Unless otherwise stated, report by Paul Coates and pictures by Keith Bilton.
Thursday 31 January 2008
Route:Wintringham, Thorpe Bassett, Millbank House, Many Thorns Farm, Wold House, Wardale, Settrington House, Road, Kirk Hill, Bellmanear Farm, North Grimston (Middleton Arms), Cinquefoil Hill, Wood House Farm, Settrington Wood, High Bellmanear, Settrington Beacon, Wolds Way, Wintringham (12.5 miles).
Members: Nathan, Paul, Paul Craggs, Keith, Ray, Jack, Paul Holmes, Bob
Cars : Jack, Bob.
Weather : Heavy rain & strong winds early morning with squally rain & hail showers later. Sunny with strong cold wind in afternoon with occasional snow showers later
The walk today was dominated by the weather, and there was plenty of it. We arrived at Wintringham (aptly named) amid strong winds and lashing rain. No one seemed keen to venture out from the cars and into the howling wind and rain, so for 20 minutes or so we just sat and waited for the stormy weather to hopefully pass. Nathan, freshly returned from his trip to Oz (and Tasmania, famous for it's maps, apparently) suggested we drive to the cafe in Fridaythorpe. Bob reckoned we should shorten the walk, and that's before we'd even started it. Paul thought that it might be an idea to start in the pub car park. And then, as all hope was fading of ever getting the walk underway, the skies cleared, the wind dropped and the rain ceased, well almost. So it was out of the cars, on with the wet weather gear, and out along the muddy footpath.
Happy times are here again!
The climb up to the ruined farm at Many Thorns must be one of the toughest on the Wolds. We were glad of the shelter of the wood on the way up as moments earlier we were being buffeted by the wind and pelted with stinging hail. When we've done this walk in the past we usually stop for our morning break alongside the pond at the top of the hill. Not today though, it was much too windy for sitting around in such an exposed location. So we took shelter on the lee side of the old farm building.
The valley below Wold House was even muddier than it normally is with much slipping and sliding. We even had our first snow shower of the day, a sure sign it was getting colder. So much for global warming. The rest of the walk was a mixture of wintery sun and occasional hail & snow showers, which seemed to strike whenever we were without much cover.
Ray and Craggsy, fine examples of British beef.
We are always glad to get to the pub, but it was especially welcome on such a cold and blustery day.
We were the only people in the bar so we were able to spread ourselves, and our damp walking gear, around the blazing fire. Another sign of the times came when it was decided that the petrol money shared out among the car drivers of the day should better reflect the ever increasing cost of fuel. So up it goes from £1 per 10 miles traveled to £1.25.
The famous Middleton Arms
The sick, lame & lazy club were absent today as driver Chris had a prior engagement. So anyone thinking the unthinkable and hoping to cadge a lift back with Chris would have been sadly disappointed. Not that he'd have got eight in his car anyway
We left the pub bathed in chilly winter sunshine and began the steady climb up towards Settrington Beacon. We had our afternoon break in a barn just above Wood House Farm. It certainly gave us shelter from the ever strengthening wind. Some of us were intrigued by the sight of Craggsy throwing the crusts from his sandwiches (no wonder he hasn't got curly hair) towards an indeterminate shape on the barn floor.
We wondered how long it would be before he realised that this collection of skin and bone was in fact a dead dog of uncertain origin.
Cragssy's pet dead underfed mutt
Of course he may well have known it was a long deceased mutt, and he might have got some sort of peverse pleasure from throwing scraps of food to something that ate it's last meal long ago, and probably laced with rat poison at that. The history of Craggsy and dogs go back a long way, as he's never quite forgotten the trauma he suffered many years ago while sat at Goathland railway station enjoying our morning break. Mr. Craggs was sat on the station platform (it was the middle of winter, so there was'nt the usual hoards of folk that you find during the summer months at this location) with his pack up spread around him. A black labrador came trotting along the platform unseen by Paul. As it passed by Craggsy it grabbed his custard pie, including foil wrapper, and gulped the lot down in one go. The look on Paul's face was a picture to behold, and it gave us all a good laugh for many a walk after that. Mans best friend? Certainly not Craggsy's!
We thought we'd seen the last of the wet weather for today but as we trudged down the lane on the homeward stretch, ominous storm clouds were racing towards us from a north westerly direction. Would we get back to the safety of the cars before the threatening weather was upon us? Not a chance.
Nathan, back from Australia
As we made our way along the field path towards Wintringham we were blasted by freezing icy winds and swirling snow. After this wintery sting in the tail all that remained was to stand shivering back at the cars as we peeled off our wet and muddy gear. If only Nathan could have brought back some of that warm Australian weather with him.
View towards Wintringham
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