Wooded bliss

There's another A170 side valley, a route up Given Dale, which if weren't seven miles long I would classify as easy on the legs and on the navigational brain.

I drove into misty Allerston and started the 600-foot climb, though climb is too strong a word. We have three miles up and the same back on the finest of stone forest tracks, with a gradient gentle enough for a train I would think.

For a while we follow a thread of clear water, then it's just trees, but good ones, some of the oldest Forestry Commission plantations on the North York Moors foothills. Alternating with the conifers are stands of beech and colonising the gaps are birch and elder.

Bluebells and 'lords and ladies' are poking up, and overhead early morning pigeons cooed gently in the trees or cruised the valley.

More exciting were the deer that twice pranced across the track, so keep quiet for these. Indeed this is a very tranquil place but busy in Neolithic times. We are on the western edge of their great dyke system.

The sun was out, slanting through the trunks, and it had only taken half an hour to rise above the lowland mists. We snake on north, eventually forking off the perfect track for a short section that might muddy your boots after rain.

Then the forest ends and the valley continues as a smooth groove of grassland, and at the top Givendale Head Farm, home to lots of free-range pigs. They are quite a sight, each with their triangular or square green metal 'des res', hundreds of them, like a scout camp.

Most of the residents were having a siesta, only a few out snuffling.

Now we have connected with a length of the Blue Man walk and we are on the way back. But we don't descend yet as Given Dale Rigg is nearly horizontal for miles, dead straight, and curtained with larch and pines. There's an open section with good views over Given Dale and into Sand Dale.

We reach Warren Farm, aptly named as here was once a large artificial rabbit warren, a popular activity in the early nineteenth century when there were 6000 acres hereabouts devoted to bunnies, with structures made of stone, turf and trap doors.

Finally we lose our altitude, quickly, steeply, but gently on a Tarmac road for farm use.

DIRECTIONS

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

Through village, cross main road(A170) to tarmac lane by pub. Where lane swings left uphill, fork right to forest track (footpath sign).

Where track swings left uphill and noticeably steepens, keep straight on to grassy track through few hundred yards of conifer plantation. Stile/fieldgate into field and follow valley floor towards farm.

At free-standing fence/stile, 11 o'clock to track between wire fences to left of farm and pond, stile/fieldgate and left to farm track (sign), fieldgate. Track loops left for return route.

As main track swings left, keep straight on to track (with bit of grass in middle in places) between woods, track across field, pass farm, join lane back to Allerston.

FACT FILE

Distance: Seven miles.

Time: Three hours.

Start: Allerston.

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

Date walked: Saturday, April 1, 2000.

Road Route: Allerston is on the A170 between Pickering and Scarborough.

Car Parking: Roadside in village.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Pub.

Tourist & Public Transport Information: Pickering TIC 01751 473791

Map: Based on OS Outdoor Leisure 27, North York Moors eastern area.

Terrain: Very good track in valley and on rigg.

Footwear: Walking boots.

Points of interest: Forest.

Difficulty: Moderate.

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

Weather Forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418

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

PICTURE:A forest path on this weeks wooded walk.

Click here to view a map of the walk