While George Wilkinson is away, Mark Reid leads a full-day's walk from Thoralby.

Thoralby lies hidden away in the beautiful valley of Bishopdale, Wensleydale's largest tributary.

During medieval times Bishopdale was the hunting preserve of the noblemen of Middleham Castle.

Middleham's ownership and influence came to an end in the early 17th century, which resulted in a period of house building in Bishopdale, and throughout the Dales as a whole, as many former tenant farmers acquired their holdings and built large stone farmhouses with their new wealth; Bishopdale boasts some of the finest examples of yeoman farmhouses.

Thoralby lies just off the main dale road and so is an oasis of peace and quiet with stone cottages clustered around a green; the village retains a traditional village shop as well as a cosy pub.

From Thoralby a stony walled track climbs quite steeply up across Aysgarth Moor to Flout Moor Lane; there are far-reaching views across Wensleydale from these rough pastures with Bolton Castle and the fortified farmhouse of Nappa Hall visible.

From Bainbridge, with its village green and remains of a Roman fort, a lane climbs up behind flat-topped Addlebrough, with breath-taking views of Semerwater cradled among the high fells of Raydale, to reach the isolated farmhouse of Carpley Green.

Busk Lane climbs up on to the wild expanse of Stake Fell before another old road, Stake Road, turns off back across the moors towards Bishopdale, with wonderful views across the deep wooded valley of Bishopdale during the long descent to Thoralby.

Fact file:

Distance: 12 miles

Time: Allow six hours

Start: George Inn, Thoralby

Map: OS Explorer Map OL30 Yorkshire Dales Northern & Central

Parking: Thoralby Village Hall (honesty box)

Refreshments: Pubs at Thoralby and Bainbridge; there are also tea rooms at Bainbridge and shops at Bainbridge and Thoralby.

Terrain: From Thoralby, a stony track leads steeply up before field paths head across Aysgarth Moor, fording two small streams to reach the hill-village of Thornton Rust. After just over a mile of road-walking along a quiet country lane, a path leads off at Cubeck across fields to reach the wooded escarpment of Worton Scar which is followed to Bainbridge. From Bainbridge, quiet country lanes lead up to the isolated farmhouse of Carpley Green, from where a clear stony track climbs steadily up on to the open moorland of Stake Fell. Near the top of the moorland, a wide grassy track turns off to the left and heads across open grassy moorland before dropping steadily down (the track eventually becomes a walled stony track) back to Thoralby.

How to get there: Follow the A684 up through Wensleydale then turn off at Aysgarth along a minor road into Bishopdale to reach Thoralby.

Please note: This walk heads across the open moorland of Stake Fell climbing to a height of 545 metres with few landmarks; care must be taken in poor weather conditions. This walk fords two small streams, which may be difficult after heavy rain.

Next week's walk will also be in Bishopdale - why not combine these two walks for a weekend of great walking? For accommodation details call Aysgarth National Park Centre: 01969 663424.

Directions:

1. From the centre of Thoralby, head along the lane (Dead End sign) passing the George Inn on your right then, as you approach the edge of the village, turn right before Town Head Farm up along a track and through a gate (signpost Busk Lane and Aysgarth).

Follow this stony track winding uphill then, where the stony track turns sharp left and levels out, head straight on through a gate up along a track climbing to reach another gate at the top of the hill.

After the gate, head left across the field to reach a squeeze-stile just to the right of a gate in the wall (and just to the left of a clump of trees), after which head to the right across the middle of the field down over a stile in a fence, then continue on bearing slightly to the left towards the bottom corner of the field to reach Haw Beck and a stile over a wall/fence just beyond.

After the stile, follow the narrow path heading to the left up across the grassy moorland of Aysgarth Pasture to reach a squeeze-stile in the stone wall across to your left ahead.

Head right across the field to reach another squeeze-stile in the stone wall opposite towards the bottom corner of the field near a stone-built sheep pen (ignore the gate at the bottom of the field), after which head right through another squeeze-stile that leads on to the walled track of Flout Moor Lane.

2. At the track, head through the squeeze-stile directly opposite (signpost Thornton Rust) then head straight on with the wall on your right, steeply down into the small ravine of Gill Beck to reach a bridle-gate in the wall on the other side of the stream.

