Going flat out

BEVERLEY and its environs have been due an exploration, so we travelled on a hot Saturday to Tickton, a satellite of the beautiful town and found a pleasant village, old and new.

The Parish Hall clock showed 12.30, there is a red phone box (usually a good omen), a public pump, neat brick and a post office. We took a side street, trod tar, then track, then path and were out on the fields and under the big sky.

The flatness is extreme; there is not a contour line through today's route. OS Air survey altitude figures mapped are red numbers 1, 4 and 2, that's metres. Ground zero.

Straight lines, more by drainage channels than hedge, took us the first mile or so and brought the pleasure of a quiet emptiness, the sheen of new sown crops, the glow of stubble, a glimpse of the towers of Beverley Minster and the blessing of big, damp-rooted willows for some rare shade.

We had been admiring stylish old metal gates, and with the wide unploughed field boundaries had been singing the praises of the typically walker-friendly East Riding.

But when we got to Corporation Farm we were surprised by a couple of gates on the footpath. They were very old and decrepit and held together by tin patchwork and barbed wire. To open them would be difficult and could damage the gates; to climb them could be damaging to gates and/or walker. They will not last, take care.

And as for the rumbustious cattle, typically I (dog free) found that a period gazing into their big brown eyes soon brought boredom to both parties and one can roll on without them charging along to see what's what.

Unfortunately a field of sunflowers were over, but we had the fruits of autumn, sloe, elderberry and powerfully scented crab apple. Then we jinked through Weel, were reminded of the nearness of Hull by the white phone box, joined the River Hull, and followed it to the outskirts of Beverley.

Here there are boats galore, some sunk and rotting, others des-res afloat. A caf is Art Deco in brick with steel windows and curved glass.

A waterway is called inauspiciously a 'drain', but was clear and full of pondweed. The fishermen were after pike, and the pike will be after the shoals of roach.

The common we skirted for the next mile or more along the lovely River Hull is called Swine Moor. The large area of scrubby grassland held no pigs. At first we assumed that the quadrupeds were cattle, then we realised to our astonishment that they were horses, I stopped counting at 80, some fine steeds. It's common grazing here in the care of the 'Pasture Masters'.

A line of boats - Humber Queen, Sea Horse, the Enid - and we were back, at the new bridge which has an engraved stone from the previous bridge reading 'each vessel before passing this bridge to pay one shilling'. It had been free and easy for us, bar those gates with trouser tearing potential.

Fact file

Distance: Five miles.

Time: Three hours.

General location: Near Beverley.

Start: Village of Tickton, near church.

Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way and permissive bridge.

Date walked: Saturday, September 27, 2003.

Road route: A1079 from York.

Car parking: Roadside.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Crown and Anchor and New Inn at Tickton. River View Caf en route open 7.30am to 3.30pm, shut Saturday afternoons and Sunday.

Tourist & public transport information: Beverley TIC 01482 867430.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 239 Kingston upon Hull and Beverley.

Terrain: Very flat farmland.

Points of interest: If you require update on gate/stile problems, please ring East Riding of Yorkshire Council 01482 887700 Public Rights of Way Dept.

Difficulty: When the gates around Corporation Farm is fixed it will be easy.

Dogs: Cattle in one field.

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. From church, east, pass Post Office, right to Carr Lane (signed). Tarmac turns to track then path.

2. Footbridge, left, 100 yards, grass path on right between fields (sign).

3. Left at T-junction with track, 50 yards, right to track.

4. At trees, stile by fieldgate on right, margin path. Fieldgate at corner (beware barbed wire), across field 100 yards to fieldgate into farmyard. Left then right 25 yards around large barn, fieldgate on left out of yard (again, barbed wire, waymark). Across field to stile in corner.

5. Left to margin path, stile/fieldgate to grass track, feeds left to track at junction, swings right before Weel, then left. Tarmac, right, left, right to Weel Road (dead end).

6. Bridge over River Hull, bridge over 'drain', immediately track on right, fieldgate and immediately footbridge on right, path by industrial estate, stile into field and cross field to floodbank path by River Hull.

7. Right to road, footbridge, road (pavement), right at junction (pavement across grass) to Tickton.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 18:02 Friday, October 03, 2003