Ken Walker, a reader and walker from Camblesforth, near Selby, has written a kind letter to me and has requested more routes south of York. Fair point. So I went to Cawood for a big sky river ramble.

We started near the arched steel swing bridge, channelled by the pretty houses along Water Way, bypassed the white stone church and within a minute or so were in expansive countryside, with the River Ouse sweeping out in a long smooth curve.

Here we are a mile down river from its confluence with the River Wharfe; the water is wide. The floodbank is wide, high and true, a splendid grassy walking surface even in wet weather. It rained, driving rain, most of the day.

The river and its parallel floodbank changed little over our first mile. The water 50 yards across, silky and coloured, showing a six-foot skirt of muddy banks. A narrow band of waterside willows is continuous and is bordered on our side by a flat area 20 yards wide, then the floodbank. Protected by the floodbank are super-flat fields with ditches, overwintering crops, sparse hedging and some trees. On the big horizons, look for distant churches, cooling towers and mineheads.

Pussy Willows were changing from silver to gold, coots hurried around the willow roots. Occasionally there are other riverside trees, an interruption of alders and a few ash, one dead and erupting with hard black slugs of fungus called cramp-balls (people carried them in their pockets as a deterrent - for cramp). Two five-month-old greyhounds rocketed past, 'raised to race' said the owner, then they 'retire to the settee'. He was the only pedestrian out and about, you would see someone a mile away.

Lesser celandines carpeted the banks, Wordsworth's favourite flower according to Richard Mabey. They splashed yellow the recent flood-mud patches. An old name for this plant is pilewort, on account of the knobbly appearance of the tubers. Mabey recounts its use as a treatment, maybe, but I would not know. We took out our sit mats, sheltered behind a tree and had almond tarts.

Mile two of floodbank is as before, but a tighter curve; again you can see the line beautifully. It was very peaceful; three geese flew over chortling. Halfway round, at the apex of the curve, you get a hint of the village of Riccall over the river in the East Riding. Note the windmill, they were popular around here.

Our riverside access stops at a pumping station that has a pond with ducks and geese. We did not fancy tramping through brassicas and no one else had, so we joined Marsh Lane by a convenient track. Here were a couple of cyclists and horses, together with one car. That was the total traffic on the tarmac of Marsh Lane. There is a Countryside Stewardship Site for the benefit of insects and small mammals, water voles at a guess. And some new hedging to augment the intermittent existing, which will be of some benefit to large mammals walking into a westerly, as we did. A skylark sang.

Re-entry into Cawood is punctuated by more fine buildings, an old hall, almshouses and Yew Tree House that has a Dutch gable end, a fancy finish to a simple and stylish walk.

Fact file

Distance: Five and a half miles.

Time: Two or three hours.

General location: Between York and Selby.

Start: Village of Cawood.

Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way, bar a short length of 'usage' track.

Date walked: Saturday, March 9, 2002.

Road route: The Wistow road, the B1223 from Selby.

Car parking: Roadside. I used parking area near swing bridge.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Inn in Cawood.

Tourist and public transport information: Selby TIC 01757 703263.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 290.

Terrain: Flat riverside.

Points of interest: Cawood Castle.

Difficulty: Easy, but lack of shelter.

Dogs: Suitable.

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418.

Directions

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

1. From swing bridge downstream on south side of river, through parking spaces on Old Road. Left to path in front of Water Row houses, left to road (pavement), left immediately before churchyard (over gateway temporarily filled with earth) to riverside walk on floodbank (sign). Stiles.

2. Short route option only. Right in front of metal squeezer, pass pond. Right to road, right at T-junction and back into Cawood.

3. Immediately after pump house, public right of way crosses field (sign) to path through trees but footpath was not reinstated so used nearby good track by pond, then right to Marsh Lane (road) and back to Cawood.

Updated: 09:40 Saturday, March 16, 2002

Click here to view a map of the walk