Shallow Dale and Ampleforth Country

9.5 miles                    Fine but cool

It's a couple of years since we walked this pleasant Tom Scott Burns route in the Hambleton Hills and today's promise of a dry day sent us back to 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 with an interesting plaque to an 'Old Timer' was no longer there.  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 song following the last time we visited proved negative.

In Ampleforth

Weather vane in Ampleforth

Walking through the village

What's happened to Ron's bench?

Plaque on the bench in 2021

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. 

We enter Westwood Lane 

Snake House in Westwood Lane

An abandoned railway truck at the roadside

Early Purple Orchid growing on the verge

Looking across Shallow Dale

We turn left towards High Woods Farm

Memorial plaque on the table

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.  

High Woods Farm

Alongside Low Woods Plantation

Masses of primroses and wood anenome

Wood anenome

Entering Burtis Wood

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 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 paint through Burtis Wood

Steep and sometimes tricky descent

We leave the wood..

.. and cross fields

Bridge over Burtis Beck

Blackthorn blossom 

Leaving Carr Lane at the Byland sign

We saw lots of Blackthorn blossom on today's walk.  Blackthorn and Hawthorn are very similar but Blackthorn blossoms first, usually before its leaves appear, and has masses of flowers by mid-April.  Hawthorn blossom follows, after it has produced leaves.

After leaving Carr Lane we followed a way-marked path across fields to reach Newstead barn and below it Newstead pond, which TSB describes as delightful. The pond is now a bit overgrown with weeds and algae and here we turned sharp left and walked back up to the field boundary where we found a fallen tree to sit on. We enjoyed our coffee and scones with a nice view over Ampleforth Country.

Bridge across Holbeck

Looking back to Burtis Wood

Newstead Barn

Newstead Pond

A fallen tree makes a good coffee stop

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.

Waterlogged lane on way to..

Old Pilfit Farm

Clive makes friends with a resident of Old Pilfit

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 building today

... and in 2017

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 much grander High Lion Lodge.

Low Lion Lodge

A birch tree wood. 

A steady climb to High Lion Lodge

Looking back at Low Lion and the White Horse over to the left

Ampleforth College from High Lion Lodge

Alpacas at High Lion showed no interest as we crossed their field

High Lion Lodge

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

North Moor Lane

Turning into Yearsley Moor

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

And much larger Lower Fish Pond

Just past Lower Fish Pond the route turns north to cross a sheep field.  There are new gates on the field and a new stile.  Forestry workers were busy erecting new fencing and waved cheerfully as we passed by.

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.

A new stile keeps us on the right path

Ampleforth Abbey and College buildings

Walking back into Ampleforth

We left the field tracks to join Mill Lane which we followed back to Ampleforth.   

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 Helmsley and its bijou brewery where we enjoyed a fine pint while discussing today's walk.

Helmsley Brewery

Debrief