Shallow Dale and Ampleforth Country

9.5 miles     Fine with late rain

                   

It's years since we walked this pleasant Tom Scott Burns route in the Hambleton Hills and we arrived at Ampleforth via the B1257 and Helmsley.  We parked in the village where there is plenty of roadside parking.

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

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 saw that a memorial bench that had an interesting plaque dedicated to an 'Old Timer' had been replaced with a new beechwood bench.  I guess we will now never know more about Ron Tyreman and why he was popular in these parts. An internet search for the man and the song he inspired (see below) has proved negative.

Manor House,  Ampleforth

Marian House

Clive inspects the produce

New village bench

The plaque on the old bench

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

This is a very quiet dale and there is little trace of the Quaker settlement that TSB reports was once scattered along the valley, growing flax in terraces and spinning it into yarn. Heaps of stone remain where their cottages once stood. 

Turn into Westwood Lane

Charmingly named Snake Villa

An old railway truck, now a wood store

This chap was gathering sloe berries for his gin

Clive spotted this deer watching us from cover

We get a better look at him 

A pleasant mile along the lane

Looking across at High Woods Farm

Turn sharp left here towards High Woods Farm

After reaching the head of the valley we turned left to follow the path past High Woods Farm and then alongside Low Wood plantation before entering Burtis Wood.  

Leave the lane before reaching High Woods Farm

Walking past the back of the farm

Passing Low Wood

Reaching Burtis Plantation

Follow the way marks

We walked through the wood for some time, descending, sometimes steeply, back towards towards Carr Lane.  

After leaving the wood at a stile we turned sharp left and walked through three fields, keeping parallel to the road below. After crossing Burtis Beck we were surprised to see pigs being kept in a pen in the wood.  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.

Follow the yellow waymarks through the wood

... to the steep descent

Leaving Burtis Plantation

Clive spots Newstead Barn, our coffee stop, in the distance

Crossing Burtis Beck

Through the field past the pig. Pig?!

What are you doing here?

"He escaped and he's coming back for us"

Leave the road at the sign

After leaving Carr Lane we needed to follow a way-marked path across fields to reach Newstead barn and below it Newstead pond, which TSB describes as delightful, but the drought and weed have taken their toll. We took several diversions  to reach the barn as a number of fields had cows with calves and I prefer to bypass them. After the barn we crossed a couple of fields and in one we found a fallen tree to sit on. Here we enjoyed our coffee and scones with a nice view over Ampleforth Country.

Newstead Barn, the pond should be at 9 o'clock and seems to have dried up

Coffee time

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.  

Old Pilfit Farm

Feeding the calves

Milk bar at Old Pilfit Farm

We passed the old railway track and property that once served Ampleforth until 1950.  TSB says that a special train used to convey students from London to Ampleforth College at the start of each term until the line was closed.

Old railway station house

Red Admiral

Our lane joined the Colley Broach road.  These little lanes and roads seem devoid of traffic and are very pleasant to walk along. 

We soon reached Low Lion Lodge farm where the lane bears left, but we leave it by keeping straight on past the farm buildings before entering fields to walk south to reach the rather grander High Lion Lodge.

Low Lion Lodge

The conifer wood has been felled since our last visit

From roughly the same spot on our last walk here

High Lion Lodge

The view back down to Ampleforth from High Lion Lodge

Alpacas at High Lion Lodge

Passing by High Lion House and its alpacas we turned right into North Moor Lane where, after several hundred yards, we turned left onto a forestry road to cross Yearsley Moor. 

Turning off North Moor Lane

Our path leads straight on

Across Yearsley Moor

After a mile turn down towards the lake

We followed this forestry road until we reached Higher Fish Ponds where we swung left to sweep past the pond and reach Lower Fish Pond.  This Lower Fish Pond is by far the larger and is a tranquil and pretty spot.

Higher Fish Pond

More tranquil Lower Fish Pond

Just past Lower Fish Pond the route turns north to cross a field. There are new gates on the field and a new stile.  Although the field has been ploughed a wide margin has been left for walkers.

Clive points out Ampleforth College in the distance

Ampleforth College

A wide margin left for walkers

We crossed fields and then the old embankment of the long disused Malton to Coxwold railway enjoying fine views of Ampleforth Abbey and College over to our right.

As we approached Mill Lane and Ampleforth the rain which had been threatening for some time finally arrived and we quickly donned waterproofs for the last 15 minutes.

The rain begins

Crashes of thunder put a spring in our step

I think it's fair to say we have mixed feelings about this walk.  It's quite a pretty route along little walked paths but there are few features of real interest.  Also, because of poor signage it is best done with a close eye to the map or GPS. (GPS track available on request)

No pubs were open in Ampleforth on our return but a short drive took us to the Fauconberg Arms where we had our debrief, indoors for once.

Cheers!