GEORGE WILKINSON keeps dry up on Beadlam Rigg
I racked my brains for a walk I could get to and get round, a waterless route, and decided on Beadlam Rigg, a circuit of high pleasure-to-effort ratio that I'd been saving for snow. The Rigg is just north-east of Helmsley, and more important, a few hundred feet above the sodden valley floor.
The start is best appreciated on the last mile, and given a threatening cloud or two I hurried past Nawton Tower, a large remodelled 19th century house. The weather forecast had been exactly right, a lovely day, a 12-hour break in the deluge and I felt a pang of guilt, of escapist frivolity, contouring the slopes of tarmac as the glistening but miserable wide-angled view of 'Lake' Ryedale spread out below.
At a T-junction the sodden valley was forgotten and I climbed north. We continue on tarmac, but not tarmac as in traffic, these roads service only a few farms before the moors.
Wether Cote is the last and tarmac turns to stone track and within minutes the top edge of Aldergate Bank is reached.
What a view, the ground plummets with a satisfying 45 degrees of steepness and 300 feet below is Sleightholme Dale, a mix of woods and pastures. You'll see a trio of grand houses. Nearest at half a mile is Pennyholme, famous for its rhododendrons.
Stonely Woods is on a little rise and arts and crafts in style, and down the valley, Sleightholme Dale Lodge makes the triangle. If you have followed my rambles over the past few years you will have passed these places, so it's nice to get an aerial look.
Really this must be one of the finest vantage points in the park, and one that develops as we continue along the edge and the landscape empties of buildings and the moorland shades in subtle colours up to Bransdale.
The trig point at 971 feet is unmissable, newly painted white, and right by the path. It commands the vast Bransdale Moor Open Access Area to the north and also signals our descent.
This finish is unusual, being a ruler-straight mile or more, past High Farm, Middle Farm, not quite to Low Farm. Sunglasses were a rare pleasure and as one was heading towards the lowlands a ponder on the floods was obligatory.
It has been suggested that part of the problem is that the upland pastures have been ploughed up, so there's instant run off and erosion. Perhaps more pertinent here, since the 1960s, landowners have been subsidised (up to 70 per cent) to drain the heather moors with ditches called grips to make them more suitable for grouse and sheep.
MAFF says this causes 'flash floods in the valleys'. Naturalists have groused about grips for decades on account of species loss. Government ecologist Chris Baines says "We should consider blocking the drains in upland moors to let the peat bogs saturate again. These giant sponges regulate the run off". Giant sponges!
Fact file
Distance: Four and a half miles.
Time: Two hours.
Start: Beadlam Rigg. Grid Reference 637881.
General location: Southern edge of Bransdale and North Yorkshire Moors.
Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way.
Road route: Beadlam Rigg is three-quarters of a mile north east of Pockley.The turn off from the A170 for Pockley is one mile east of Helmsley, then right at northern end of village and follow road round to Beadlam Rigg.
Parking: Plenty of wide, flat verge.
Lavatories: None.
Refreshments: None.
Tourist and public information: Helmsley TIC 01439 770173.
Map: The OS map is OL26, North York Moors eastern area.
Terrain: Edge of moor and valley edge.
Points of interest: Views. Bike ride.
Difficulty: Easy/moderate.
Dogs: Keep on leads.
Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418.
Directions
When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.
1. Gateway to field edge bridleway (signed Link) though conifer wood, dog-leg to road.
2. Left at T-junction, road ends at gate at Wether Cote Farm, track.
3. At fieldgate in grown-out hedge, take left fork, follow hedge for two fields to field corner, one o'clock for 100 yards across pasture to top edge of gorse bushes and track to follow bank top.
4. Trig point, 100 yards, fieldgate on left and straight down to start.
Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.
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