20 minute read
WILL’S WALKS
WILL’S WALK
The Herriot Way
For Will Hetherington and a group of friends this 56-mile walk through James Herriot Country in the Yorkshire Dales was the perfect way to spend a Bank Holiday weekend
Images: Matt Tarrant and Will Hetherington FROM THE LATE 1970s until 1990 there were 90 episodes of All Creatures Great and Small aired on the BBC. This enchanting show was based in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales and starred Christopher Timothy as the main man, James Herriot; Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon and Peter Davison as Siegfried’s haphazard younger brother
Tristan Farnon. It was based on the books by the vet Alf
Wight who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot about the challenges and rewards he faced through the seasons working in this remote rural community, with its idiosyncratic farmers and land owners. And pretty much everybody loved it at the time. There’s a new version now, and the first series was on Channel 5 last year, with another series out later this year. I have watched it and love it – remakes don’t always hit the right notes but this one is just as entertaining as the original.
In love with the landscape
The author fell in love with this landscape when he came down from Glasgow to join the practice in the 1930s and went on to become the most famous standard bearer for the region. I was born in 1977 so started to enjoy the programme in the late 1980s, but a family camping holiday to Swaledale high up in the northern Dales sowed the early seeds of attachment to this glorious landscape.
When I discovered in recent years there is such a thing as the Herriot Way, based on a route in Wensleydale and Swaledale the author walked with his son and a friend some 70 years ago, I was hooked. I bought the guidebook and studied the form. I’m lucky enough to have a small group of resilient friends who indulge me by allowing me to plan a multi-day walk so I set to work.
According to the guide the official Herriot ay starts and finishes in Aysgarth, of waterfall fame, but in his original account Herriot started and finished in eyburn, the small market town at the eastern end of wide, sweeping Wensleydale, the greenest of valleys. I thought if it was good enough for the great man then it must be good enough for us, so Leyburn became our start and end point.
Originally we were meant to undertake this 5 -mile four-day walk in May 2020, but we were all locked in our homes then so we postponed it until the second Bank Holiday weekend in May this year.
DAY ONE - FRIDAY MAY 28TH LEYBURN TO HAWES 20.2 MILES
By far the longest day saw five of us start walking from Commercial Square in Leyburn at 9am. Within a minute of leaving the hustle of the Friday market the sheer majesty of eastern Wensleydale is unveiled from the top of the Leyburn Shawl. The path heads west from town along the top of this limestone escarpment, and it offers a series of panoramic views of this green and pleasant land which won’t be beaten in this dale. In folklore the Shawl is named after the shawl dropped by Mary ueen of Scots in 15 as she attempted to ee captivity in Bolton Castle, ust a few miles west. In more mundane reality it’s probably a derivation of a Norse or old English word describing the landscape. Either way the views are quite sensational. But we soon left them behind as we passed through the first two villages; tranquil Preston under Scar, and then Redmire with its double green. Shortly after Redmire the path heads uphill to imposing Bolton Castle with the confusingly named Castle Bolton village lying in its shadow. Today it’s a tourist attraction and a wedding venue, but it was built on the junction of Bishopdale to the south and Wensleydale for strategic reasons.
With some benches around the castle it’s a convenient place for a refreshment break but with 20 miles to cover we couldn’t linger long. From here it’s a half hour walk downhill through the farm at West Bolton to Carperby. It was at the Wheatsheaf here that Herriot and his wife spent their honeymoon all those years ago, working to vaccinate cattle during the day and enjoying the simple pleasures of an old English pub by night. Of course the world has moved on in many ways since then, but walking through the Dales today it is still more than possible to forget about coronavirus, crypto currencies and social media.
A pint with Tristan?
From Carperby it’s just a 20-minute stroll to Aysgarth Falls, through a sequence of magical ower meadows hemmed in by the archetypal network of dry stone walls. This series of wide falls where the River Ure has carved through the rock over the ages is famous for the scene in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves when Kevin Costner’s Robin battled Little John. It’s a popular tourist attraction and is one of the points on the Herriot Way when the peace is disrupted slightly, but it’s also good to see the falls and there are some picnic benches which are useful for lunch. We ate our homecooked ham sandwiches with English mustard and thick fresh white bread as a light drizzle became slightly more persistent. It couldn’t have been more British.
