Windmilling around

WE HIT the southern Wolds late in the day, but didn't think it would matter.

The navigator's migraine had subsided, and as we walked out of Skidby there were some strollers and horse riders on the move, things looked fine.

And so they were, an arch of elder and thorn, a white overgrown quarry face, a sunken path bright with violets and birdsong, and then an open mile or so with views to distant Minster, cranes and windmill.

A lad emerged from Fishpond Wood, laden with equipment but no fish. Dense benders of brambles make admirable field boundaries, the soil under the crops was pale, dry and dusty, part chalk, and a dozen wood pigeons perched in ash trees watching their food supply grow. A trio of scarecrows, two orange, one white, rested in a hedgerow.

We skirted a bluebell wood (a few out), caught a glimpse of the regimented fishing pond (each to their own) and discovered we were on the 'Beverley Beaver Trail' (they lived there).

Risby Park has faded as parkland but held some interesting grassed-over ditch shapes, a clear pond vibrating with insect life, and old ash tree oozing marshmallows of the fungi that later will harden and blacken into Cramp Balls.

There was a farm with an elegant Dutch barn and a 50-foot diameter pit nicely filed by trees not rubbish. Clear waymarkers point down long straight hedges but the site of the medieval Skidby was by my eye invisible.

More obvious was the windmill. There was no wind but the sun brought out dog walkers from the village and one said the smooth paths were good all year.

We got back to Main Street, glanced at the charming cluster of churches, village hall and neat Portakabin Post Office and swished off to the windmill.

At ten past five the splendid one and only Wolds working windmill had just shut, and to increase our disappointment the caf, which uses the flour, was closing for the day, but the view of the Humber Bridge was nice. Come to Skidby on a breezy weekend, the traffic won't hum (here and there) and the five tons of sails should turn.

Fact file:

Fact file

Distance: Four miles.

Time: Two hours.

General location: Between Beverley and Hull.

Start: The village of Skidby.

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

Date walked: Saturday, April 5, 2003.

Road route: Skidby just off the A164.

Car parking: Roadside.

Lavatories: Windmill.

Refreshments: Inn. Millers Tea Room (open 9-5, not Mondays) at the windmill 01482 847831.

Tourist & public transport information: Beverley TIC 01482 867430.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 239 Kingston upon Hull and Beverley.

Terrain: Flattish pasture and arable land.

Points of interest: The windmill is open 10-5 at weekends and most Bank Holidays, and Wednesday to Sundays during the summer holidays. Adults £1.50, concessions 80p, children 50p. Car park.

Difficulty: Easy.

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 Church Rise road (opposite church), fieldgate to path (signed), through trees, cross track.

2. Fieldgate to sunken path (waymark), dog-legs up to field-edge track.

3. Cross road to path, 100 yards, switch to field-edge path around outside of wood, cross stream, uphill, gap in hedge.

4. Left to road, 50 yards, track on left (signed).

5. Young wood on right. Stile and path diagonally across field up to farm (note: we used unofficial track from fieldgate, signed 'alternative' that avoids field).

6. Left to track.

7. Gate and left to road. Gap in fence on right to path (signed) beside hedge. In Skidby, left to road, 20 yards, path along back of houses back to Church Rise.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 09:03 Saturday, April 12, 2003