|
A little
bit of imagination may be needed on this 10 mile circuit in the
shadow of Castle Howard stately home, near Malton.
Because
the walk, which begins just outside the village of Coneysthorpe,
includes a ramble across a ridge overlooking the Vale of Pickering.
Now
itÂ’s reckoned that at the end of the Ice Age the Vale was one
gigantic lake. ItÂ’s an idea put forward more than a hundred
years ago by Professor Percy Kendall.
With
that in mind former geography teacher John Eckersley has compiled
a series of walks around the Vale which heÂ’s published under
the title: "Exploring Lake Pickering". Profits from the
sale of the book go to Christian Aid.
I
joined him on one of these walks (walk number two in the book).
We
parked our cars just outside Coneysthorpe and headed towards Ray
Wood, following the path around the edge of the estate wall to the
Temple of the Four Winds.
 Listen
to John Eckersley and Mike Kemp on the walk
 |
| Bluebells
on East Moor Banks |
Before
us was a grand bridge crossing whatÂ’s called New River. Tree
surgeons were busy felling trees on the banks as we passed by.
The
walk took us up to woodland on East Moor Banks which in Spring enjoys
a magnificent spread of bluebells.
We
made one surprise discovery while in the wood: a fungus about the
size of a football on the side of a tree trunk.
The
walk passes by a weathered tree which John has nicknamed King Oak.
 |
| King
Oak |
The
walk leaves the wood offering a view of the village of Welburn nestling
in the valley just below and joins two farms, Hutton Hill and High
Gaterley.
ItÂ’s
not long before we have to head up a steep track to the top of a
ridge. A short walk on and the Vale of Pickering opens up before
us.
Could
this really have been filled with water millions of years ago? Perhaps
itÂ’s not so hard to imagine especially among those of us who
lived through the awful floods of autumn, 2000.
From
the ridge we return to the village of Coneysthorpe and its Georgian-style
chapel, simple in style but very beautiful. And a fitting end to
a delightful walk.
Enter the latest walks competition
|
It
is essential for both the success and safety of the walk that
an up-to-date weather forecast is obtained before setting
out.
