Hops and glory

Masham has a good sturdy square. A red Ferrari F355 pulled on to the cobbles then flashed off. We noticed a discreet parkers' honesty box under a poster of 'Mashamshire Walks' and meandered past the cafs and pubs, down an alley and into the town's west end.

The tang of hops emanating from the sandstone and fire-engine red of Theakston's Brewery was refreshing, the vision of mountains of beer barrels was sublime.

The scenery became pastoral, the sheep and rolling pastures pleasant with violets under a hedge and the sunburst waymarks of the Ripon Rowel Walk along the track and paths.

Ash trees mark routes and boundaries, one had massive ivy cover, the ivy stems drilled by woodworm.

One good track led to another, again the pastoral scene, a valley now, prettying by the week. Ash trees again, in various states - standing quite dead, or with a ragged branch stump, all home to nest holes, moss and lichen.

Curlews provided the soundtrack, a fluting riff. Lapwings provided the drama - a cock pheasant was bold as brass alone on the short grass; a danger bang in the middle of the lapwings' nesting pasture.

The pair attacked, wheeling tight on their broad wings, a mate joined in and with each dive we cheered as the pheasant ducked its head. Eventually the horrid pecking menace scuttled off.

A bank of daffodils heralded the top of the valley and we turned along the edge, geese hissed at Bank Top Farm. The Black Swan looked inviting but I demurred, and enjoyed the linear delight of the very pretty village of Fearby sure in the knowledge of the pub at the far end. But The Kings Head had shut, as in closed down.

So a swig of water and a delve into Dawson's Lane, a sunken track with springs, closed in a bit by holly, closed historically with wire, rich in dog's mercury and busy with the paraphernalia of pheasant rearing.

A woodpecker hammered out. We emerged at stream banks clad in bluebells to come, walked pasture with ash an inch tall, self-seeded every foot, and forded a three-step beck.

Next, more breeding birds, at the Marfield Nature Reserve, flooded gravel pits courtesy of Redlands Aggregates Ltd.

A couple from Leeming, who have been feeding the swans for eight years, recited the species - ducks, shell and tufted etc, grebes large and small etc.

We hid in a hide and watched the water and the marsh, a vibrant mix, migrant and otherwise, the greylag geese coming in like jumbo jets, the black headed gulls spinning like F16s, the coots plopping like comical submarines.

The swans ('Jimmy and Jemima') kept a disdainful distance, we moved on past 'Nunnery Nook' and over the flat fields to Masham's church spire and came into town at the Black Sheep Brewery and the White Bear pub.

Fact file

Distance: Seven miles.

Time: Three to four hours.

General location: Eastern foothills of the Dales.

Start: Masham.

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

Date walked: Friday, April 2, 2004

Road route: Masham is five miles west of the A1.

Car parking: Market square, honesty box. Or by sports field.

Lavatories: Near Bruce Arms.

Refreshments: Inns and teashops.

Tourist and public transport information: Harrogate TIC 01423 537300.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 302 Northallerton and Thirsk.

Terrain: Grasslands.

Points of interest: Market Day on Wednesday.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Dogs: Suitable.

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. From square, Church Street (pedestrian sign to Theakston Brewery Visitor Centre), 100 yards, right at HSBC, 50 yards, left to path (Brewery), right to road.

2. At right-hand bend, road bridge on left (Ripon Rowel sign), track after feed mill then field-edge path.

3. Fieldgate on right, ten yards, left, 50 yards, fieldgate, one o'clock, stile, fieldgate (hedge to right), stile, stile and right and left on field-edge path.

4. Left to road, downhill to track on right. Right to road uphill. At left-hand bend, stile on right then left uphill, stile and right to road (pavement). Through village.

5. Fork left at triangular green and across road to slightly overgrown hedged track (no sign). Where track enters a wood, stile on right and left around field, ford stream, fieldgate into farmyard, left to track past house.

6. Right to main road (verge), 20 yards, track on left (signed). Right through car park 100 yards to bird hide, return to track. Double-gates on right, fork left for 50 yards across grass to snickelgate, diagonally across field, bank to gateway, right (wire fence on right) to lake corner, snickelgate to path.

7. Pass houses, track for 100 yards, gate on left, one o'clock across field to right of two stiles, cross field, fieldgate to track, cross road to Silver Street, market square.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 08:45 Saturday, April 10, 2004