Go with the snow

Two nights of snow without a thaw made for a good six inches. Gaiters, sunglasses and chains gathered, I eventually made it to the middle of the southern edge of the North York Moors at Sinnington.

Sinnington has acres of village green, spacious enough to isolate a redundant packhorse bridge. The River Seven slices through, dividing our outward and return paths.

To catch the views straight away I took a climbing and sheltered sunken path. At the top there was blue sky, but wind enough to lick fine spindrift snow from the lips of waist-deep drifts. The views south-west are the second best of the walk, over the flatness of the Vale of Pickering to the rise of the Howardian Hills. In the eye-squinting light, everything was brilliant white, or black if hedge, wood or crow.

We continue north, the river curves round 100ft below, in open access grassland. We follow the rim-of-valley bridleway into bare woods. Each tree trunk was plastered white on its north-western side, the sun streamed down from a different angle, and robins were inquisitive blobs of red. After about a mile I kinked down to cross the Seven where there's a good, arched bridge and where the river, flowing through fields of virgin snow, was trimmed with a glaze of grey translucent ice.

Now it was time to turn east for Appleton-le-Moors and there were hills ahead. I walked to the bottom of the nearest and was route pondering when, luckily, Appleton residents Maggie and Richard appeared.

They advised a direct assault on the hill that turned out a steep plough through drifts But it was worth it because at the top you step on to one end of a terrific, very long, narrow old field. Each side there are more, defined by grown-out contemporary hedges.

As we walked this field towards Appleton on the skyline, Maggie and Richard told me about their day. They'd seen three roe deer in the woods, a hind and two bucks, moving "silent and in slow motion through the snow".

They offered tea and we talked about the village. Appleton is one of those extraordinarily symmetrical and early medieval planned North Yorkshire villages. Essentially one long, wide street, north to south, each side a row of houses with long gardens (once tofts).

And behind these gardens, on each side, back lanes and then those very long fields.

We walk straight off the village street on to a broad, exposed, dipping curve of pasture and the day's best view, due south across the Vale of Pickering to the merging Wolds and Howardian Hills.

Two hundred feet below, central and half an hour away, lies Sinnington, small and blended in woods.

After a quarter of a mile of descent and compressing views, you take in a little, muddy wood and rejoin the River Seven for its pleasant run in to Sinnington.

A flock of fieldfares colonised a tree ahead while mallards raced to the green over gurgling runs.

DIRECTIONS

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

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

From green, dead end road on east of river, fork right at 'Bridge View' (sign).

At last house on left, fork right uphill on path, right at junction in fields at top of hill, 150 yards, left to path between hedge and fence (signed bridleway). Right at first corner (not over stile).

At end of first pheasant pen on right, fork left downhill on path into woods, right at triangular intersection of paths.

Fieldgate out of woods, fieldgate and left to footbridge (signed) over River Seven, left towards farmyard, gate and right to lane.

Track on left at lower edge of wood (no sign), 25 yards then right uphill, path, gap by gate out of wood and field-edge path to left of old hedge.

Stile to lane and left, 25 yards, gate on right (waymark) gate and left to main street.

Straight on at bend to track (signed bridleway), fieldgate, fieldgate. Fieldgate then two thirds of way downhill, footbridge and gate on right and 2 o'clock across field to fieldgate into wood. Path swings left in wood, gate out, left along field-edge and at right-hand bend, track on left above, then by, river.

FACT FILE

Distance: Four and a half miles.

Time: Two hours.

Start: Sinnington.

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

Date walked: February, 10 1999.

Road Route: Sinnington lies by the A170 between Kirkbymoorside and Pickering.

Car Parking: Roadside.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Pub at Sinnington (open every day). Pub at Appleton-le-Moors (lunchtimes, only Sunday at the moment).

Tourist & public transport information: Pickering TIC 01751 473791

Map: The OS maps are North York Moors western and eastern areas, OL 26 and OL 27.

Terrain: Two climbs, and about a mile of usually muddy bridleway.

Footwear: Walking boots, stout shoes, or if dry, trainers.

Points of interest: Villages, field systems, views, river.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Dogs: Suitable for dogs but keep on leads or under close control.

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418.

PICTURE: Seven bridge: Crossing the River Seven on the North York Moors

Click here to view a map of the walk