Day of pure pleasure

Fifty noisy geese flew over Kirkby Malzeard, the sun glowed on St Andrew's clock and we wandered past the Queen's Head and strode down the Ripon road.

There was an irritating bit of traffic to start with but, after that, a day of pure, almost unadulterated pleasure.

The theme being fine farms and fine houses, springs, becks, notable ponds and, best of all, a super winter mix of miles of clean tracks and even more miles over splendid sheep pasture.

The rattle of Kex Beck replaced the sounds of traffic and we walked a straight line through the middle of Azerley Park.

Blackfaced sheep grazed one side, greylag geese grazed in their zone near the lake. A house overlooks ponds and cascades and we took a waterside arbour where ferns grow through an old wooden rowing boat.

After a mile on farm track, we had a sandwich stop under an ash on the top of a rise. No big view; I don't think there is one on this walk. But the shorter aspects change all the time and the detail is good all the way, like the gates, old iron estate fencing and the weathered tree stumps.

Our boots collected a little bit of mud, a handy stream cleaned them up, then we took more smooth pastures, peered at a fairytale ruin/cottage called Witch-in-the-Woods House, spied a tall slim tower to the east, and as a cloud of pigeons plonked on to Beck Wood we forded a little stream. Here there were snowdrops nearly right out, as in the 'mid-winter spring'.

Galphay next, well endowed with a timbered village institution, a grass tennis court and an inn with with 'Aga roasted vegetables' on the menu. But not a village with much parking, certainly not on its delicate collection of little triangular greens.

From Galphay, we went straight through the heavy gates to Braithwaite Hall for a mile of winding drive, eventually reaching the Hall, its scenic ponds and the geese, this time greylags and Canada species.

There's a glimpse to the tower of St Andrew's, a mile distant in Kirkby Malzeard, and a run-in over more pasture.

This left the quarter of an hour by the road again, note a rare old iron stile toppled on the right. We bumped into half a dozen local ladies who'd just finished almost the same route, a good sign.

Directions

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

1. Downhill on Ripon Road, right after bridge to drive (signed bridleway), 100 yards, snickelgate on left (signed), by trees, gateway, ten o'clock across field, stile and towards house, stay by fence to right, stile, 100 yards straight over field, stile, stile.

2. Stile/fieldgate at gardens entrance and immediately fork right and stay on track beside beck, fieldgate out and straight on to track at junction. Ignore left fork on hillside.

3. At wood, ignore left fork, track swings right downhill 300 yards then ends, left to field-edge track/path on left so hedge to left (waymarked post), fieldgate, one o'clock to footbridge.

4. Stile after beck, left to cottage, right in front of it then 11 o'clock to double fieldgates (waymarked), straight on to join fence to left.

5. Stile on left and 1 o'clock for 50 yards then right over brow of hill and down to fieldgate at 'stepping-stones' over stream. Uphill (old hedge to left).

6. Gate and left on dead-end road to Galphay. First right in village, right at pub.

7. At corner, through gates to Braithwaite Hall (signed), drive, cattlegrid into gardens (ignore track on right), track swings left and downhill below house then track swings right to skirt trees.

8. Right-hand fieldgate and straight across field on grassy path, keeping pond to right then rejoin fence to left. Fieldgate (waymark) and join track. Fieldgate and through house grounds. Rejoin outward route.

Fact file

Distance: Five and a half miles.

Time: Three hours.

General location: Near Ripon.

Start: Kirkby Malzeard

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

Date walked: Saturday, January 10, 2004.

Road route: Via Masham or Ripon.

Car parking: Roadside in Kirkby Malzeard.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Tea shop (closed Jan 04) and inns in Kirkby Malzeard, inn at Galphay.

Tourist and public transport information: Ripon TIC 01765 604 625.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 298 Nidderdale.

Terrain: Rolling low altitude pasture.

Points of interest: The Kirkby Malzeard village website has maps from medieval to early modern: www.kirkbymalzeard.com

Difficulty: Moderate.

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.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 08:50 Saturday, January 17, 2004