GEORGE WILKINSON ponders the mysteries of the past as he takes us on a walk in the Yorkshire Dales...

We parked in the nice little car park near the Druids Temple in the Dales, donned waterproofs rather than white cloaks and, leaving the mystic for later, wandered off for a little winter shorty down pastures strung with crystal streams.

But our way was closed for pipeline laying, so we decided on a more ambitious effort and headed for Grewelthorpe Moor. The sun came out and we had a lovely time climbing to 1000ft on a good track through the heather.

Sandwiches were taken, the ace views were enjoyed and then we strode off along Wreaks Lane, another mile, another good track, more heather, more long views and a gradual descent.

The lowlands in this part of the Dales are not particularly low, more like hilly grasslands for sheep, cattle and horses, scattered with farms, and laced with hedges, dry stone walls, myriad becks and going nowhere back lanes.

Hereabouts we took to the Tarmac, part of the Ripon Rowel circuit, and saw walkers, dogs, a wheelchair and a Shetland pony. After passing a canary-yellow barn, we crossed a small moor with three-star grouse butts and ended up at the hamlet of Ilton.

Half an hour later we had returned to our Druids car park. The temple is five minutes away, sited in a dip, discreet for the ceremonial; I know little about such goings on. This construction, despite often being called the Yorkshire Stonehenge is a reproduction, circa 1820. Nevertheless it is most impressive and invigorating, a large oval of huge stones arranged as 'menhirs, dolmens, trilithons and a tomb' or alternatively 'sarsens and other phallic and neo-Druid paraphernalia'.

Factfile

Distance: Eight and a half miles.

Time: Four hours.

General Location: Yorkshire Dales, ten miles north-west of Ripon.

Start: GR. 177 787.

Right of Way: The complete route is along public rights of way, and in open access woodland.

Date walked: Saturday 18 January 2003.

Road Route: From Masham, via Swinton, heading for Ilton. Watch out for right turn to straight road into woods, Swinton Estates sign only.

Car Parking: Small free car park near Druids Temple, probably fills up at weekends. Mid-week walkers might find a space in Ilton.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: None.

Tourist & Public Transport Information: Harrogate TIC 01423 537300. From 3 February Ripon TIC 01765 604625.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 298 Nidderdale.

Terrain: Moor and hilly pasture.

Points of interest: The woods near the Druids Temple are open access.

Difficulty: Moderate in good weather.

Dogs: Suitable.

Weather Forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418

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

Directions

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

1. Down car park access road, 100 yards, stile on right (signed Ripon Rowel), pass house, fieldgate into field.

2. Left to pass to front of house/garden, 100 yards, gateway, broken stile on right in wire fence.

3. Downhill on grassy track(wall to left), squeezer/fieldgate.

4. Fieldgate on left by wood and track downhill. Right to road and steep uphill to Ilton.

5. At bend, road on right after phone box, turns to track.

6. Right to track at T-junction. Fieldgate to field, fieldgate to moor - stay on track.

7. Good track on left. After moor, fieldgate to walled track.

8. Join road, 200 yards then first road left (signed Ilton).

9. Gateway on left barred with a trough and old gate (signed Ripon Rowel), 2 o'clock across rough pasture (fence on right), stile and straight on to path that joins grassy track alongside grouse butts. Meet wall 50 yards after last grouse butt, left (wall on right), 100 yards, wall stile on right, 11 o'clock down field, wall stile in corner, right, 30 yards, wall stile, path at 11 o'clock across rough grass/boggy area and left to road, immediately right-hand bend, return on road. For the temple, main track from car park, 5 minutes back on woodland path.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 16:41 Friday, January 24, 2003