Those berries that are left will eventually be Lead mining can be traced back to the Romans, finished off by our resident blackbirds, but if although it was during the 18th and 19th centuries enough of these fruits remain they often that the mines were developed on a large-scale attract the attention of flocks of waxwings that commercial basis with the advent of new mining sometimes arrive in large numbers from the and pumping technologies. Many years ago a pig Nordic countries. of lead was discovered on the flanks of Nursery It’s well known that many trees produce Knot with the Roman inscription of “Trajan” on heavy crops of fruits and seeds only in it, although this has since been lost. alternate years. Last autumn, oaks in my local woodlands and hedgerows produced meagre crops but this year there’s a bumper supply From the Red Lion at Burnsall (with your back of acorns, attracting large flocks of pigeons 1 to the pub) turn left along the road over Burn- Fact file that gorge themselves on these nuts while sall Bridge across the River Wharfe, just after The riverside paths may be wet legend these trolls, or they’re plentiful. Acorns are also favourite ➤ Distance:12 km (7.5 miles) which take the footpath to the right through or muddy after rain. There were mischievous fairies, roll stones food for jays and a few days ago I watched ➤ Time: 4 hours squeeze-stile beside a gate (signpost “A pple- ➤ Maps: OS Explorer Map OL2 cows and calves in some fields down the steep hillside onto the one of these colourful members of the crow treewick, Howgill”). After the gate, bear left – always give them a wide berth heads of unwary walkers! A family shuttling between the edge of an oak ➤ Refreshments: Pub at across the field then up the grassy bank through Burnsall. and never walk between a cow more sinister tale is told of a wood and the grassland beyond, carrying and its calf. If accompanied by a wolf-like beast that lives in a a scattering of trees to reach a bridlegate, with ➤ Parking: Car park at Burnsall acorns in its beak. Jays, pictured, bury the River Wharfe down to your right. Follow the dog, walk around the field cave in this ravine, with large ➤ Terrain: Riverside paths, acorns as an insurance against clear riverside path straight on for 600 metres to perimeter and let the dog go if fangs and staring eyes the size farm tracks and field paths, with hard times in the winter months reach a footbridge across the side-stream of Bar- you feel threatened. of saucers. This is the infamous ahead, but only ever manage to a number of ascents and Barguest, which preys on ben Beck (also known as the River Dibb). After descents throughout the walk. recover a small proportion of the footbridge head straight on to quickly join a Points of interest unsuspecting travellers – if your their buried larder. Those Many of the paths are wet or Among the hills near the village eyes meet then it is certain track just before Woodhouse Farm. Turn left up muddy underfoot. that they forget will along the track to soon reach a road. of Appletreewick is a limestone death! These legends have their germinate – and perhaps ➤ How to get there: Burnsall gorge so dark and forbidding origins in Norse mythology. Sir become oak trees – if lies in the heart of Wharfedale that our ancestors once feared Arthur Conan Doyle is said to At the road take the track opposite through a they escape the along the B6160 it. They believed it to be the have written The Hound of the attention of rabbits. 2 gate (signpost “New Road”) and follow the ➤ Caution: Do not explore the haunt of trolls, hence its name Baskervilles after hearing this Phil Gates clear track climbing up across the hillside, along- old lead mines at Gill Heads. of Trollers Gill. According to tale. side a wall/fence on your left. After 500 metres the track bends right and levels out – carry straight on along the enclosed track (with the deep valley of Barben Beck falling away to your left) for a fur- Surrounding moors are littered with ther 400 metres to reach a gate across the track just before some large barns. At the barns bear the remains of the lead mining Birdwatch left along the clear enclosed track for 100 metres ❛❛ to reach a gate at the end of the enclosed track, industry that once flourished after which continue straight on along the track HE North Atlantic/Europe weather map alongside the wall on your left for 300 metres to at the time of writing is completely T reach another gate, where you carry straight on road-bridge across Skyreholme Beck). Turn right track bends right, head straight to quickly reach opposite to the situation on which I along a short section of enclosed track to soon along the road over the bridge across Skyreholme the footbridge across Barben Beck once again. focused last week. Now an intense low reach another gate (enclosed track ends). After pressure system lies to the west of Britain, Beck just after which take the road turning to the Cross the footbridge and re-trace your steps this gate follow the track straight on for a short left passing the phone box. Follow this road along the riverside to reach the road on the out- while high pressure over western Russia is distance to reach a junction with another track slowly moving towards us. straight on for 500 metres to reach the hamlet of skirts of Burnsall. Turn left along the road back (wall corner in front of you) where you head left Skyreholme. Immediately after the row of three- over Burnsall Bridge into the village. That High will lead to light easterly winds and follow the clear track straight on across fields tomorrow and over the weekend and they will storey mill-workers cottage on your left take the (Appletreewick Pasture) for 1.4 km to reach New lane to the left (signpost “Howgill Lane”) then, Mark Reid, author of The Inn Way surely drift a large number of migrant Road. songbirds originating in northern Europe and where this lane bends right after a short distance, guidebooks (innway. co.uk) follow the enclosed path straight on down to Russia on to our coast. Almost inevitably, Turn left along the road then follow it bending rarities will be among them and local birders reach a footbridge across the stream. After the 3 to the right after 100 metres then take the foot- footbridge, follow the path to the right across the are dreaming of something on the scale of path to the right after 50 metres (signpost “Skyre- last October's big national event – Britain’s field keeping close to the stream on your right for holme”). After the stile, follow the boggy path 300 metres to reach a tumbledown wall across first ever eastern crowned warbler from north- straight on bearing very slightly left then gently east Asia at South Shields. your path and a small stream. Cross the wall and drop down (passing Hell Hole pothole on your left) stream then bear left up across the hillside to Maybe that’s too much to expect, but we to join a track. Follow this track to the right wind- can anticipate at least more of the scarce reach a ladder stile over a wall. After the ladder ing downhill through a dry valley for 250 metres stile, head straight on up across the field to a migrants associated with the last spell of east to reach Gill Heads Lead Mine (disused). Head winds – notably barred and yellow-browed large gap in the wall in the top corner of the field, straight on along the path passing these old lead after which follow the grassy track straight on warblers and great grey shrikes – and workings and through a bridlegate, after which perhaps some of the typically later arriving alongside the wall to reach Howgill Lane (track). follow the grassy path down through the valley Turn right along the track and follow it gently species such as the tiny Pallas’s warbler with then curving left heading steeply down through Clothing and Equipment its delightful array of lemon yellow markings.