Words & Photos Ian Battersby

December 18 2011

The lower reaches of Rye Dale are protected by steep banks of mixed woodland that keep the car away. Only one tiny lane services the ruins of Rievaulx, and even this scoots nervously across the calm valley. The same can be said for Riccal Dale, except here there are no flood plains to open up the valley.

It thus retains the wildest feel. The two can be linked into a lengthy walk by crossing Rievaulx Moor, where huge skies and unrestrained heather expect your appreciation.

I wandered through Helmsley admiring the castle, which hovers over the rooftops, guardian of the village. The Cleveland Way made a handy exit from this honeypot, bundling me along the winding limits of arable fields and pastures, before jostling me into shadowy woods. Among the various sounds of the forest were the shrill calls of diminutive birds, invisible among leaves. Eventually I spied one, a goldcrest, my first sighting of our smallest bird; here there were at least half a dozen.

Gaps in dark foliage allowed glimpses over the dale, where autumn’s first tints were flecking through woods like feral fire. I headed north from Ashberry Farm, struggling for a glimpse of Rievaulx Abbey through spindly trees. Your best chance to view these magnificent remains is from the lane – as long as the hedge has had a trim. Trees crowd the upper contours giving way to hawthorn that dripped blood-red with berries as the gradient eased, before levelling into pastures and plains cut by gurgling brooks. The calls of revolving buzzards pierced the tranquil dale.

As lowland transformed to moorland, Easterside then Hawnby Hills entered the stage, dropping the hint that it was time to get climbing. Sometimes the hills here support arable fields. That can be quite a letdown to your average hill-goer, but Rievaulx Moor is clad in heather, and its steep northerly banks are home to a gratifying mix of conifer and birch. The view developed into complete panorama including the western and northern limits of the park, where heather burning produced plumes of smoke. Beyond the heather’s leisurely southern decline lay the Wolds, set beneath a huge sky, which had clouded over, mocking my forecast.

Never mind. The slope eased me gently down through more mixed forest into the claustrophobic confines of Riccal Dale. This is pheasant country, and as I rounded a bend I was met with the sight of hundreds of them feeding on grain sprinkled on the track by the keeper. Unfortunately they scarpered in waves as they saw me, but the keeper was in good spirits. “It must be something yer wearing lad” he said with a wry twinkle. At least it wasn’t B.O. Thank you, Merino.

Distance: 17 miles/27km Ascent: 2300ft/700m Time: 9 hours Start/finish: Helmsley (GR: SE 611838) Map: OS 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 100 (Malton & Pickering, Helmsley & Easingwold) Information: Helmsley TIC, 01439 770173 Travel: trains to Thirsk, York and Scarborough, occasional buses to Helmsley; Information from Traveline: 0871 2002233, www.traveline.org; Moorsbus: 01845 597000

Technical Spec
Cleveland way W into Spring Bank Wood, then NW over River Rye to Ashbury Farm. Path generally N along Rye Dale to Shaken Bridge Farm. E over bridge. Bridleway N to Broadway Foot. Follow diversion signs SE then N through woods above Fair Hill Farm. Path E to B1257. SW then S to car park. Track E then NE to trig point on Rievaulx Moor. Track SE for 2km to road. NNW along road for 500m. Track SE then generally S for 5km. Path WSW climbing to Reagarth Farm and dropping to Helmsley.