Scalby

11:50am Saturday 1st December 2007

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SCALBY is a place not quite swallowed up by Scarborough. One mile east is the sea. We headed west out into the countryside.

There's a National Union of Mineworkers convalescent/holiday home, and indeed with rumour of dustings of snow, it was a day for a roaring fire. Walkers wore coats, as did dogs and horses, against the chill from the North Sea.

We passed a North York Moors National Park sign and took a private road up Scalby Nab. Turning, we had a super view to the waves, the breakers and the forbidding block of Scarborough Castle on its rock.

Houses carry the names of farms. Farms stock cattle, geese, hens, ducks and sheep, some with bums painted undignified yellow for identification.

Sometimes the lane leads between high hedges, otherwise the view is open to the wide, flat valley of pastures, some of which were puddled with rainwater. This area is much about water, but the only boggy stretch of the route is where the skyline trees come down and the path cuts through them. Otherwise, it's a brisk walk.

The climb hadn't been to a great height, and the descent was gentle and its age told by a line of ancient thorn trees. By now there's a view of the shape of the valley as it takes a big curve, only broken by the opening of Forge Valley.

And we had reached Mowthorpe Bridge where there is but a farm. I've just read a chapter headed Mowthorpe' in a National Park booklet, and to quote: "Flooding used to be a serious problem in the Vale of Pickering". That was written in 1993, things have changed and fast since then. The last miles of this walk are along the solution of 200 years ago, the Sea Cut. This takes River Derwent floodwater directly to the sea at Scalby.

For the many affected by recent floods, it's worth a look at the Environment Agency's website for its 2007 Yorkshire Derwent Catchment Flood Management Plan. In this it states that "watercourses in the upper catchment flowing from the North Yorkshire Moors respond quickly to heavy rainfall".

On our day the flow was fairly gentle. I'd love to see it in full blast, and measure boards on the banks show the potential. As it was, we strolled along the floodbank, about the same speed as the leaves and sticks floated. Diggers were at work scooping and smoothing, walkers inadvertently herded idiot sheep one way then the other, while other sheep grazed away the afternoon on the pastures.

Racing the leaves proved too much as the water in the cut accelerated nearing Scalby. The allotments were heavy with cabbages, brassicas like a bit of salt. And if you'd like a winter warmer simple and sure, try this walk.

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1 From centre of Scalby, pass church and green area with beck and footbridge, right to Hay Lane (signed Hackness), mostly pavement.

2 On bend, private road on left (signed bridleway & Scalby Nabs). Becomes track after houses. Stay on until it ends.

3 Metal fieldgate into field (blue waymark), grass track 1 o'clock uphill, fieldgate, stile/gate, through wood, gate out and keep by wood edge.

4 Stile/fieldgate at corner of wood and downhill on grassy track. Right at farmyard wall (waymark), snickelgate and left to road.

5 Bridge, snickelgate on left (fingerpost Scalby 2M), four stiles.

6 Snickelgate and left to road.

Fact file

Distance: Five-and-a-half miles.

General location: Near coast.

Start: Scalby.

Right of way: Public.

Map: Drawn from OS Explorer 27 North York Moors eastern area.

Dogs: Legal.

Date walked: November 2007.

Road route: North out of Scarborough on the A171, Scalby signed.

Car parking: Roadside.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: The Yew Tree Café, the Nags Head Inn and the Plough in Scalby.

Tourist and public transport information: Scarborough TIC 01723 373333.

Terrain: Valley.

Difficulty: All weather easy.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Map of the walk>>