Yorkshire Walks

This morning was dull and overcast but the forecast was for a fine day with a few sunny spells by lunch time. My friend, Jim, and I drove separately to a little parking area at map reference SE 464 471, opposite St. Peter's Church at Dalby in the Howardian Hills. Both our wives are in the "Shielded" categories in relation to the coronavirus regulations so we both have to be careful not to bring any infection into our homes. In two weeks time if all goes well the regulations will be relaxed a bit more and we will be able to share a car again and travel a bit further afield for a walk. So next week should be the last of our local walks using separate cars, but we have had some pretty routes in the Howardian Hills over the past month.

St. Peter's Church, Dalby at the start of our walk

Parking area opposite St Peter's Church in Dalby

Turning left off Low Lane onto High Lane

Public footpath along the farm track at the edge of the field

Here we turned right off High Lane onto a public footpath along a farm track at the edge of the field. At the bottom of the field we came to a gate into a smaller field where there was no clear path.

From our parking spot we walked along the road away from Dalby and round the bend to High Lane. At the High Lane 'T'-junction we turned left and walked along High Lane for about 25m.

Setting off along Low Lane

Turning right off High Lane to a field path

Continuing along the footpath at the edge of the field

At the bottom of the field there was a gate into a smaller field with no clear path across it

At the bottom of the field we turned right along the hedge

After the gate we crossed Dalby Bush Beck

We picked our way across a muddy patch and through the gate. Just through the gate there was a little footbridge over Dalby Bush Beck and from there we continued along the line of the fence on our left. In front of the farm house the path turns right and joins the access track to the farm that comes from Scackleton.

The ground had been churned up in a wet spell and was now set in hard lumps making for awkward walking. We continued in the same line across the field until we were about 20m from the bottom of the field and then turned right and walked parallel to the hedge at the bottom of the field. After about 35m there was a pedestrian gate through the hedge on our left.

We came to a gap in the hedge at this gate

The path by the fence joins the access track at the farm house

We left Dalby Bush Farm on the footpath along the farm access track to Scackleton

Footpath along the farm track heading for Scackleton

Following the road to Scackleton

Looking back along the road over the Howardian Hills

We continued along the road for about 500m climbing up the hillside to the edge of Scackleton. At the road in Scackleton, called Scackleton Lane, we turned left, opposite the village church of St. George the Martyr.

We followed the public footpath along the farm access track away from Dalby Bush Farm. After a few hundred metres we passed the access road to Low Moor Farm on our right and here the farm track became a minor public road.

We took the left hand fork along the road to Scackleton

Following the road to Scackleton

Nearing the edge of Scackleton

Crossing Scackleton Lane by the Church

Walking along Scackleton Lane through the village

We passed the lorry at his delivery address

The postal address was simply a house name that could be anywhere along Scackleton Lane so we were no help at all, but all was well when he spotted the house name just a few metres further along the road. We walked past the lorry and turned left into Grange Lane.

From the church we walked north west along Scackleton Lane through the village for about 450m to Grange Lane on our left. As we neared the junction a lorry driver stopped to ask directions. He had a delivery to make in the village.

Walking along Scackleton Lane through the village

About to turn left onto Grange Lane

Leaving Scackleton along Grange Lane

View from Grange Lane

Nearing Scackleton Grange Farm along the lane

Sheep at Scackleton Grange farm

Tortoiseshell butterfly by the track

From the turning to Scackleton Grange Farm, the road became a farm track along the edge of the fields. After about 500m along the farm track we came to some woodland and continued along the track around the edge of the woodland with the woodland on our left.

Grange Lane was a surfaced farm access road for about 1km, as far as Scackleton Grange Farm with pretty views from the road over the rolling hills particularly to the north.

Scabious flowers by the lane

Cattle at Scackleton Grange farm

Passing the entrance to Scackleton Grange farm

Track between the fields

Track around the edge of the woodland

Track bending left through the corner of the wood

Track nearing the edge of the wood

Track between the fields up to the road

View looking southeast from the track

We were climbing up a slope towards a stand of trees ahead towards a road where its name changes from Bonnycroft Lane to our right to High Lane on our left. The road itself was not visible until we were only a few metres away from it. At the road we turned left and followed the road.

After about 400m the track bent to out left and after another 160m we came out of the woodland. From the edge of the woodland we followed the path along a farm track heading south west at the edge of the field.

Track through the corner of the wood

Track from the wood between the fields

Track between the fields up to the road,
the trees are on the far side of the road

We could not see the road until we were almost on it

The City of Troy turf maze

The City of Troy turf maze

Passing the road down to Skewsby

From the City of Troy we walked along High Lane for almost 800m to a turning on our right opposite Cliff Field House. On the Explorer map the turning is shown as a yellow minor road, but on the ground it is a narrow grassy track.

After about 100m we came to "The City of Troy", an ancient turf maze. I believe that they were originally from Scandinavia and we did a walk past one called Julian's Bower in North Lincolnshire a few years ago, see route no 619.

Following High Lane southeast from the turf maze

Continuing along High Lane to Cliff Field House

Looking south across the Vale of York from High Lane

Poppies amongst the wheat beside High Lane

Cattle opposite our turning to Low Lane

Our right turn off High Lane along a short grass track down to Low Lane

Grass track down from High Lane to Low Lane

Following Low Lane towards Dalby

Nearing Dalby along Low Lane

This was the end of our walk opposite St. Peter's Church in Dalby. The whole route had been about 7km and it had taken me around 3 hours to walk. I'm getting slower and slower!

We walked down this track for about 100m to its end and there we turned left to walk along Low Lane. We walked along Low Lane for about 500m back to our parking spot.

Our left turn onto Low Lane

Looking south from Low Lane

The Old Rectory on Low Lane next to the church

Returning to St. Peter's Church in Dalby at the end of our walk