Field Trip

The clematis were out in Hovingham, the village store was open and I had a Dales ice cream. There was scaffolding on Sir Marcus Worsley's 18th-century hall.

The Malt Shovel Inn sported a sign proclaiming 'we only serve local meat and game'. In contrast the Inntravel-T-Shop serves 'europ.on.a.plate' - 'light lunches, savoury snacks and afternoon tea'. I enjoyed some of this when the T-Shop was opened last year by the redoubtable Janet Street-Porter, whose long Dales legs will be restless at the moment. I remember hearing, in between snacks and perusing all the guides, maps and travel books, of the owners' plans for inn-to-inn walks in Yorkshire.

Ms Street-Porter is probably off on an Inntravel-designed stride through Andalucia or wherever. Less jealousy tarnish the memory of a nice summer evening I had better move on - by The Malt Shovel's car park, a bowls green, a tennis court, over a rustic football pitch, and into the fields.

Yes walkers, fields! A rare opportunity in the time of foot and mouth. And there are some hedges left, and the one we followed for the first mile had a good mix of native species, thorn, elder, holly, hazel, wild rose, gooseberry, sloe and horse chestnut.

We walked under an ash, under an oak ... the oak out a little more than the ash. The ground was certainly in need of a splash, the clay/silt soil of the potato and pea fields cracked already. Beyond the fields, at a calculated safe distance, are farms. Beyond them the land rises: to the south is the ridge of the Howardian Hills, to the north lies Caulkleys Bank which separates Hovingham and Nunnington. The white slash to the north is a limestone quarry, the church at Slingsby is ahead and you can see the ruins of Slingsby Castle.

There is a straight track (once railway line) that continues east to Fryton, but the two return options sweep round via farms, so they are signed off, and we have a shorter circuit, turning at a planted copse to follow a dyke. The verges are reasonably wide but are reducing by the week with regrowth, as everywhere.

A pair of yellowhammers looked bleached in the bright sun, skylarks sang and settled in fallow or set-aside fields. A cuckoo called, and swallows swooped low in east winds sucked dry by the hot land. Twenty miles away at the coast it was raining.

We reach 'no through road' Tarmac and soon make it back, finishing upstream alongside Hovingham Beck into the village.

Directions

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

1. Path/drive alongside The Malt Shovel Inn (signed), straight on (fence gap, gap in trees) to field edge path (hedge on right).

2. Footbridge and left, 100 yards, right at field corner.

3. After left-hand corner, right into copse and immediately left through hedge gap (so hedge to left).

4. Right at corner by trees, ten yards, left to Tarmac farm drive.

5. Left to road (pavement) and back into Hovingham.

Fact file

Distance: Two miles.

Time: One hour.

General location: Ryedale.

Start: Hovingham.

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

Date walked: Thursday, May 24, 2001.

Road route: From York via Strensall and Sheriff Hutton.

Car parking: Roadside.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Caf and two pubs.

Tourist and public transport information: Helmsley TIC 01439 770173.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 300, Howardian Hills & Malton.

Terrain: Flat arable farmland.

Points of interest: Inntravel-T-Shop. Hovingham Hall, open by appointment.

Difficulty: Easy.

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.

Click here to view a map of the walk