The onward four miles loosely follow the old railway on the northern side of the river Ure, and it’s largely pleasant and easy walking all the way to Askrigg, one of the jewels in the crown in Wensleydale. There’s no doubting the attraction of the village, and the inside of the King’s Arms pub was used as the Drover’s Arms in the original All Creatures Great and Small. There are lots of photos on the walls of this ancient hostelry of the cast enjoying pints of ale, so it only seemed right for us to stop and enjoy the pleasures of a pint of Black Sheep. In fact we had made such
good progress that we extended that to a second pint. As we were enveloped by the cosiness of the pub and the beer, it wasn’t hard to drift off into a parallel universe with ames Herriot and Tristan stood at the bar and farmers supping ale all around. But when came out of my reverie remembered we still had some five miles to walk to get to Hawes.
Along this last section we made the brief detour to the enchanting Mill Gill Force (that’s a waterfall in case you were wondering) and we even had the distinctive Dales pleasure of being held up by 150 head of cattle plodding half a mile into the farm for afternoon milking. The kindly man herding them in explained to us that he was actually on his annual holiday from ent. The charms of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean are not for everybody. inally at nearly pm we walked down the hill from Sedbusk and were treated to the welcoming sight of Hawes ahead, nestled into the valley right in the heart of the ennines and the orkshire ales National ark. A couple more pints and a fine supper in the hite Hart nn preceded a good night’s sleep in Dales House B&B right in the middle of this thriving market town and tourist honeypot.
DAY TWO - SATURDAY MAY 29TH HAWES TO KELD 14.3 MILES
After an ample breakfast courtesy of Nina, the owner of the B B and in the company of her golden retriever illiam, the team were ready for departure by 9.15am. A pleasant start down and across the valley to Hardraw precedes the long climb up reat Shunner ell. At 1 metres this is the third highest point in orkshire, after hernside and ngleborough, and it certainly feels like it. The first half an hour or so is the steepest, but this is followed by another hour and a half of gentle uphill over the peaty moorland. Thankfully there are long sections which have been slabbed. This may feel like cheating but anyone who has waded through thick boggy moorland for more than 100 metres will know it can be intensely draining. e were blessed with perfect weather as the skies cleared to allow incredible views and the temperature stayed cool enough to remain comfortable. As you climb there are excellent views of the road over the Buttertubs Pass to the right. This epic route has been a Top Gear favourite over the years, and it was at Simonstone Hall Hotel at the foot of the pass where eremy Clarkson had his famous meltdown and punched a producer on the show. The road was also a seriously challenging section of the Tour de France when it made a detour to orkshire in 201 .
Views of Ravenseat
At the top of Great Shunner there is a cross-shaped head-high stone shelter with benches against each of the eight sides to provide protection from the wind whichever direction it’s coming from. t’s the obvious spot to eat lunch so we took our time to eat and absorb the views. To the north the remote road over to irkby Stephen in Cumbria is clearly visible, as is tiny hitsundale where avenseat arm is nestled away in its remote spot. This is the home of Amanda and Clive Owen and their nine children who star in the wonderful Our orkshire arm on Channel 5. rom
KELD
DAY 2
HAWES
DAY 3 REETH
DAY 4
DAY 1 LEYBURN
this viewpoint it’s easy to see why this resilient family need to be so self-suffi cient. They are a very long way away from the nearest shop.
The three-mile walk down from the summit to Thwaite is hard work on a rocky bridleway and wasn’t the only one who found it less en oyable than the ascent. alking downhill is hard on the feet, knees and hips. However, it served a purpose and we soon dropped into magnifi cent Swaledale, which looks quite diff erent from ensleydale because it is a lot narrower and generally has much steeper sides. t is also a lot more remote, with ust one road linking its villages and fewer amenities. But it is also a camping paradise with seemingly endless grassy meadows open for campers down by the banks of the river.
Wild swimming in the Swale
and the fabulous Usha ap campsite with Straw Beck gurgling away in the background. And within a mile we were in Muker, which is one of the most well-known villages in the whole National ark. ith its bridge over the beck on entry, position up near the head of the dale and patchwork of world famous wild ower meadows it’s not hard to see why it’s so famous. And so it proved on this sunny Bank Holiday Saturday ust after another tranche of Covid restrictions had been lifted. n fact it was so busy we couldn’t get a seat at the armer’s Arms, but a table in the tea rooms was a fair substitute before we made our way north to follow the Swale through the ower meadows.
