Walking in the Wolds
Walking in the Wolds
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Walk 11: Wharram-Le-Street to Wintringham
Distance: 11 miles/ 17.6km
From the church(1) at Wharram-le-Street(2) go left to the crossroads where turn left as indicated by a Wolds Way sign and on leaving the village take the signposted path on the right. After about ¾ mile of exhilarating, uphill walking along a broad, chalky way through an expansive landscape the B1253 is reached. Cross it, as signposted, to begin a gradual descent down Duggleby Wold. Just past a Dutch barn on your right, turn left at a Wolds Way sign and continue down the field on your left, keeping close to a hedge on your right. At its bottom corner turn left, following a yellow marker.
The countryside hereabouts is enchanting and in Maytime the valley on your right is a froth of white hawthorn blossom and alive with birdsong.
When a signposted stile is reached turn right, across it, and go left close to an electrified fence on your left to another clearly seen Wolds Way signpost where turn right, downhill as indicated. Cross a stile in the valley bottom, go over a field and cross a stream using a footbridge. Continue straight ahead, steeply at first, uphill to a signpost which soon comes into view halfway up the hillside. On reaching a surfaced farm road turn right along it to Wood House Farm, going through the farmyard. The farm road ahead is now unsurfaced but is broad and easy to follow. Keep going, curving uphill and then continue northwards, following markers. Where it splits on approaching Settrington Wood(3) go right, as directed by a Wolds Way sign. Where the farm road enters the wood turn right, as signposted and continue along its edge, keeping close to the fence on your left. On reaching some farm buildings, turn left, as signposted, go through the narrow wood and turn right along a broad, unsurfaced track, keeping close to the wood, which is now on your right. After almost 1/2 mile turn left at a footpath sign and cross an arable field that slopes away from you, keeping close to a hedge on your left, to exit at a stile at the corner of a wood.
From where this circular walk turns left at the signposted field path the linear section, which coincides with the Wolds Way to its northern limit, continues northwards, alongside the wood on the right. Circular walk No. 12, which starts at Settrington, rejoins the Wolds Way where this one leaves it.
Continue straight ahead, keeping close to the wood on your left to reach a signposted gate, which go through. The way forward is to the right and descends the scarp in an indistinct curve to reach Low Bellmanear Farm, seen on your left as you come down the hillside. There are yellow markers on posts as the farm is approached. On reaching it, turn right, along a winding farm road, for almost a mile to reach a surfaced country road, where turn left.
As you walk along this country road to a road junction a lovely little lake set in private land comes into view on your left. It is unexpected delights such as this that add sparkle to a country walk.
From the road junction ahead a detour to see lovely Settrington village(4) and All Saints Church is well worth the effort. To do so, turn right at the road junction, briefly, then turn right again into the village to cross the stream along which it lies, using a footbridge near a ford. Go left as far as the first turning right, where turn right between houses and right again to visit the lovely church seen ahead.
Retrace your steps to the junction and turn right, along the road, climbing over a shoulder of land and passing a road junction to Malton on your right. After a quarter of a mile turn left at a cottage on a disused railway line(5) and follow the farm road to Kirk Hill Farm, crossing a stream just before it as waymarked. When close to the farm buildings turn right, through a gate, into a field, which cross on a clear track to another gate, which go through. Continue along a clear track which curves right, then ends abruptly. At this point go right to a nearby stream and cross it. The way is now left, close to the stream on your left, to pass Bellmanear Farm on your left. Cross the farm road and, using the stiled fields ahead, continue to North Grimston(6), seen ahead, entering the village using a stone step stile.
Go left into the village and if your timing is right, enter an oasis called the Middleton Arms where a warm welcome is assured. From the pub continue through the village and turn left along a gated farm road which leads to the same Wood House Farm passed on the outward leg. Where the farm road curves left, turn right to climb a steep valley in the hillside to Grimston Hill Farm and a minor road. Turn left, along it, over the brow of a hill and, as it begins to descend, turn right at a familiar signpost and retrace your steps to Wharram-le-Street now seen ahead.
