THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 The Northern Echo 47 Walks what’son Walks Baldersdale & Goldsborough Hill Turn right along the unfenced 5road and follow this for 1 km fell within the bounds of the old (outcrops of Goldsborough across Walk information North Riding of Yorkshire. During up to your right) then bending round the 19th Century, much of this to the left and over a cattle grid. Continue on along the road for 150 Distance: 6.9 km / 4.3 miles valley was flooded by a series of metres then take the footpath to reservoirs, built to supply Teesside Time: 2 hours the right across the open pasture and Middlesbrough. Hury Reservoir (signpost) opposite the entrance to Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL31 was built in 1894 and then Blackton Pitcher House. Head slightly left Parking: Parking area on the south Reservoir followed two years later. down across the rough pastureland side of Hury Reservoir dam (Grid Towering above these two fairly small (following the line of telegraph reservoirs is the huge earth dam Ref: NY 966 192) poles) to reach a wall stile in the wall of Balderhead Reservoir that Refreshments: None en route. bottom corner of the field, after was built in 1965; this dam wall was which head straight on alongside the Terrain: Rough, grassy moorland for the biggest of its kind in the country wall on your left for 400 metres (and most of the way along narrow paths when it was built. To the south of over two streams) to reach a gate in or rough tracks, which are indistinct Baldersdale lies the vast expanse of the bottom corner of the field. Head in places. This moorland is wet and Cotherstone Moor, a wild stretch of through the gate and carry straight boggy underfoot in places, with moorland that is crossed by the route on alongside the wall on your left several small stream crossings. The of the Pennine Way. This moorland is up across the middle of this field to the gate), walk on alongside the wall passing Scoon Bank Farm and moors are exposed to the elements, also dissected by distinctive shallow reach another gate in the wall at the on your left for a few paces to reach through another gate just beyond the although the views are extensive. valleys, such as How Beck (which top of the field, with open moorland a wall corner, where you turn sharp farmhouse, then continue alongside The path between Pitcher House and means the ‘stream through the hills’), ahead (NY 968 188). right (wooden post) along a raised the wall on your left to reach a red West Briscoe at the end of this walk and punctuated by flat-topped hills, grassy bank (beside a drainage ditch metal gate just after two barns. Head includes several stiles. in particular Shacklesborough, full of soft rush) for about 12 paces through this gate and walk straight Burners Hills and the distinctive and After this gate, follow the narrow then turn sharp left along a narrow Grid References: Grid references on for 500 metres with the wall/fence impressive Goldsborough, with its 2path straight on across the open path. Follow this path for 300 metres have been given to assist route now on your right (through a series large gritstone crags. moorland (in a southerly direction, (in a south-westerly direction) across finding; the Grid Ref for Hury of gates) across three fairly large heading towards the small plantation the moorland, over several small Reservoir parking area is NY 966 192. The views from the top of fields (barn in the third field) and in the distance), gently rising up streams, to join another clear but Goldsborough Hill are extensive, with then across a narrow field. After the How to get there: From the B6277 across the moorland for 300 metres narrow path across your path at a the North York Moors and Teesside narrow field, continue straight on just to the north of Cotherstone, to join a clearer wide, grassy track, second wooden post (route of the clearly visible on the horizon, alongside the wall now on your left follow a minor road westwards up which you follow straight on over a Pennine Way – NY 963 173). Turn Baldersdale and its reservoir laid out again, passing a barn on your left through Baldersdale to reach Hury small, wooden railway-sleeper bridge right along this path and follow it beneath your feet and the hills of the and then a farmhouse just across to Reservoir. The parking area is beside across a ditch, with the shallow but meandering across Cotherstone North Pennines all around. your left (wall bends away towards the dam. steep-sided valley of How Beck across Moor (heading towards the outcrops this farm) where you continue to your left (NY 969 185). Follow this of flat-topped Goldsborough Hill Open Access: This walk