GEORGE WILKINSON takes a joyful look at nature around Masham
What a difference a week makes just now, verges frothy with cow parsley and hemlock, hillsides painted yellow with rape.
And so it was with this week's walk from Masham, an exuberant nature trail.
I wandered up river. In the heat, millions of flies skimmed the surface and trout were feeding.
Half a dozen fishermen were hunting them, flicking out their Yellow Mays and Black Gnats.
A wood deflects us above the river. Red campion and sky blue forget-me-nots are under your feet.
A potency of garlic wafted up the slopes, you get a smashing view of Clifton Castle. The return was a treat. First High Mains, where the country is loveliest, with two or three small fields per hillock and, in a depression, a pond with coots.
Then a bog with marsh marigolds still in flower. On to Redlands Quarry where oystercatchers wheeled around gantries and mountains of gravel. But quarry as eyesore?
No. Certainly not in its context because immediately comes a quarry reclaimed, Redlands Marfield Nature Reserve.
There's a compact irregular pattern of lakes, the largest cricket field-size, and separating them are bars of sand and marsh, in the middle shingle edged by grass pasture and woodland.
The plants have grabbed a hold forming rafts of rushes and weeds; and teasels and fireweed march up inhospitable slopes.
I sneaked round to a hide for a bird's-eye view and watched for ages. Nearest, little sandpiper types pecked around the margins, coot-like creatures shovelled at sand, and curlews waded in and preened with beaks that reach the parts other beaks cannot reach.
A path runs bang through the middle of the site. It's under voluntary closure in April and May. I'd keep off it period. A Technicolor party of six walked through oblivious, the resident and numerous black-headed gulls went beserk, in a swirling panic.
It took ten minutes for all to quieten down. Then four daft coots had a splashing fight in the middle of a pond. I left the hide, passed a field, where 100 or so sensible greylag geese were socialising, and skirted round to another hide.
Swans towed fluffy signets, tufted ducks did what tufted ducks do, the greylags ploughed in for a swim. Two rooks chased away a kestrel after it had stooped into the gulls. We're heading towards Masham's church spire. You pass a dairy turned fever isolation hospital for 'Mashamshire'.
A woman out with her dogs showed me the best entry into town, allotments to the right, the aromatic Black Sheep Brewery to the left, and nearby, The White Bear.
DIRECTIONS
When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.
Leave market square via Millgate (north-east corner of square), cattlegrid, fork left to track, stile by beech tree before Mill House, riverside and left. Cross road, three stiles and two footbridges.
Before small hut by river, turn uphill and skirt wood, fieldgate/stile, fieldgate, stile to path through trees.
Opposite High Mains farm stile near fence-cum-gate, 100 yards, loop left towards farmyard. At small field adjacent to farm, diagonally across (fieldgates and possibly temporary sheep pens in corner). Fieldgate out of farmyard to track.
Ignore right fork by cottage, cattlegrid, cattlegrid.
Cattlegrid to quarry track, ignore first entrance to Marfield Nature Reserve, 300 yards, left to info board and hide. Retrace steps and take first entrance, 11 o'clock to snicklegate, 100 yards, right at field corner, first fieldgate on left, one o'clock to far corner of lake, snicklegate to path around Reserve, pass hide, track out on left at clearing/car park by brick hut.
Right-hand bend on track, 100 yards, gate on left, one o'clock, stile in fence, fieldgate to hedged track, lane back to centre of Masham.
FACT FILE
Distance: Less than five miles.
Time: Two and a half-hours.
Start: Masham square.
Right of way: Complete route is along public rights of way and permissive paths.
Date walked: Saturday, May 15.
Road route: Masham is on the A6108 from Ripon.
Parking: Free car parking in centre or by sportsfield.
Lavatories: Masham.
Refreshments: Inns and cafes.
Tourist & public transport info: Ripon TIC 01765 604625.
Map: Based on OS map Pathfinder 631 Bedale and Pickhill.
Terrain: Fairly flat.
Footwear: Walking boots or shoes.
Points of interest: Birds, River Ure, Clifton Castle, Masham (market days Wednesday and Saturday)
Difficulty: Moderate/easy.
Dogs: Suitable for dogs on leads or under close control.
Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418
PICTURE:Fly guy fishing for trout in the River Ure
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