Shallow Dale and Ampleforth Country

9 miles                    Fine and dry

We drove to Ampleforth via the A19 and Thirsk Bank and parked in the village where there is plenty of roadside parking.

Today's walk from The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills

Walking out of Ampleforth

Primitive Methodist Chapel in Ampleforth

Tom Scott Burns says that Ampleforth is mentioned in the Domesday Book and means 'ford where the sorrel grows.'

As we walked uphill out of the village we came to a memorial bench with an interesting plaque to an 'Old Timer'.  We would like to know more about Ron but an internet search has proved negative.

We followed the road west out of the village and took the second turning on the right, into Westwood Lane.  The road passes a working sawmill, then soon becomes a narrow lane which is very pretty and pleasant to walk along, as one enters Shallow Dale.  

Shallow Dale is a very quiet dale and there is now little trace of the Quaker settlement that TSB says was once scattered along the valley, growing flax on terraces and spinning it into yarn. There are heaps of stone where their cottages once stood. 

Turning off the road into Westwood Lane

Masses of Himalayan Balsam along Westwood lane

Cottages in Westwood Lane

We strolled along Westwood Lane, which gradually becomes less of a lane and more of a track.  This is a very peaceful lane and in fact we never saw another soul, walker or otherwise, during the whole 9 miles of today's walk.

A long gentle climb brought us to the head of the valley where the path continues past High Woods Farm.

Westwood Lane

Fortunately we turn left here as the track to Royalty Slack seems to be occupied

"You'll have to walk over us mate."

A memorial plaque next to the above sign

Turn into fields here

High Woods Farm

As we walked through the fields at the rear of the farm a sudden movement in the grass caught my eye and we quickly saw the cause, a tiny shrew with nowhere to hide.  Clive caught it for closer examination and we think it must be a baby as my book says a fully grown shrew should measure 2.5 to 3.5 inches long.

What's that?

'Baby' shrew

Clive popped him back down and he soon disappeared into the grass.  We've often seen dead shrews and voles but it was a pleasure to get a good look at a healthy one.

We continued walking alongside the trees of Low Wood until we reached a stile which we crossed to enter the dense trees of Burtis Wood.

Walking alongside Low Wood

Entering Burtis Wood

Splashes of yellow paint keep us to the path

Leaving Burtis Wood

After leaving the wood at a stile we turned sharp left and walked through three fields, keeping parallel to the road.

We watch a hawk hovering over Balsam

A gated bridge across Burtis Beck

Our route is only just passable through Himayan Balsam

Walking parallel with the road below

The final stile is a tricky one made worse by dense vegetation

We rejoined the road at the end of the third field. We were now leaving Shallow Dale and after crossing Carr Lane we began today's second circular walk, this time southwards of Ampleforth.

We crossed the road and followed a way-marked path across fields to reach Newstead pond, which TSB describes as delightful but which now, overgrown with weeds and algae, no longer deserves that moniker.  Here we turned sharp left and walked back up to the field boundary where we found a sheltered spot to sit and enjoy our coffee and scones.

I think that's the way..

Enjoying Ampleforth Country

Newstead Barn

Newstead Pond

After a pleasant break we set off once more crossing a couple of fields and joining a lane which took us past Old Pilfit Farm.

What has caused this muddy mess?

"Not us Guv, honest"

Old Pilfit Farm

Plaque above front door

We walked past the old railway track and station house which served Ampleforth until 1950.

Old Station House

Disused railway line

The lane reaches Low Lion Lodge and bears left, but we leave it by keeping straight on past the lodge before entering fields to walk south to reach the much grander High Lion Lodge.

Walking towards Low Lion Lodge

... after which we enter fields following waymarks

A novel yellow waymark

Looking back we see Ampleforth College in the distance

High Lion Lodge

Residents at High Lion Lodge

At High Lion Lodge

After passing High Lion Lodge we turned right into North Moor Lane and after a couple of hundred yards, turned left onto a forestry road to cross Gilling Moor.

Leaving North Moor Lane into Gilling Moor

Better clean our boots tonight!

Eventually we reached Higher Fish Ponds where we swung left to sweep past the ponds to reach Lower Fish Pond.  This Lower Fish Pond is far larger and is a tranquil and pretty spot.

Higher fish pond

Lower Fish Pond

A tranquil spot

Just past Lower Fish Pond the route turns north to cross a sheep field.  There are new gates on the field and no way marks on this side of the field but a stile and way marks at the far side.

New gate with no waymark

Owl box

We crossed the old embankment of the long disused Malton to Coxwold railway.  TSB explains that a special train (shades of Harry Potter) used to convey students from London to Ampleforth College at the start of each term until the line was closed in 1964.

We watched a buzzard for a while and enjoyed a fine view of Ampleforth Abbey and College to our right.

Ampleforth appears across the fields

Buzzards only eat carrion...

"Yes, anything we can carry..."

Ampleforth College

Leaving the fields, we joined and then followed Mill Lane back to Ampleforth where, after finding neither village pub open for afternoon trade, a short drive took us to our debrief at the Fauconberg Arms at Coxwold, for the third occasion in a row after walking .

Debriefing at the Fauconberg Arms