Arram walk

Arram is at the end of a road that fades out on to the floodplains near Beverley. The roses bloomed, swallows skimmed low and the breeze swished the treetops.

We cruised by golden barley, dark green wheat and potatoes in ridged, black soil.

The large building on the southern horizon is Beverley Minster. To the west and hardly noticeable lies the airfield at Leconfield that once roared with Spitfires and bombers and now has a couple of RAF rescue helicopters.

After a nice little humpback bridge we followed the ruler-straight water of North Bullock Dike, and were followed by a merely inquisitive herd of gleaming cows and calves. If we'd had a dog, there may have been bovine bother, which could have upset the serene mute swans.

The climb of the day, all of 15ft, brought us to the floodbank of the River Hull. This is a very pretty river. The other side is the site of the medieval village of Eske, the chimneys of a manor house; little else in the fields, in this quiet place.

Soon High Esk Lake is on the far riverbank, and then, again starting on the far bank, the reed swamp that is the Pulfin Nature Reserve.

The lake and the river encircle the swamp. Above the head-high reeds there are some hummocks of low dark grey/green willows. Have a sandwich, pull out the binoculars.

Arram Beck cuts in, straight, canalised and with water crowfoot and flowering yellow flag iris. A blue damselfly lurked, wings swept back, then flashed out to hawk the beck. From the junction of the waters the easiest way back to the village is along the raised bank of its beck. We had planned on doing another mile or so by the River Hull but here the grasses on the floodbank were rank and it was like walking in knee-high snow.

One can't whinge, and this route can wait a while until the powerful herd of 25 creamy cattle have eaten their way through. So we ended up finishing on a pleasant track, worth a look for the self-closing gate, like the field furniture and bridges of good utilitarian design.

Similarly the architecture of the nearby barn owl boxes atop half telegraph poles. These are standard house shaped with an open door and part gable end exposed and are numbered 524 and 525. The developers, The Wildlife Conservation Partnership, told me that last year was bad for barn owls, so this year will probably be good and with luck there will be happy families at numbers 524 and 5. Not that you would notice, with them being essentially nocturnal and anyway very discreet.

Apparently they don't mind walkers, which reminds me of the result of the week: Madonna 1 Ramblers Association 2.

Directions:

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1. From railway station, metalled road through village, at left-hand bend becomes track (signed bridleway and 'private road').

2. Track swings left to pass Arram Grange and becomes hedged track.

3. Bridge and immediately right (signed), fieldgate. Stay by dyke to right.

4. At end of field, left up to floodbank then left by river. Stile, footbridge on right (stiles each end).

5. Either very easy route - left along beck bank, two snickelgates, left to track to village; or easy route - right, stile, left by drainage channel, fieldgate, 100 yards, bridge on left, fieldgate, left to track back to village.

Fact file:

Distance: Three miles.

Time: Two hours.

General location: Near Beverley.

Start: Arram.

Right of way: Complete route is along public rights of way.

Date walked: Saturday, June 19, 2004.

Road route: From Beverley take the A164 two miles to Leconfield, turning near "News Shop", signed Arram Road.

Parking: Roadside in Arram.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Beverley.

Tourist and public transport Information: Beverley TIC 01482 867430.

Map: Based on OS Explorers 293 and 295.

Terrain: Floodplain.

Points of interest: Access to Pulfin Nature Reserve along eastern bank of the River Hull. More information on Hull Valley Wildlife Group website, www.hvwg.co.uk.

Difficulty: Easy or very easy

Dogs: Cattle about!

Observe the Country Code and park sensibly. Every effort is made to provide accurate information. Walkers set out at their own risk.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 15:01 Friday, June 25, 2004