More to Monkton

Bishop Monkton is described on a website as 'quaint and quiet'. It's more than that, quite lovely, and we had a pleasant pre-amble along its beck admiring the fine old houses.

The clock of the 1859 Mechanics Institution on Zion Terrace was nearly accurate, and late morning we took West View out of town and headed for the flat pastures.

Free-range hens huddled in their doorways because their field was a bit windy. Geese flew overhead and a yellow rescue helicopter made its way westwards to the high ground of the Dales.

Our route is not mountainous, though occasionally muddy, but we didn't complain because the local clay meant that along Pottery Lane we found the Littlethorpe Pottery and spent a fascinating half an hour peering at an old Pug Mill mixer, clay bogey, washing machine, floor tile press, drying bed and a kiln that is fired with ten tons of coal.

The place is a 'Working Heritage Centre', a pottery since 1831 and unique in Britain in that it has always used locally-dug clay. Nowadays Roly Curtis makes ace but inexpensive frost resistant terracotta pots up to two feet in diameter. His rhubarb forcing jars are splendid. We bought a cylindrical planter for collection later.

Green Lane provided a vantage point, a view of swans on lakes and part of Ripon Racecourse and it brought us to the canal. A lock bench did nicely for a sandwich stop. Then we dropped with the water to the wide River Ure and followed the flow. A fisherman had caught a seven pound pike. On a short one-way excursion to have a closer gander at Newby Hall we passed hundreds of typically tame Canada Geese, some afloat, some honking, others waddling on the grass.

The way back started through a narrow wooded belt with a stream and buzzing with tits and finches. A heron lifted off nearby wetlands.

The last mile was a track, we had rather dawdled, that sort of walk, so reluctantly gave the Masons Arms and the Lamb And Flag a miss.

Fact file

Distance: Five and a half miles.

Time: Three hours.

General location: Vale of York.

Start: The village of Bishop Monkton.

Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way.

Date walked: Saturday February 8 2003.

Road route: From York via Boroughbridge or Knaresborough.

Car parking: Roadside in Bishop Monkton.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Inns in Bishop Monkton.

Tourist and public transport information: Ripon TIC 01765 604625.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 299 Ripon and Boroughbridge.

Terrain: Flat pasture, wood, canalside and riverside.

Points of interest: Littlethorpe Pottery open Monday to Friday, Saturday till noon, closed Sundays.

Difficulty: Moderate, well waymarked.

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. Along St Johns Road, pass Lamb And Flag to left, (stream and Main Street parallel to your right). At bend, ignore Main Street. Right at T-junction (Masons Arms), pass phone box, 50 yards.

2. Short length (20 yards) of West View on left (signed Littlethorpe), gate on left to field-edge path, stile, stile and one o'clock, over stream, track which picks up hedge to right, stile, rejoin track, pass to right of hen huts, track swings through yard.

3. Join road and carry straight on.

4. First right to Green Lane (signed Private Road). Ignore right turn at houses. Join canalside track then riverside path.

5. Fieldgate in trees, ten yards, snickelgate on right to tree-lined path with stream to right, (signed Ripon Rowel). From Number 5 you can do a further stretch down river.

6. Gate and left to road, 150 yards, fieldgate on right (signed), 100 yards across field then by hedge to your right, stile, gate to tree-lined path, path swings right, becomes track. Keep straight on back to village, right on St John's Road.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 09:12 Saturday, February 15, 2003