Head through the bridle-gate, then walk straight up the steep grassy bank (signpost) on to reach a stile over a fence. Cross the stile then head left through a small wall-gate (signpost), after which head straight on bearing very slightly to the right to reach another squeeze-stile set in a corner of a wall (wall juts out into the field).

Head straight on through the small wall-gate ahead then on along a clear grassy path through another small wall-gate (just down from a red gate), after which carry on along the clear path to reach a junction of paths near a stone barn (signpost Thornton Rust) where you head to the right to reach a small wall-gate in the corner of the field.

After the wall-gate, follow the clear path to the left through two squeeze-stiles then through a gate that leads on to a lane where you turn right down to reach the main road in the centre of Thornton Rust.

3. Turn left along the road and follow this out of the village then continue along this lane for a further mile to reach the hamlet of Cubeck.

Where the road turns sharply down to the right, take the turning to the left (Dead End sign) then follow this lane bending round to the right to reach a metal gate to the right-hand side of the stone barn ahead of you (the barn with the lamp-post in front of it).

Head straight on through a series of gates passing immediately to the left of the long, low wooden barn and out on to a field. Head straight on across the field to join a track, which you follow to the left to reach a gate just to the right of the group of barns.

Head straight on across the next field through another gate ahead (ignore the gate to your left in the left corner of the field) then on to reach another gate, after which turn right alongside the wall on your right to reach a squeeze-stile that leads into woodland along the top of Worton Scar.

Head straight on along the top of the wooded scar (signpost Bainbridge) then out of the woods and continue straight on across flat fields (still with the wooded scar on your right) passing Scar Top Farm across to your left to eventually reach a squeeze-stile to the right in the corner of the field (signpost).

Drop down heading towards Bainbridge through a series of squeeze-stiles to join the road beside a T-junction with the main A684 (detour into Bainbridge for refreshments).

4. From Bainbridge, re-trace your steps back along the main road towards Aysgarth & Leyburn, over the bridge across the River Bain with its waterfalls and on up the hill.

Just after you have left the village behind, where the road bends up to the left, take the footpath to the right (signpost Semerwater) before the road-turning towards Semerwater, Stalling Busk.

Follow the clear grassy path straight on up alongside the wall on your left at first (River Bain down to your right) then, where the field opens out, turn left through a squeeze-stile just after the metal gate in the wall on your left which leads on to the road (signpost).

Turn right up along the road then take the turning to the left towards Carpley Green and follow this lane up passing a large radio mast on your left - continue along this road climbing, then levelling out, to reach the isolated farm of Carpley Green after 1.5 miles.

5. Head straight on along the track through the farmyard to reach a gate at the far end, after which continue straight on along the walled track (signpost Byway Stake Road) rising gently up to reach another gate across your path.

Head through this gate and continue along the stony track (Busk Lane) climbing more steeply up, heading through a series of gates and across some quite flat sections - keep to the clear stony track as it bends quite sharply round to the right, then gently curving round to the left, climbing gradually up across Stake Fell.

After a while, the track becomes a wide rutted, grassy track that winds quite steeply up two quite sharp bends before levelling out on the top of Stake Fell then, after about 200 yards, turn left along a grassy track through a gap in the tumbledown wall (broken signpost Thoralby set into the wall) - please be observant; this turning is 1.75 miles from Carpley Green.

6. Follow this clear grassy track (Stake Road) straight on across the open moorland of Stake Fell, passing a small stone-built cairn to your left, to reach a gate in a wall across your path.

Continue straight on along the grassy track heading across the open moorland (Penhill, lower Bishopdale and Wensleydale come into view) then gradually dropping down before bending round to the left (signpost) to reach another gate across your path.

Carry straight on along the grassy track heading across a low ridge of heather moorland on through another gate, after which continue straight on with a wall on your right, gently dropping down the hillside through two more gates, after which the track becomes a stony walled lane.

Continue along this clear stony lane straight on dropping down (wonderful views of Bishopdale) then turning sharp right winding steeply down into Thoralby.

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

Mark Reid is author of The Inn Way series of guidebooks. www.innway.co.uk

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 16:34 Friday, October 01, 2004