Wild wood

Forge Valley and Raincliffe Woods near Scarborough are open again to the public. The other day I must have done ten miles exploring their steep wooded slopes and hardly ever found myself retracing my steps.

So although Bank Holiday weekend will be busy here, you can get a good and energetic walk, and with a bit of navigational nous and the traction of good boots, you should lose the crowd.

I have provided a map of a fairly straightforward route, anything more would be a confusion of directions. There are some main tracks - Lady Mildred's Ride, Lady Grace's Ride - but mostly you are faced with multiple choices as paths join in complex junctions. Some side paths have got a little overgrown. The path along the tops of the woods is still partially foot and mouth out of bounds. I noticed horses had been using it - tut-tut, it's a footpath not a bridleway. From the viewpoint on the map you can see Flamborough Head.

With the trees leafing up fast, one's visibility is cut down but there is still enough light filtering through for valleys of garlic, bluebell patches, trails picked out by red campions and sky-blue forget-me-nots, narrow paths bright with violets and wood anemones, graceful pendulous sedges and an early purple orchid.

Dog's mercury, the most dull (all green) looking plant is about, a good sign that these are woods with ancient 'wild wood' connections. Forge Valley was cut by ice meltwater 6,000 years ago and as the name implies was used for charcoal making. Nowadays the trees are terrific. Tough pines mix with old and twisted oaks, fabulous beech dominate slopes with cathedral canopies, tall cherries shower blossom, stands of hazel and birch ring the changes, conifers make stately a posh ride. Every few hundred yards there is a different scene, you don't get bored, and the birds sing.

A man clutching a can sat with his dog in a sunny clearing, 'like a great big beer garden' he said. I found a bottle (with stopper) half pushed out of the ground by a tree root. Moulded in the heavy glass - Forster Coverdale and Co Ltd of York and Scarboro', and a trademark thistle. Charcoal making was probably thirsty work: little streams run down the woods from springs and seepages.

On this Bank Holiday Monday there will be all sorts going on.

To flag up the opening of the woods Scarborough Council has called in people from the National Park, English Nature, Leeds University, and the Upper Derwent Restoration Project, for a 'Dawn to Dusk' day.

Get to Raincliffe Woods for 3.30am for the chorus, stay till late for the bats. Most activities start from 10am and include nature trails, bird ringing, hurdle making (fashionable this), charcoal, wood turning and pole lathing. Lots for the children - face painting in the wild wood.

Fact file

Distance: Two miles.

Time: One to two hours.

General location: A few miles west of Scarborough.

Start: Green Gate Car Park.

Right of way: The woods are open-access areas. There are still some foot and mouth restrictions, mainly the west flank of Forge valley, the River Derwent and most of the top ridge path of Raincliffe Woods. There were detailed maps pinned up in the Green Gate Car Park.

Date walked: Saturday, May 19, 2001.

Road route: Turn off the A170 at West or East Ayton.

Car parking: Free car parks. Picnic Tables and viewpoint at Hazel Head Car Park.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: None.

Tourist and public transport information: Scarborough TIC 01723 373333.

Map: Based on OS OL 27, North York Moors eastern area.

Terrain: Steep wooded valley.

Points of interest: 'Dawn to Dusk' activities on Bank Holiday Monday.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Dogs: Suitable.

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418

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. Into Green Gate Car Park, track on right.

2. First path on left uphill (waymark). Ignore all left forks, and minor right ones, and stay on path till it meets path at top of hill along wood edge.

3. Immediately left on path angling downhill and stay on this path which maintains height, although dipping through gullies, right fork across gully down steps (easy to miss, incorrect left fork will descend and pass tin sheets/old shed after about 50 yards), uphill, dog-leg left and right over sunken path, stile, steps (at Nature Reserve sign), five yards, straight on at path crossroads, 50 yards, dog-leg left and right across track to path and steps, gap in 'rustic fence', 20 yards and staggered 'cross-roads' of paths.

4. Left downhill (path uphill on right may have F&M rustic barrier - sign was missing) and stay on this good path as it swings right downhill.

5. At fieldgate and field on right, left to main track (car width, good surface), ignore all forks and right fork at sawmill. Track ends at Green Gate Car Park.

Click here to view a map of the walk