The unusually cold April meant everything was a little late this year so, apart from buttercups, the meadows were a little devoid of colour. Even so this is a dramatic landscape with the Swale surrounded by steep slopes as it meanders around from eld to the north west, which was our destination this afternoon. Along the way we made a welcome detour to isdon Upper orce where some of us en oyed a brief dip in a deep pool of cold water which comes straight off the high ennines to the north and west. eld odge is strategically placed on the intersection of the Coast to Coast long distance path, the ennine ay and the Herriot ay and it started life as a outh Hostel where ames Herriot stayed. These days it’s quite a lot smarter, but retains the communal atmosphere engendered by small groups walking long distances. Tales of blisters, peat bogs, foggy mountain tops, driving rain and blissful moments abound on the patio outside, while dishes of delicious and hearty food at dinner and breakfast replace calories burned on those hills.
DAY THREE - SUNDAY MAY 30TH KELD TO REETH 12 MILES
We had a thoroughly enjoyable time with like-minded walkers at Keld Lodge and were sad to leave in the morning. But our route would coincide with the Coast to Coast path on this day, so we bumped into a few friendly faces along the way. The clear blue skies and blazing sunshine were welcome as we crossed the Swale and took the high route past the ruins of Crackpot Hall clinging to the edge of Beldi Hill on the way to Gunnerside Moor beyond. From the ruins of the old farmhouse the view south towards Muker is one of the finest on the Herriot ay.
After Crackpot Hall the path dips down into Swinner Gill and then begins a steep climb up the East Grain towards the grouse moor. As a result of the steep slopes, wild weather and geology of the area, some of the landscape looks distinctly lunar in places here, which provides a good contrast to the green of Wensleydale and the heights of Shunner Fell on the previous day.
Once we reached the top of the East Grain the path took us over the heather of Gunnerside Moor and soon we descended into Gunnerside Gill to the impressive remains of the old Blakethwaite lead mine and peat drying house. There’s a stone footbridge over the beck and as we basked in the sunshine this spot seemed as close to paradise as we were likely to find on this earth. nevitably after the descent into Gunnerside Gill we were faced with a steep climb to continue our way east over the moors and occasional patches of rocky terrain towards the memorably named Surrender Bridge.
Along the way we passed more derelict lead mine buildings at Old Gang and stopped for lunch on the grass near the old smelting mill just above the bridge. From Surrender Bridge the path gradually drops off the moorland towards and through Healaugh before the final walk across the meadows to eeth where we arrived before pm. t’s not a long day’s walking, but with one serious climb and a second shorter but equally steep ascent out of Gunnerside Gill we had earned our rewards.
Reeth is the market town of rural Swaledale but it’s no more than a village with a population of just 700. However it does have three pubs, a smart hotel (The Burgoyne) and a number of shops and tearooms, all congregated around the vast green which dominates the settlement and gives it a special identity. We enjoyed a drink on the lawn of the Burgoyne before checking into the King’s Arms and then walking the short distance to the excellent Bridge nn at Grinton for dinner.
DAY FOUR - MONDAY MAY 31ST REETH TO LEYBURN 10 MILES
Our final day walking in Herriot country saw us head out of eeth at 9.15am to cross the Swale at rinton and then gradually climb the steep hill past the famous rinton outh Hostel. This rest place for weary walkers sits like a castle high above rinton and is protected from the elements by a stand of tall trees. Herriot actually fell in love with the ales for the first time whilst driving from eyburn to rinton on hipperdale Bank very near here. But our route today took us off the road and high up on to rinton moor, past yet another old lead mine along the way. ead mining was a huge industry in Swaledale and Arkengarthdale in the 1 00s and the population in the area was much greater then, so it’s no surprise there are so many relics of that hard underground toil. find them a useful reminder of our own transience and the reality that land use and employment changes with the ages.
On rinton moor we reached the high ground and kept heading south as ensleydale came back into view for the first time since we left the peak of reat Shunner two days previously. There is something uniquely satisfying and exciting about crossing from dale to dale on foot over the high ground. And it was no different on this occasion. Having passed through an old quarry we went over a small bank and were suddenly greeted with that sweeping vista of ensleydale, with the river Ure meandering along for miles on end towards Hawes around the corner in the far distance. t was a fitting reminder of how far we had walked, and we were soon back in reston under Scar and retracing our steps for the three remaining miles to eyburn. t was a short last day, but that’s the best way, particularly on a sunny Bank Holiday in May.
Because most of this walk is within the orkshire ales National ark the scenery and settlements have been extremely well protected since it was established in 195 , which was also the era that ames Herriot wrote so evocatively about. As a result this walk through dramatic landscapes of rivers, waterfalls, dry stone walls and mountains, and the quaintest of villages with ancient cosy pubs and stone farmhouses is packed full of comforting charm. f walking is your thing then there are few better ways to spend a long weekend.
