Rosedale Abbey

The next valley west, that's Farndale, will have been an orgasmatron of wild lent lilies, the best for years.

Our daffodils were along the banks of Northdale Beck, about a mile's worth, a fair if relatively skimpy show.

The next flood of flower will be the white of the wild garlic and in the season's rush thorn hazed green while ash and oak and alder deferred their opening.

We exchanged prettiness for space, left the beck and climbed a third of the way up the east side of the valley for the views especially of the very shapely tree tufted Hill Plantation, the focus of the junction of North Dale and Rosedale.

On the move, and we could scan most of North Dale.

It held a few clusters of walkers, perhaps a dozen people who were probably outnumbered by the black headed gulls which made chirping sounds in a quietness where even the black headed sheep were silent.

Northdale Farm dominates the valley. It's well set in the taper of pastures that funnel up to the moors.

It's of stone with barns and sheds, slate roofed in Rosedale fashion.

Unfortunately, it pollutes the valley with plastic.

It is a prime candidate for the Government's new agricultural plastic audit.

Thankfully, the further you are from the place, the fewer the sheet-sized pieces of black silage wrapping that drape stream gullies, the fewer the "fertiliser bags" snagged on hedge or fence and the fewer the empty sheep dope buckets wedged here and there, some destined to be eventually swallowed by the earth.

The public footpath north from hereabouts is an irritating dead-end and does not connect with the open access moors.

So we looped round, saw the pond of gulls, and entered a conifer belt.

And got lost for ten minutes. If you find yourself standing by a 10ft waterfall that you can hear, but not see, then you've gone a tiny bit too far.

Then the heather, again a bit skimpy, despite the moor trenched deeply for drainage.

From an altitude of a 1,000ft, Rosedale's valley floor is in view 400ft or 500ft below.

We touched the end of the 19th century railway line that serviced the ironstone mines and now provides 18 super miles for walkers and cyclists.

For us, a normal track took us into very free-range hen land and to Hill Cottages. Here there were miners, now there is a Moorsbus stop.

But you're unlikely to need wheels for the last easy miles back into Rosedale Abbey, they are part along the River Seven and then above and through caravan valley which is graded - small tents, house tents, small caravans and large ones, though painted green.

directions

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

1. From village green, left to road to Castleton (signed), track on right after Beckside Cottage (signed). Along Northdale Beck, 5 gates, stile/footbridge and 3 ladderstiles (some black waymarks).

2. At wooden footbridge over Northdale Beck turn right uphill with wall to left, 150 yards, fieldgate on left (waymark), diagonally right 50 yards to fieldgate (waymark) and left by wall, track (3 fieldgates).

3. Right to road, fieldgate. At house, right to track to skirt above farmyard.

4. Fieldgate on left and downhill (waymark & sign), gated bridge (waymark), 1 o'clock uphill, path becomes sunken (waymark post), two fieldgates between house and barn.

5. Left, fieldgate out of yard (waymark), fieldgate by wood, 100 yards, right across grass 25 yards, gate.

6. Right to road, 50 yards, path on left into wood (signed).

7. As path swing left cross one stream, ten yards before the second and can hear waterfall of third, angle 1 o'clock to ford second stream (no sign but little cairn on mossy rock), ten yards and path swings right and straight up through trees for 100 yards to wood edge. Stile out, 1 o'clock across field. Stile near corner (waymark), diagonally left 25 yards to stile (waymark).

8. Left to grassy track on moor edge by fence downhill. Fieldgate on left near barn (waymark, infoboard) to track. Through farmyard.

9. Cross road at terrace to track (signed), snickelgate/fieldgate by house and right (waymark), track. Snickelgate/fieldgate into field and downhill 2 o'clock to hedge gap (no sign), cross field, footbridge, stone flag trod across field.

10. Left before footbridge over River Seven, fieldgate to track, 100 yards, swing right after crossing side beck (near waymark post), 100 yards, fieldgate on right (waymark), cross field, ladderstile, gate and steps by river, path climbs above caravan site, gate, gate to caravan site. Left after house (waymark) and right into village.

fact file

Distance: Five miles.

Time: Two or three hours.

General location: North York Moors.

Start: Rosedale Abbey.

Right of way: Public and Permissive.

Dogs: Legal.

Map: Drawn from OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors western area.

Date walked: April 2007.

Road route: North from the A170 at Wrelton, eight miles.

Car parking: Free car parks in Rosedale Abbey, both near Milburn Arms.

Lavatories: Near lower car park.

Refreshments: Rosedale Abbey.

Tourist and public transport Information: Pickering TIC 01751 473791. Moorsbus www.moors.uk.net/moorsbus The Abbey Tea Room And Store is a National Park Village Information Point, 01751 417475, www.abbeytearoom.co.uk Terrain: Mostly valley.

Points of interest: Ironstone mining history.

Difficulty: Moderate.

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>>