Here you can see the report from our latest walk and also some of the pictures that were taken.

Unless otherwise stated, report by Paul Coates and pictures by Keith Bilton.

Thursday 18th June 2009

Hutton-le-Hole, Bottomfields Lane, Lingmoor Barn, South Ings Lane, Appleton-le-Moors, Hamley Lane, Appleton Mill Farm, Low Lane, Fuelscot Wood, Bull Ing Lane, Cropton (New Inn), Low Lane, Appleton Mill Farm, Scarth Wood, Lower Askew, Hagg Wood, Oldfield Pond, Spaunton, Mary Magdalene Well, Road, Footpath, Footbridge, Hutton-le-Hole (11 miles).

Warm & cloudy with occasional sun.

Col, Paul, Chris, Paul Craggs, Keith, Paul 'Sherlock' Holmes, Stu, Dudley, Ray, Jack.

Sherlock, Jack, Col

We arrived at the almost deserted car park in H-le-H and were walking before 9 o'clock. We had time though to admire Jack's (nearly) new car although Paul regretted that we hadn't taken the opportunity to christen his car in the traditional way by finding a muddier route to drive along.

It's not often that we park on an official car park usually preferring grass verges, lonely moorland tracks or steep hillsides. But parking in Hutton-le-Hole means having to pay. The car park attendant must have still been in bed when we arrived as his/her hut was securely locked.

Scabious

There is an honesty box but we thought it best to avoid it as Chancellor Craggs thinks they are the work of the devil, and who are we to disagree. So we left a note on Col's car rashly claiming we would pay on our return.

The first part of the walk between Hutton and Appleton was fairly uneventful although we did note that the long dilapidated Lingmoor Barn was getting an overdue facelift.

We had our morning break close to Appleton-le-Moors. The peace of the countryside was soon shattered by a strange tearing noise coming from the vicinity of Paul Craggs. Had he ripped his new action trousers or had the Stagecoach tie holding them up finally given up the struggle? It turned out that the lid of his plastic lunch box had cracked and Paul had fastened the broken lid to the lunch box with reams of parcel tape.

Dudley brought along some of Morrison's finest apple pies to share out among our wayward group. Jack suggested that some mince or plum pies would be nice for a change but he didn't go as far as to say he'd be supplying them next time out.

The steepest climb of the day was up through Fuelscot Wood but we all seemed to manage the steady tree, garlic and nettle lined uphill fairly quickly.

Colin amongst the trees, garlic and nettles

As is usual on this walk we had a chat with the 'ould fella that lives in a lovely cottage at the edge of Cropton village. We must have made good time (or in Jack's opinion "not enough mileage") as we arrived at the New Inn just before 12 midday.

As we passed by the pub car park an (alleged) driver was attempting to park between the marked white lines but failing dismally. As she got out of her car Paul made a suggestion that she leave the car where she'd abandoned it and we repaint the white lines around it. She must have taken offence as moments later she drove out of the car park in a marked manner and disappeared off into the distance. No sense of humour some people.

Most of us donned the usual blueys to protect the landlord's carpet from our muddy boots. However there seemed to be a shortage but fortunately Dudley produced some surplus stock from within the depths of his rucksack. Somehow or other Keith ended up with just one bluey so we suggested he should hop into the pub keeping his uncovered boot well away from the carpet. His response was both discourteous and vulgar to what was a perfectly reasonable solution to his footwear predicament.

The New Inn has always been a welcoming and comfortable pub and today was no exception. We were soon ensconced in a corner where the usual beer drinking, abuse and money laundering could take place without arousing suspicion.

Woodland panorama

In fact Chancellor Craggs went a step further by sitting behind a wooden screen only for his grasping hand to occasionally emerge as he collected the dues owed to him. He was later seen to be reading a newspaper, which in itself is not unusual for him. What was unusual was the fact it was today's paper which is very unlike him. Craggsy is more at home with yesterday's news, or on occasion, last weeks. Now that he's up to date with the news we did wonder what he will find to read tomorrow. Crisp packets? The Stagecoach uniform code of practice?

Keith excelled himself today by having four pints. He claims it was only three but as he'd downed a pint of Monkman's Slaughter, a pint of Cropton Two Pints and a pint of Yorkshire Warrior, by our reckoning that's four pints!

Another fine day!

Another good feature of the New Inn is that once we'd dragged ourselves outside its downhill for the first half mile.

Close to Hagg Wood we spied the strange sight of what looked like orange balloons hanging below the telephone wires. Chris said it made the place look like a used car dealership. Someone suggested that the orange globes might be there to alert the hooray Henry’s that are known to shoot in this area (as we well know having once been showered in shrapnel from one such shoot) that those wires are not long thin pheasants.

Our route back into H-le-H was along a little used (by us) path into the back of the village. We were surprised by the number of retail outlets nestling behind the Ryedale Folk Museum where any amount of arty crafty things could be purchased. There was even a chocolate factory which lured in Stu & Sherlock while Paul & Jack sampled the ice cream.

Growing the ingredients for Monkman's Slaughter!

Back at the car park, and in contrast to our arrival, the place was teeming with touristy types and school kids on a day trip. We are not used to such crowds on our fortnightly walks.

The now resident car park attendant was eyeing us suspiciously wondering if we looked the type of people who would probably liberate the honesty box of its contents rather than leave anything in it. As Paul was keeper of the car park money he was dispatched off to settle our debt to Ryedale District Council. The car park person turned out to be rather a jovial lady who would probably only have shot out our tyres if we'd have tried to leave without paying.

All in all a good walk with decent weather and great countryside.

Dudley looking as fresh as when he started!