ActiveKids
EDITED BY MARY BREMNER
Rutland Youth victorious
Year 11 students Isabel Leetch and Ellie Hattam from Stamford High School recently represented the Rutland Sailing Club Youth Team. The Championships, previously postponed due to Covid-19, involved 10 teams and were held across two days at Rutland Sailing Club.
Saturday’s event saw a round-robin, with all teams racing against each other; the Rutland Youth team emerged as the only unbeaten team, guaranteeing their place in the knock-out semi-finals and finals planned for Sunday.
Rutland Youth were declared undisputed 2021 Women’s National Champions on the Sunday, when further racing was cancelled due to lack of wind. The team beat alumni teams from Oxford, Cambridge, and London universities, as well as a scratch team of parents.
Oakham School Girls 1st XI Cricket team in a 24-hour charity marathon
The Oakham School Girls 1st XI cricket team has raised more than £3,000 for the charity Chance to Shine after running a 24-hour net session.
They aimed to raise awareness for girls’ cricket within the school community whilst also raising money to help children get into the sport. Chance to Shine has helped over two million girls get into the game and over five million children in total.
Form 7 pupils Flo, Issy and Emma who organised the event, said, ‘It went really well, and we weren’t expecting to raise so much money. It was mentally tough as we got into the early hours of the morning, but at the same time, everyone had so much fun, and it felt good knowing we would be helping the charity.’
Headmaster Henry Price bowled the opening and closing overs of the 24-hour marathon. He congratulated the girls on their initiative and said that he was ‘incredibly proud of the girls for making such a significant contribution to the charity.’ The team was delighted to hear from Chance to Shine that their efforts will help 500 children have an opportunity to get into the sport.
Join a netball club
Stamford and Rutland Junior Netball Club hosted their fourth successful unior netball league this spring. 2 teams played weekly matches across four age groups and teams from Stamford, Grantham, Hampton and Peterborough battled it out to top the league tables.
Winners of each age group were decided in a week of seeded finals.
Stamford and utland unior Netball club was launched in 201 and now runs weekly training sessions for over 200 unior members. n September the club will add a new age group, U1 , in addition to its U , U9, U11, U12 and U1 categories.
The next Stamford and Rutland Junior Netball league will also launch in September 2021 and hopes to welcome back teams that halted play due to the restraints in place due to Covid-19.
If you have a child that would like to play netball, the club has spaces in all age categories. Visit www.srjnc.co.uk to find out more. The club prides itself on being inclusive and focuses on fun and friendship and has over 0 members.
Forest Fun
Forest School is an educational concept that is rapidly gaining popularity in this country, but what is it and why is it so good for pre-school children?
The concept first started in Scandinavia and was inspired by educationalists who believed that nature, the rhythms of the earth and the cycles of life are essential for spiritual and physical growth. Giving pre-school children the opportunity to explore and experience the natural world, their self-esteem and confidence is built with outdoor activities that involve creativity, working together and child-led learning.
Forest School is the perfect place to assess and take risks in a safe environment; a perfect antidote to our risk averse society. The challenging play helps develop self-confidence, competence, emotional resilience and independence; all of which helps build aspiration and ambition.
Jo O’Bryan-Tear, owner of the new ‘Wild at Heart’ Outdoor Nursery and Forest School in Ketton, owns two Ofsted Outstanding nurseries in Stamford called the Ark, one on Foundry Road, near St Gilbert’s Primary School, the other on Kesteven Road, near St George’s School. n 2012 she began to run orest School sessions from her own woodland in Ketton. This is an idyllic spot with a wood, about three acres of paddock and a river frontage. She is a great enthusiast of orest School having seen the benefits it can offer for the emotional and physical development of pre-school children. ild at Heart means she can bring the benefits of orest School to all pre-school children in and around the Stamford area, and she’s delighted to be able to do this. egistrations for September 2021 are now being taken on a first come, first served basis.
Call 01780 721079 for more information or email enquiries@wild-at-heart.uk www.wild-at-heart.uk
Science award for Stamford Juniors
Stamford Junior School has been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark, recognising and celebrating the school’s commitment to excellence in science teaching and learning.
The Primary Science Quality Mark is the only national award scheme to develop and celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools. A year-long process of audit, action and evidence-based re ection is how it is udged. Stamford unior School were specifically praised for their engagement of the whole school community in the teaching and learning of science.
