Take a virtual walk along the River Derwent

Walking the River Derwent, leg 2: Friday March 13

Distance: about 14 Miles

Last October I set out to walk the river Derwent, in stages.

After the first leg, my walk was interrupted: the rains set in and carried on for months. The worst time was the first two months of this year when the whole Derwent area remained flooded. Then, just when things seemed to be getting better and the land was starting to dry out, along came coronavirus.

Days before restrictions on public transport came in and lockdown began, my friend Nigel and I got up very early and caught the 07:32 train from York to Wressle. It promised to be a fine and sunny day, although there was a cold wind.

Getting off the virtually empty train at Wressle with its boarded up station was like was like arriving in the middle of nowhere. No one else got on or off. After Wressle the line continues dead straight for eighteen miles east to Brough, leading to the claim that this is the longest straight section of railway in Britain.

We set off north pausing only to admire the remains of Wressle castle. During the day we crossed flood plains and passed through several villages of historical interest.

The first of these was Breighton, home of a world war two heavy bomber base. We found a memorial to 78 Squadron in Bubwith church, together with a sad account of the wartime death of three of its aircrew. There was no roar of Halifax or Lancaster bombers, and no sound from the vintage aircraft of the Real Aeroplane Company who currently occupy the airfield.

We then followed the river to Bubwith, passing the deserted Breighton Ferry pub and its park for caravans and boats.

Nigel identified the distinctive sound of a curlew and we saw it wading in what was left of the winter floods. Breighton Meadows is one of the few remaining traditionally farmed floodplain hay meadows in the UK.

We then came across the red brick arches of a viaduct crossing the river. This was once the Selby to Market Weighton line, closed in 1965. We followed the route of the railway to Bubwith Station.

In the village there was more activity with parishioners chatting outside the church – I should point out that at the time small gatherings outside were still allowed.

All Saints Bubwith dates from Norman times and has a magnificent central arch. We made use of the impressive new toilet in the north aisle. Every time I mention Bubwith I can’t help thinking of Rowan Atkinson trying to pronounce the word. It apparently comes from the Norse and means Bubba’s wood.

We then took the shortest route across fields to Aughton. It was good that we took this path as the river route was blocked by floods.

I was looking forward to visiting Aughton, a tiny village on a dead end road, because it was the ancestral home of Robert Aske, the man who led the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536.

Throughout my exploration of the rivers of Yorkshire I have come across many ruins of once great abbeys and priories. There were several in the Derwent valley including Ellerton, Thicket Priory near Thorganby, and the great Malton Priory. How were Henry VIII and his henchman Thomas Cromwell able to get away with the wholesale destruction and pillaging of these institutions that served, as well as taxed, the local population?

Well, the answer was they very nearly didn’t.

A major popular rebellion in the North of England, the Pilgrimage of Grace, succeeded in taking Hull, York and Pontefract Castle. The host then marched on Doncaster with an army of thousands.

They would have marched on to London but were tricked into accepting terms by King Henry and his military leader, Thomas Howard. The following year the rebellion was brutally suppressed, with Aske being executed at Cliffords Tower, York, along with countless others all over the north.

Robert Aske was a lawyer who was on his way to London when he got caught up in the rebellion while travelling through Lincolnshire. He lived at Aughton Manor, next to the church. The original building is long gone but its moat remains. Just next to the church is a Norman motte-and-bailey.

Unfortunately the church was locked but we admired the expansive view over the floods towards Drax and Skipwith Common. Just above the entrance to the church there is a shield with an inscription that can be interpreted in different ways.

It was put there by Robert Aske’s brother Christopher during the rebuilding of the tower. Christopher remained on the side of the King. Part of it reads – Christopher the second son of Robert Aske, chevalier, ought not to forget the year of our lord 1536.

We ate our lunch on a picnic table near the church, before leaving this secluded and historic place.

The next settlement was Ellerton, another village at the end of a road, but unlike Aughton possessing a pub, the Boot and Shoe. Ellerton church, on the site of the original priory, became redundant in 1978 and is now being restored by a trust. We continued our walk across Hag Lane and a huge field that I swear was over a mile wide. It seemed like ages before we got to the next village. On the way it was a welcome relief to spot a skylark in song-flight.

The village of East Cottingwith is where the now partially restored Pocklington canal joins the Derwent.

The canal was one of the last to be built, from 1815-18. It runs for just over nine miles to Canal Head, by the A1079, a mile south of Pocklington.

The canal is a wildlife corridor featuring swans, ducks, dragonflies and kingfishers. However it was too early for dragonflies and we didn’t see any kingfishers.

After negotiating a recently flooded area we followed the canal towpath for about two miles to Hagg Bridge – this area seems to have a preponderance of hags! On the way we passed a recently restored lock and two swing bridges, Numbers 1 and 2. We stopped at Number 2 for sustenance.

The sun sparkled like diamonds back the way we had come. At our feet was a great pile of snail shells, presumably deposited by birds. Nigel checked his phone app and identified them as Ramshorn water snails.

There remained just a long slog along the B road to Sutton Upon Derwent.

Passing through the village the flags were out at the school and hordes of excited children milled around. It was the last day of school, closed until further notice due to the dreaded virus.

We then crossed Sutton Bridge and finally arrived at Elvington, feeling very tired. Due to cuts in the bus service Barbara, my wife, kindly gave us a lift home.

I am not sure when I will be able to complete the next stage of the Derwent as we are now in lockdown because of the Covid -19. These are truly exceptional times.

Please do stay at home, follow the government advice - and stay safe.

Bob Adams is a retired consultant psychiatrist from Bootham Park Hospital who writes regular travel features for The Press.