Out of this Wold

Today's route is in two contrasting halves, first tops, headlands and expansive skies, later a magnificent long dry valley. The opening mile is a straight track warm-up. Next we take a green lane, very pleasant, with hints of spring.

Birds were busy with their pre-nuptials in leaf-tinged elders, brambles entangled swathes of dirtied snow.

The lane stops abruptly in the middle of nowhere and you are out onto the airy, swooping, fields.

A few farms lie distant, all sheltered by copses. Up here there was nothing for miles to slow the westerly wind but a few hedges.

We're on an two-mile climb of 200ft that would have been barely noticeable except for the headwind.

I'd gone clockwise being concerned about the fieldside verges, thinking I might have to abandon the route, but no, though they start single file, narrow and fragile, soon you can walk abreast on a wide ribbon of good turf. Views are terrific over three or four folds of Wold. The fields are striking for their dark soil flecked with flints.

Under the hedges live snails, striped and coloured like mint humbugs.

Halfway along you get a good look at Wetwang, strung out as a contour. Further on you pass right by some most impressive field trials - a hillside covered in an exact regularity of rectangular raised-bed sized plots.

The nitrate green winter sown experiments each bordered by speckled soil.

It reminded me of those huge anonymous, wartime graveyards in France.

The walk changes at Foxcovert Farm. Here there's a nice 1898 Arts and Crafts style house, sheltered by beech copses with kettle nest boxes and carpeted yellow by winter aconites.

Now you funnel down the wonderful valley. One valley, different names for different lengths. It starts narrow with a V profile and thorn scrub one side.

It twists and turns, deepens, and takes on the classic, sculpted shape of smooth, wide, flat bottom and steep, smooth sides.

Nearly all the way down, for mile after mile, there's woodland on your right, the rest is turf.

You don't see a building all the way, but each corner brings different inhabitants.

A kestrel commands one stretch from his ash tree, and was obliquely traversing, a yard above the slopes, moving like a skier.

Rabbits scampered in Rabbit Dale, around Rabbit Wood and Rabbit Hill.

You pass 'mole city' - acres of spotted bank, but my favourite locals were the hares, five at intervals where the valley had widened enough to give them room to zoom. They crouched in the distance then lolloped off, not into the woods, but over bare ground to the horizon.

The valley curves round to Wetwang but we have to break off through a couple of tacky fields and take the road verge back.

This isn't so bad, it cleans off the adhesive soil and you get a view of the green lane, and pass a black Nissen hut, Brooklands Garage, with its exotic motors, and Oak Rabbit Crafts, with its furniture, a la 'Mousey' Thompson.

DIRECTIONS

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

Main street to Church Lane, left-hand bend, 100 yards, right to Southfield Road, Tarmac then track.

Right at T-junction to grassy track.

Track ends, left to field path, 15 yards after first corner turn left uphill into next field (hedge on left).

Right at corner, wide grass margin to Foxcovert Farm, keep fence/hedge to left (making occasional 10-yard kinks between fields and crossing a farm lane).

Dogleg left across road to track (fieldgate/sign), 150 yards, left after plantation.

Gate/fieldgate into valley and follow bottom round to the right (stiles and gates), grass then fieldside path.

Valley branches. Left at field corner by grown-out hedge, 100 yards, gap on right, 11 o'clock across field to post and up scrubby hillside (waymarks), 11 o'clock across field to finger-post by six old hedgerow bushes, 150 yards (to left of straw bales), cross track, 11 o'clock across field.

Right to road, verge then pavement beyond Malton turn.

FACT FILE

Distance: Eight miles.

Time: Three to four hours.

Start: Wetwang.

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

Date walked: February 18, 1999.

Road route: Wetwang is on the A166 York /Driffield road.

Car parking: Roadside in and around Wetwang.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Two pubs and village shop.

Tourist & public transport information: Beverley TIC 01482 867430.

Map: The OS map is Kirby Underdale, Pathfinder 666.

Terrain: Gentle climb, gentle descent. Mostly good surfaces.

Footwear: Walking Boots, stout shoes, or if dry, trainers.

Points of interest: Wolds, Wetwang, dry valley and dewpond.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Dogs: Suitable for dogs but keep on leads or under close control.

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418

Click here to view a map of the walk