Wet and Wild

RIPON Cathedral was 'open for business', and five minutes down the road so was The Navigation pub at the top, the basin, of Ripon Canal. And, three cheers, the towpath of the canal has reopened.

For a mile and a half the water parallels tarmac, but it's pleasant - there were lads fishing, canoeists, daffodils flowering and mallards were, to put it politely, busy with a submerged female.

Other ducks peered voyeuristically from the roofs of the builders' merchant and DIY shops. The houses are nice, there are bridges of wood, steel and concrete, then the canal pulls away from the road and we are in the country, at Rhodesfield Lock.

From there the canal loses its engineered banks and acquires reeds. Terrestrial plants bring some colour to the grassy towpath, the yellow of creeping buttercup, patches of violets. The ash trees that drink the canal water are still in winter phase of chocolate buds.

Thousands of optimistic tree seedlings told of a recently un-walked route. A fisherman sat by the glassy surface, his keep net held a chubb and a couple of dace, his competitor - a grey heron - cruised over; there are also carp, roach and perch.

Signs of life then on the towpath and in the water, but on the boats all was dozey, none were moving or showing any inclination to do so, I concluded that boating induces the big sleep. It was midday. In times gone by there was busy transport of flax, timber and coal.

The barking of geese broke the silence, greylags and Canada share open water with oystercatchers; I guess these ponds are soon to be more marinas for the pleasure boats. Most of the east side of the canal is taken up by a racecourse; you could watch the nags for free. When I walked there were no horses, instead a herd of swans sitting on and pecking at the turf.

Next to come, humpback bridges over the canal, the first signed no-go in these times of virus. The second, Rentons Bridge, was suggested to me, by someone in the know, as a crossing for a return leg via Littlethorpe, a route down quiet leafy lanes and past a millionaire's row of mansions.

However, I have been informed by the authorities at Northallerton that this is impossible (at risk of £5,000 fine) because the tarmac is 'private' and only a footpath for our purposes, plus there is a dairy farm. So, until the outbreak is over, or the Ministry sees sense and gets vaccinating, circularity will have to be sacrificed to the "issue of trade" to quote Mr Brown.

We can go a little further to the last lock, Oxclose. The River Ure is 100 yards away. Sit by the lock, pretty with flowerbeds, and be entertained by the boaters, and their choreography of lock opening, sinking out of sight, and lock shutting.

You may be roped in, literally, and get a chance to push the levers on the smooth heavy gates. I helped out 'Lucky Last'.

I wandered back and, mindful of my fate should I get a route wrong during foot and mouth, popped into Ripon Liberty Court House that is in the shadow of the cathedral. This building is a hangover from Ripon's long tradition of independence, a mindset appropriate for those in government.

Directions:

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

1 Left along road downhill from Cathedral (Bedern Bank).

2 Left at roundabout

(Boroughbridge/A1 sign), cross River Skell.

3 Path by canal.

4 At second humped-back bridge (Rentons signed far side), do not cross bridge but take towpath open for 200 yards to Oxclose Lock, then retrace steps back to Ripon.

For future use, after the restrictions due to foot and mouth are lifted.

Cross Rentons Bridge at 4, right to lane. Right at T-junction, through Littlethorpe, right at T-junction (signed Boroughbridge) back to canal and Ripon.

Fact File:

Distance: Four and half miles.

Time: Two hours.

General location: 20 miles north west of York.

Start: Ripon Cathedral.

Right of way: The complete route is along public right of ways and towpaths.

Date walked: Friday, April 13.

Road route: Main road network.

Car parking: Big car park behind cathedral and supermarket (pay and display).

Lavatories: By cathedral and in market place.

Refreshments: Numerous.

Tourist and public transport information: Ripon TIC 01765 604625.

Map: Based on OS Explorer 299, Ripon and Boroughbridge.

Terrain: Flat and smooth.

Points of interest: Canal, wildlife, boats, fun. Web site for footpaths open in North Yorks www.northyorks.gov.uk

Difficulty: Easy.

Dogs: Suitable but must be on short lead for duration of foot and mouth.

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