Langdale

The church showed well as we moved out up the river, walking beside the spring-fed and partly forest-filtered flow. It was a shining five yards wide and a foot deep. Hail and sunshine came through two layers of leaves, oak and then hazel.

In a bright arena of a clearing stood a dominant oak. A lattice of young silver birch was dotted with coloured leaves. The valley, Lang Dale, must be crammed with wildlife. We caught a quiet time, but the trout will be intent on breeding, so there will be wriggling, swishing and quivering in the gravel beds.

After a while tall dark conifers shoulder out the semi-natural woodland and crowd the path. Here, on the edge, every 50 yards is a wood ant nest. On the first there was only one ant moving on the domed surface, a worker presumably. The next had none. The next was big, two yards across and catching some sun, and out and about were a dozen residents. We had seen no humans.

There was a bridge over the river, and it looked as though it was once sturdy. The stone work was intact, but the metal and wood decrepit, and luckily we didn’t need it. Our track opposite was worn sunken with use and went through Forestry Commission Open Access forest. Thankfully, the route was a well-drawn zigzag climb of four cut-back turns, up and out of the valley, an otherwise very steep 400 feet.

From the top, Langdale looked lovely for the colour and texture of the trees. While we hung around, a deer nonchalantly skipped across the track, seemingly totally unaffected by a steeper version of the climb out of the valley, ready to slip miles into more conifers, the ones around Hard Dale Gill. Rather worryingly, a minute later, a knackered looking collie followed it on the hunt.

More hail brought a rainbow. We shifted to the spine of the ridge that supports a wide, smooth forest track. This started us back, trees to each side. It is the Moor-to-Sea cycle route and provided a coast downhill.

Once this mile or so was named Broxa Moor Lane, but now Broxa Moor is Broxa Forest.

Look out for the symmetrical Blakey Topping which is the hill near the Hole of Horcum five miles away. You will see it to your right, to the west, when there’s pasture around. Just before you is the hamlet of Broxa.

Here is a memorial bench set back from the road on a deep verge defended by rocks against the cars of visitors. The bench has a rustic sign next to it reading: “Beware of the Neighbours”.

After Broxa, the footpath has an optional slither section.

Fact File

Distance: Four miles.

General location: Near Scarborough.

Start: Langdale End.

Right of way: Public and Forestry Commission Open Access.

Dogs: Legal.

Date walked: October, 2008.

Road route: From A170 at East Ayton, road north signed ‘Hackness 4’, from there ‘Langdale End 2’.

Car parking: Lay-by on outskirts or roadside in Langdale End.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: The Moorcock at Langdale End.

Tourist and public transport information: Scarborough TIC 01723 373333.

Map: Drawn from OS OL27 North York Moors eastern area.

Terrain: Valley and ridge.

Points of interest: From Langdale End the River Derwent reaches Malton after about 20 miles.

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.

Directions

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

1. From lay-by, cross road to stile/fieldgate (sign), path 150 yards to river. Almost immediately, the less used right of way leaves the main and well- used riverside path at waymarked post on right, 50 yards uphill, path parallels river for a few hundred yards then turns downhill (waymarked posts).

2. Right to rejoin riverside path at boggy area, 100 yards, stile/fieldgate, grass path across large pasture.

3. Stile/fieldgate into Open Access woods.

4. About 50 yards before derelict stone, steel and timber bridge over River Derwent, path on right to begin zig-zag up valley side.

5. At junction, left on grass track and contour until about 50 yards before it becomes overgrown. Track on right up through clearing/young planting.

6. Left to wider track at junction at top of slope, 400 yards, track/path on right through young trees and heather, 300 yards.

7. Right to main forest track/road, becomes metalled. Through Broxa.

8. On bend after Broxa, small gate on right (bridleway sign) and path angles down through trees.

9. When trees on right end EITHER sharp right down across field, then steep bank for 50 yards OR continue to road then right.