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This morning the weather seemed to be a bit brighter so we drove to Masham on the river Ure, about half an hour from home, and parked in the sports field car park by the river on the edge of the town at map ref. SE 226810. We left the town on the Ripon Rowel route heading west to Micklebury Lane and then to the road junction at map ref. SE 187800. Here we turned left along the road to map ref. SE 193799 where we took the path along the valley to rejoin the Ripon Rowel route on the road at map ref. SE 186786. We continued on the route through Ilton village and up across on to the rough pasture where we stopped for a drink and a sandwich with a wonderful view over to the North York Moors. As we sat there a couple of huge military transport helicopters made their way below us - yes below us barely above tree top height tracking accross country from east to west. After lunch we continued across the rough pasture to the lane at map ref. SE 198774. Here we turned left onto the lane and followed it for just over a kilometer to the edge of the woods at Nutwith Common. We turned into the woods and took the forest track for about 2km to the road at map ref. SE 230774. There is a footpath shown on the map through the woods to this point but I think it must have been lost in the forestry operations - at any rate we didn't find it. We crossed the road and took the path down the slope to the river where we rejoined the Ripon Rowel route on its way upstream into Masham and followed it back to our starting point. As we approached the car park the prize giving ceremony was in progress for the local school sprots day on the playing fields by the river. There was quite a good crowd and lots of applause from the assembled children and their proud parents.The whole route was about 17km and took us about five and a half hours including a couple of stops. We finished off with a cup of tea and a toasted teacake in the market square. It was very pleasant in the sunshine as the school children and their parents made their way home across the square after the sports day.

Looking towards the North York Moors from our lunch stop near Ilton

Cattle on the Ripon Rowel Walk near Ilton

Nutwith Cote above the river Ure

Giant bell flower on the banks of the river Ure

© 2008 Frank M Firth
Original design by Andreas Viklund