Yew'll do for me

Nun Monkton, a stone's throw north-west of York, has a prairie-sized green encircled by lovely old brick houses, a terrific maypole spiralled in green and white, a pond of cosseted ducks, and a pub called the Alice Hawthorn.

Alice was a racehorse, a winner 50 times in 69 outings in the mid-nineteenth century. I sat out the drizzle with a half. She's on the wall, galloping over the turf.

Also on the wall are numerous Evening Press Rural Pub of the Year awards from the 1990s. Soft sunlight lured me out and a gateway beckoned from the eastern reach of the green, a gateway to our refined preamble.

A pea-gravelled avenue leads to St Mary's Church. I'd exhort even the most militant atheist to step through the curtain of weeping beech, under the zigzags of the Norman portal, and into the holy airs. Back in 1150 there were 12 nuns and a prioress, now there's the delight of the 'finest stained glass in the West Riding', three lancet windows by William Morris, gorgeous Pre-Raphaelite faces framed in foliage.

Nearby is the hall, a 17th-century whimsy. Yew billows over beautiful brickwork, and we reach the water. Here the rivers Ouse and the Nidd meet. I watched cabin cruisers arc through the large triangular confluence, then, my detour done, wandered back for the walk proper. Orchard, grassland, horses and then the Nidd. I walked upstream, not that any flow was obvious.

The canal-quiet waters were low in the ground in a winding trough of lush undergrowth, and with so much overhanging willow the surface was sometimes hidden.

Also well camouflaged were the fishermen, snuggled down in the reeds and rushes every 50 yards, under huge green umbrellas, their presence signalled by contemplative puffs of smoke.

A match was on between carp, barbell and chubb-hunters from Barrett Steel of Bradford. I watched voyeuristically the silent, motionless, action.

A two-inch blue damselfly flitted past, the heavens opened, and a wind whipped up.

The storm produced a remarkable vision. The Bradford anglers emerged slowly up the banks and formed a sad procession, shuffling away like enormous beetles under their carapaces of umbrella, trailing behind abdomens of tackle-laden trolleys.

I hurried on to the stretch commanded by the Leeds and District rod wizards who seemed of sterner stuff and continued fishing in the rain. Thunder rolled in the distance, the rain lashed down.

A walk perhaps best as a balmy evening stroll turned into a Sunday afternoon soak.

The new open access area allowed a short-cut across the last curve of the Nidd, and with a head-down sideways glance at the pleasant tree-lined meadows, I track-dashed back.

DIRECTIONS

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

1. From pond near pub, east though village, gate/cattlegrid to drive to church. Right at church, left at 'clock' building, gate/fieldgate and path down to river confluence. Retrace steps to church.

2. Fieldgate opposite church into orchard (waymark), stile, stile, 11 o'clock to stile in trees, stay by hedge/trees on right round back of village.

3. Fieldgate to track, 50 yards and straight on to grassy track (i.e. ignore right turn back to village), stile/fieldgate.

4. Right by River Nidd. Fieldgate and a few stiles.

5. At and before old reddish metal fieldgate/stile, turn right to blue metal fieldgate 50 yards away on right (waymark on far side) and hedged track back to village.

FACT FILE

Distance: Three miles.

Time: One and a half hours.

Start: Nun Monkton.

Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way and in open access area (access ends 30/09/2008).

Date walked: Sunday, June 27

Road route: East off the York/Harrogate (A59) road, just south of Green Hammerton, about eight miles from centre of York. Parking: Roadside.

Lavatories: None. Refreshments: Inn.

Tourist & public transport information: Boroughbridge TIC 01423 323373.

Map: Based on Pathfinder 664, York (west).

Terrain: Flat. Good surfaces.

Footwear: Walking boots or stout shoes.

Points of interest: Nun Monkton, Priory Estate, River Nidd. Countryside Stewardship Scheme open access area.

Difficulty: Easy.

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

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418 l Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

PICTURE:Cruising the River Ouse

Click here to view a map of the walk