19/05/2019

Along the Yorkshire wolds way from Welton to Brantinghan.

Just a short walk today covering a few more miles along the Yorkshire Wolds way. The plan is to start from Welton [ where we left the way last time ] and walk to Brantingham, passing through Welton dale, Wauldby and Turtle hill before dropping down to Brantingham for our packed lunch, after which we shall return via Elloughton dale...a round of 7 miles...Boots on, sunhat on, Rucksack on, Camera on, Dogs lead on, map at the ready.....Oh yes and lucky stone in pocket..Lets go.

Welton was looking fine in the sunshine..The name comes from early English meaning Spring town due to the abundance of spring water around the village..Alfie [ our dog ] started the walk off with a dip in the crystal clear stream, no doubt he will have another dip on our return...Before long we had left the village behind where we were to walk the length of Welton dale.

Its an idyllic spot...Sometimes open country,sometimes wooded. The Bluebells in the wood are still looking so fresh, I cant believe how long they have been flowering this year. May is certainly the most beautiful of all of the months..How lucky we are to have such wonderful seasons throughout the year...The shade of the woodlands was very welcome as it was beginning to get very warm.

We slowed down, enjoying every twist and turn...Groups of joggers passed us, seeing nothing, sweat dripping off noses, wheezing, faces like beetroot...im glad im a walker..Soon we were out of the Dale...open country, arable land...Alf was off his lead. We passed Wauldby manor farm and Wauldby dam, it looked lovely, apparently there was once a village up here but it was cleared in medieval times all that remains in the area is the gentrified manor house and a couple of other dwellings.

We followed the track to Turtle hill, well it says Turtle hill on the map,...I saw no Turtles and very little hill. The Wolds way followed a most attractive lane along here. What I have noticed about this walk is the fact that it is almost impossible to get lost, you could probably walk it without a map as the signposting is superb [second to none].

All felt well as we followed the excellent wildflower bedecked footpaths..Sheeps parsley, Pink and white Campions,Germander speedwell, Ramsons, Herb Robert, Forget me nots to name a few...I dawdled along taking photographs.

We passed a National trail sign saying Filey 69 miles, Crikey have we done 10 miles already...Soon we were dropping down to Brantingham church.

All saints church has to be the most attractive looking church along the Wolds way..It looked beautiful today  we found a bench in the corner of the churchyard and settled down for half an hour to enjoy our packed lunch in the warm sunshine..Cheese and onion wraps, a cheese pasty, Ready salted crisps, Lemon cake, Lemon curd tarts and half a kit kat each were wolfed down with great gusto..We sat and watched as several people visited the church.

Lunch over....We spoke to a lady who asked where we had been and where we were going, I explained that we were heading back to Welton..Oh you must look out for Peggys farrow she said..I will keep my eyes peeled said i...steeply uphill now away from the village, we headed back via Elloughton dale where we met a high spirited couple out for a walk, they asked us if we had any flares in our rucksacks as they were lost...Keep following the path to Brantingham we told them, there is a pub there...they seemed quite happy with this and sped off..Down through dappled woodland we wandered into the dale where we came to a lane..Looking at the map..We could follow this back to Welton..It was quiet enough, we could count the cars that passed us on one hand and we were soon back in Welton..

Roll on the next section [ Possibly next sunday]