On the up

Thoralby was quietly welcoming, the daytime car park with an honesty box, the George Inn over the road for aprs-walk. The scene was set. Bishopdale angles away to the south-west. A mile away, out of view, Wensleydale angles to the north-west with the action at Aysgarth Falls and the sophistication of Leyburn. There is a wedge of Yorkshire Dales emptiness to explore.

We left the village, turned up under a raucous rookery, climbed past an ash which had dropped a bough of farmer's firewood and levelled off along Haw Lane, our outward track along the south-facing flank of Bishopdale, a fair few hundred feet above the valley floor.

For the first mile there was drystone wall each side and stone underfoot. The sun flashed on the twists of Bishopdale Beck and the turns of a dozen lapwings, the head of Bishopdale was bright but hazy.

For the next half-mile, after we crossed Gayle Beck, we lost the wall on our right shoulder and could see into an exquisite tree-tufted valley cut by the beck. Deepest Bishopdale was gathering dark cloud.

Then for our final outward stretch we lost the last of the walls, Haw Lane becomes Stake Road and peaty, the landscape was gorgeous and we crested Brown-a-Haw on the heather line.

It was snack time, almond tarts at 1,400 feet; but waterproofs, we had met the weather. The fell tops were brushed out by the clouds, and hesitant thoughts of a hike towards Wensleydale were erased.

So we descended over tasty (but not to sheep) pale grass to a lower level track called Side Road that took us back.

Seven or eight tight contours separate the outward and return tracks. Those few hundred feet made all the difference. Some warmth, some shelter, and a view straight across to the equally steep opposite side of Bishopdale, to the tiered rectangles and squares of the pastures that climb as high as we had been on Brown-a-Haw.

As for detail on the return - there was quite a lot at Swinacote Gill, two small and puzzling connected enclosures opening to the beck, glimpse of an extravagant fountain more Vatican City than Bishopdale, and an old tip revealed by the toppling of a tree, jars and bottles embedded in its root ball.

And talking of jars, the George Inn was still open, stove aglow, and the chips looked sturdy.

Fact file

Distance: Four and a half miles.

Time: Two to three hours.

General location: Yorkshire Dales.

Start: Village of Thoralby.

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

Date walked: Saturday March 1 2003.

Road route: A1, A684 via Leyburn to Aysgarth.

Car parking: Daytime car park behind village hall, honesty box.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: The George Inn (serves food). Tel 01969 663256.

Tourist and public transport information: Hawes TIC 01969 667450

Map: Based on OS Explorer OL 30 Yorkshire Dales, Northern and Central.

Terrain: Valley side.

Points of interest: Mostly good tracks, fine views.

Difficulty: Moderate in clear weather, steady climb from 800 to 1,400 feet. Path indistinct at Brown-a-Haw at top.

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. Left from car park behind Village Hall, track on right opposite Gill Cottage (signed Busk Lane, fieldgate) to walled track. Ignore side tracks into fields.

2. Fieldgate and track becomes grassy (no longer a wall to right). Stay by wall to left except where track cuts off a field corner and crosses a stream.

3. Fieldgate to track in heather and straight on up to summit of Brown-a-Haw, descend for 50 yards. (Please note - after this fieldgate, if you turn left downhill, an unsigned bridleway parallels the wall and you will meet the ornate metal fieldgate at end of Direction number 4 on your left - useful route in bad visibility).

4. Left ahead of remains of field wall and what was gateway to follow stream to your right for 200 yards on grassy path. As stream descends steeply into gully away to your right, contour on faint path to ornate metal fieldgate followed by a couple of slab 'steps'.

5. Path gently descends in rough grass for 300 yards, picks up a wall to the right, wooden fieldgate in field corner, 20 yards, right to track (sign), stones over stream, track up slope and left to stony track which descends to Thoralby.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While 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: 16:47 Friday, March 07, 2003