follows some straight on to soon re-join the wall grassy track straight on, with the ahead) for 300 metres to reach a large paths across Open Access Land along (waymarker) which you follow down The walk pronounced valley of How Beck footbridge across Yawd Sike (feeder- the north side of How Beck; there are to reach a wall stile just beyond a to your left – the track gradually stream of How Beck). Rights of Way on the south side of bears round to the right (following stream (with West Briscoe Farm just From the parking area on the south How Beck, however, the visible path the course of the shallow valley ahead), after which carry straight on 1side of Hury Reservoir dam wall, on the north side offers the easiest of How Beck) then leads straight Cross the footbridge then follow alongside the hedge on your right to walk back to the road (over a cattle route. on heading across the moorland, 4the path curving round to the quickly reach a gate that leads back grid) then turn left along the road with the pronounced valley to your left then straight on to reach onto the driveway at West Briscoe Caution: This walk heads across open passing Hury Reservoir House on left. After 1 km since the wooden Goldsborough Hill (to your right). Farm. Turn left back down along the moorland, which is exposed to the your left and continue along the road railway-sleeper bridge you come to an The path passes to the left of driveway to reach the road, where elements with few landmarks. There for 100 metres then, where the road indistinct fork in the path/track (just Goldsborough Hill below the crags, you turn left back to the parking is boggy or wet ground in places, and bends sharp left (green postbox) turn before the valley curves distinctly after which follow the path bearing area at Hury Reservoir. lots of small stream crossings. Map right up along a driveway (signpost) left ahead) - follow the left-hand path/ round to the right to quickly reach and compass essential. I encountered to reach West Briscoe Farm. As track heading down into the valley to the brow of the hillside overlooking cows and calves in some of the fields – you reach the farmhouse, turn left reach a ford across the stream beside Baldersdale and a fork in the grassy always give cows a wide berth. through the bridlegate beside the Mark Reid a circular sheepfold (NY 963 177). path, with the crags on the north Walking Weekends 2014 field gate (waymarker) beside the side of Goldsborough Hill just across Points of interest large stone barn, and follow the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, to your right. Follow the left-hand Lake District & Snowdonia indistinct track straight on alongside Cross the stream and follow the path (heading towards the grassy walkingweekenders.co.uk ALDERSDALE is a secluded this large barn then skirting to the 3track rising up out of the valley dam of Balderhead Reservoir in the and hauntingly beautiful right around the barn before walking then straight on to join a wall on your distance) and follow this bearing Unique corporate activity days, Bvalley of old farms and along a short but narrow section of left (on a curve in the wall) beside a down across the grassy moorland navigation skills and team building rough pastures, all hemmed in by field (enclosed by walls) to reach a gate (Military Firing Range warning for 400 meters to reach the unfenced experiences in the great outdoors. lonely moors. Until the boundary gate in a wall that leads out onto a signs) – NY 964 176. As you reach the road (NY 948 179). teamwalking.co.uk reorganisations of the 1970s, this large rough field. Walk straight on wall and gate (do NOT head through Countrydiary By Phil GatesBBirdwatch y Ian Kerr PLAND areas of Durham have small tortoiseshells. VER since Britain’s first eastern you never know what might turn up. Apart already experienced freezing night- I’ve sometimes found crowned warbler appeared on the from three in Britain, four have so far E Durham coast in October 2009 and U time temperatures and now that hibernating queen occurred in mainland Europe, in Germany, November has arrived we’ll all be waking bumblebees in mossy delighted of hundreds of birders the search Holland, Norway and Finland up to frosty mornings throughout our crevices under rocks has been on for another. Similar species, A Richard’s pipit at Blackhall Rocks was region. and in piles of logs, such as yellow-browed warblers, very among other eastern species which arrived Insects that have survived until now but queen wasps often prominent again this autumn, have been with many redwings, fieldfares, blackbirds, in this exceptionally mild autumn will spend the winter in closely scrutinised for diagnostic features.