Yorkshire Walks

A few of the gargoyles at St Nicholas Church, North Grimston

St Nicholas Church, North Grimston

About 50 metres after the speed derestriction signs we took a metalled track on the left beginning with a cattle grid. Following the track for almost 1.5 km over Whitestone Beck and up the side of Cinquefoil Hill we were joined from our right by the Centenary Way / Wolds Way footpath so, until we would leave the named Ways, our route was clearly signposted. Beyond Wood House farm the track to our lunch spot was of gravel, except for a deviation to the right at SE 8594 6903 on to a short section of grassy path.

Ray Brown wrote:- After parking just off the B1248 in front of the Old Blacksmith’s in North Grimston (SE 8429 6768) and paying a short visit to the variety of gargoyles beneath the gutter on the north side of St Nicholas Church, we set off east along the main road. The absence of a pavement makes a hazard of the short climb up Grimston Hill.

Meeting the Centenary Way

Deviation to the right off the gravel track at SE 8594 6903

Descending on a grassy track from South Wold Plantation

Leaving the Wolds Way at SE 869714

Continuing beyond Rowgate

Beyond Rowgate farm the bridleway climbed steadily to the top of Bassett Brow to reach a gate at SE 859713.

Beyond High Bellmanear farm, the Wolds Way reaches a minor road and crosses at a triangulation point into South Wold plantation, eventually emerging at SE 872713 with a fine view north where a memorial seat provided an ideal lunch venue. After a descent on a grassy track to SE 869714, we took our leave of the named Ways. We continued West on a public bridleway to Rowgate farm.

Short section of grassy path

Entering woodland at at SE 859713

Cattle grazing at Rowgate

Footpath from Many Thorns Farm

Interestingly, at the road, the public footpath sign pointing back across the field was overgrown and obscured. This may explain why the path does not seem to be walked much. As we climbed the stile (SE 856707) to the right of Wolds House farm, my wife noticed, lying there, a car key on a key ring, slightly rusted indicating that it had been there some days. Later at Northallerton police station she handed in the key with a note of the map reference where it was found.

After a short stretch of woodland track, we soon turned left on a footpath at Many Thorns Farm for 40 metres before it turned right along a field boundary hedge. The next field held a potato crop hiding any physical evidence of the right-of-way. We walked through the potatoes to SE 8556 7089 where the public footpath crosses a road and continues towards Wold House.

Public footpath through the potato field

Impenetrable right-of-way at SE 8556 7089

The stile where we found the keys at Wolds House

The route veered right to a gate by a pond heading for Wardale

We continued west to the Wardale farm gravel track at SE 8509 7020 which led to the road at SE 8457 7031. Following the road downhill to the left we passed the imposing Settrington House opposite a small lake, home to some swans.

The public footpath descended from Wolds House to a farm track and then veered right towards a gate (SE 8535 7050) by a pond before climbing to the corner of woodland (SE 8531 7041).

Descending from Wolds House towards Wardale

Continuing West along the edge of woodland

Settrington House

Turning right at Kirk Hill farm

A large hollow Ash tree

Here a stile sends the walker steeply down a grassy bank to a footbridge over Settrington Beck. For a named Way the path from here to Bellmanear Farm, running to the left of field boundaries, is surprisingly user-unfriendly in some places as it passes between nettle beds and beneath low-hanging branches. A tree with a trunk hollowed-out appeared in remarkably healthy condition.

Rejoining Centenary Way, we followed the road around to the left until we reached Station House, part of the old Malton and Driffield railway which was closed in 1958, so pre-empting a further trophy for government hatchet-man Beeching. Here we turned left on the gravel track to Kirk Hill farm where Centenary Way turns right.

Footbridge over Settrington Beck

Remarkably healthy ash tree with its hollow trunk

A reasonable compromise at Bellmanear Farm

There was a notice warning of a bull and of maternally protective cows. So after passing to the right of Bellmanear Farm, In the final pasture we kept far to the left in order to give wide berth to the aforementioned bovine brigade, before making for an exit at a wall stile (SE 8427 6779) into the lane leading to North Grimston - Ray Brown

Approach to Bellmanear Farm

Bellmanear Farm

Wall stile into the lane leading to North Grimston near Bellmanear Farm