Melmerby Moor

We had driven up from the valley to the moor and passed a few walkers doing it the hard way on the steep winding back road, so were we lazy? No, there's a fair bit of up and down on this circuit and, after a few miles, you will find yourself by a trig point at 1,700 feet.

But that's for later. To start with there is a "green lane" gradually downhill across the middle of the moor. By "green lane" I mean one of those green dot routes marked on modern maps that are an acknowledgement of an old-road-cum track. Certainly it's not verdant as in the usual image of such lanes. There is heather and that's about it - no trees, no shrubs.

What you do get are super views of Wensleydale and of Coverdale, the next valley south.

At the bottom of Melmerby Moor the route levels where it meets the highest valley side pastures of Coverdale, and there is a sound stone track that is just the thing for the mile of climbing required for the 600 foot ascent of Penhill.

What did we come across? Regarding creatures, little wheatears that are one of nature's star migrants and over from Africa, and tiny speckled butterflies. As for water, a pond, a stream that is called Mill Race and another water course draining Penhill, a deep and ugly gash.

And not forgetting the grouse, grouse butts and gamekeeper constructions of various sorts, including little towers. These towers are new to me, a couple of feet high, dry-stone constructed with the penultimate course a layer of turf that is framed in stone, so as to hold a heap of granules.

We were wondering what it would be like crossing the moor on the top because the last time we were hereabouts, in 2005, viewing this boggy patch from the other side, there seemed no obvious way. Now our track continued right across, so that was easy.

And then a springy path runs along the edge providing views into Wensleydale, its sequence of villages and Bolton Castle. Weather was gathering, darkening the dale deep to the west.

Now the trig point, one in rustic style not concrete. Then it's worth taking a little diversion for the pivotal view of the junction of the valleys seen from a peculiar pile of stones.

Then down, not the more popular descent, done that, but hugging a dry-stone wall all the way the mile back. This makes for very easy navigation and a rather different feel. The curlews came in on their airliner-true and musical glides, the flocks of lapwings did their fancy turns, and we'd hardly had to break stride with no stiles and one gate all day.

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed. 1. Facing uphill from cattlegrid, path/track at 1 o'clock across moor (unsigned). Crosses track after 100 yards.

2. Right to stone track.

3. Ignore left fork as track curves right, uphill then across top of Penhill.

4. Right at and before fieldgate in wall and keep on path near wall to your left.

5. Trig point, angle right on path to join wall at corner, wall to left.

6. New small gate on left and 200 yards to "pile of stones" viewpoint. Retrace steps.

From gate, best path is about 20 yards from wall on your left, cuts corner where wall swings left for 100 yards, then rejoins wall. Follow wall to left back to start.

Fact file

Distance: Four miles.

Time: Two or three hours.

General location: Yorkshire Dales.

Start: GR SE067869, a cattle grid.

Right of way: Public and Right to Roam.

Map: Drawn from OS Explorer OL30 Yorkshire Dales northern and central areas.

Date walked: April, 2007.

Road route: Side road south from West Witton A684 signed "Melmerby 2 Carlton 3"

Car parking: Roadside areas south of cattlegrid.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Inns at West Witton.

Tourist and public transport information: Leyburn TIC 01969 623069.

Terrain: Moor.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Map of the walk>>