GEORGE WILKINSON takes a mellow yellow route around Askrigg in Wensleydale
In the 1930s Ella Pontefract wrote that Askrigg is on the 'quieter side' of Wensleydale and that 'they dislike crowds'.
James Herriot has seen to that. The TV version of Skeldale House is just over from the market cross, pump and bull-baiting ring.
Ella Pontefract also says that 'it used to be the custom in Askrigg for a man who wanted to fight to go and turn the bull ring over; if another man was feeling the same, he came and turned it back and they had a fight'.
A back-alley way out took me from the town's cobbles and flags to Stony Bank.
Steep it is, but all the stones are now in the walls of lovely little buttercup meadows. We cross one after another, diagonally, squeezer to squeezer.
Lots of route directions but it's easy to see where you're headed, up the northern flank of Wensleydale to the lower of two woods and a bit higher.
The climb flattens for a while around the hamlet of Newbiggin, then it's up again. Yellow was repeated in richer hue by a high-level band of gorse, and sultriness replaced by a perfect breeze.
When you reach the rushes and a good stone track, you've done the ascent, the rest is a cruise. Time for a sandwich stop.
The clumps of rushes make comfy armchairs with a view south across the valley of Addlebrough, the table mountain of the Dales.
The track takes you gently down. Above, a lone sheep dog covered miles in minutes, doing its best on the barren scree and scar.
Curlews wheeled with gulls, rooks, and a busy jet or two. A stoat's head poked out quizzically from a wall.
The ground is pockmarked from lead mining. After a mile or so we turn down to Woodhall. A convoy of gleaming JCB Fastracs shuttled silage grass through the village.
I followed, less urgently, into the heat of the valley, to riverside meadows and grassed-over railway line, where there's a chance of watching waders.
The line feeds into dead-end lane, with verges pink with nodding water avens, and finally, another batch of buttercup meadows where every golden head faced west to the sinking sun.
DIRECTIONS
When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.
1.Uphill from church, right after Winville Hotel to steps/alley, left after Seata Barn, 50 yards, squeezer, footbridge. Cross road to Parkins Garth, path between houses (signed), left behind houses to steps/squeezer, squeezer, right on drive.
2. Tiny gate/fieldgate by bungalow, 11 o'clock, squeezer, squeezer, 10 o'clock, squeezer, 11 o'clock to squeezer on left of barn, 10 o'clock, squeezer/fieldgate.
3. Right to track by barn into Newbiggin, cross road and green to drive between barn and houses (by bench).
4. Fieldgate out of yard and 10 o'clock, squeezer, stay by wall to squeezer on left, 2 o'clock, squeezer, 11 o'clock, squeezer and pass to left of barn to old fieldgate and path diagonally up through wood.
5. Gateway out, 100 yards, squeezer on right, 11 o'clock, stepsqueezer and right to track. Ignore right fork after 50 yards. Fieldgate by barn, fieldgate, fieldgate, fieldgate and straight on to dirt track (fingerpost, don't fork downhill), fieldgate, fieldgate, stile/fieldgate and track downhill to Woodhall.
6. Cross road to lane, round right-hand bend, road changes to track.
7. Immediately after railway-bridge remains, right to meadowside path, stile/fieldgate, footbridge, squeezer, 20 yards and snicklegate on right. Cross old railway line and left alongside (right of way is by fence but trees in way), stiles above bridge, ladderstile by gate on old line.
8. When railway line blocked, path to stile on right into field. Fieldgate/stile by barn, left to lane and almost immediately right to lane at bridge/ford crossing.
9. Cross road at T-junction to squeezer (signed), 50 yards, squeezer and right uphill, squeezer, gated squeezer near fieldgate on right and left to walled path/lane. Right at T-junction to track, left-hand bend and back to church.
FACT FILE
Distance: Five miles.
Time: Two and a half hours.
Start: Askrigg.
Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way.
Date walked: May 27.
Road route: Askrigg is one mile north of the A684 Leyburn to Hawes road, turn off at Bainbridge.
Parking: Cobbled areas and roadside in Askrigg.
Lavatories: Askrigg.
Refreshments: Pubs and tea room in Askrigg.
Tourist & public transport info: Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre 01969 663424
Map: Based on OS Outdoor Leisure 30, Yorkshire Dales northern and central areas.
Terrain: Good surfaces, steepish 400 foot climb.
Footwear: Walking boots. Points of interest: Meadows, uplands, riverside.
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:Wensleydale splendour around Askrigg
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