Things Seen On The Way
(1) Wharram-le-Street Church. Its tower is Saxon and the middle shafts of its belfry window are topped with long stones. A window set into its west doorway is lofty and horseshoe shaped and its arch has a stringcourse. The Saxon nave was modified by the Normans who built the doorway inside the tiny porch and probably built the tub font as well. The aisle is medieval and the chancel, originally medieval, was rebuilt in 1860.
(2) Wharram-le-Street. The village hall, the hub of village social life, was built in 1871 as a school. Today there is no school in the village.
From the crossroads the road going north-east leads to Duggleby and adjacent Duggleby Howe, the largest known Neolithic barrow in Britain. The howe is round, 120 feet in diameter and was originally about 30 feet high. It now has a height of 20 feet.
From the village, the public bridleway that leads so pleasantly up Duggleby Wold is broad and firm and, during the summer months, edged with flowers that seem to glow in the warming sunshine as if they were lit from within.
(3) Settrington Wood. That part of Settrington Wood the route edges and cuts through is really a long, thin extension of it called Screed Plantation. It is mainly sycamore with some beech and ash.
During the months of spring and summer Screed Plantation is suffused with pink campion.
(4) Settrington village. Trim, red roofed cottages backed by long gardens, a former rectory, Glebe House, surrounded by a high brick wall that adds a touch of class, Greystones, another fine house, originally built as a water mill in 1790, beautiful All Saints church and splendid Settrington House, built in English classical style, all gathered around a long village green itself cleaved by gently flowing Settrington Beck. This is an estate village of great charm set in a broad, wooded valley. Unfortunately the village has no pub; but the shop is also an off licence.
The old rectory, Settrington House and the church all stand at the same end of the village where, in the park in which the fine house stands, magnificent beeches, yews and other trees lend enchantment.
All Saints’ Church is mainly fifteenth century but some parts are much older. The south doorway, decorated with zigzag and floral carvings, dates from the thirteenth century. Buttresses with seven steps support the fifteenth century tower and the shields of the Bogods adorn its battlements, below which there is a gallery of quaint heads. More heads can be found beside the windows, which are also fifteenth century. In one corner the carved figure of a man stands behind another that is kneeling. A fragment of old stained glass includes part of what is thought to be St Christopher. There are two little mice in the white painted church, one on the Litany desk and another on the organ seat. They are the work of Mr Thompson, the mouse man of Kilburn. The church also contains a memorial to Isaac Taylor (1829-1901), who pioneered the study of names and alphabets. Known as the Darwin of Philology, he was rector of Settrington from 1875 until he died. This beautiful church exudes harmony, warmth and interest which collectively provide an atmosphere conducive to worship.
The village’s most outstanding feature is Settrington House, a fine eighteenth-century country house in yellow stone consisting of a main block with seven bays and two lower wings with grand round arched windows. Storks carrying little bundles of joy greatly enhance its magnificent gateway. It is home to the Hon. Sir Richard Storey.
(5) Station House. The cottage on the disused railway line where the route leaves the North Grimston road is a former Malton to Driffield Railway station house. The trains which once worked this line were affectionately referred to as either the Malton or the Driffield Flier, depending on the direction in which they were going.
(6) North Grimston. Where the road through the village turns left a strange sight presents itself. For on this corner stand two very large round pillars built entirely of thousands of horseshoes with, set back between them, a third one, half completed. With horseshoes, those nailed to walls with the open end at the top to prevent luck running out denote a pagan household while those with the open end downwards, allowing the luck to run out, belong to Christian households where luck is not important because faith is stronger. On the completed columns, all the horseshoes except the pinnacle ones, which are fixed open end up, are placed horizontally, indicating, perhaps, that these structures were built by someone who was not sure that he believed in but was taking no chances of his luck running out.
The long, low, mainly Norman church is approached along a lime tree shaded path. A small statue on its slim, thirteenth-century tower is thought to be of its patron, St Nicholas. There are carvings of two small dragons above the now blocked round doorway in the north wall and there is an old gable cross in the porch that shelters the south doorway. Inside, the walls slope, the arches lean and the carved heads of men and animals stare from under the roofs. One of the coffin lids in the back chancel is richly carved with a sword and a shield. The huge, lop-sided Norman font is decorated with scenes of the last supper and of Christ descending from the cross.
The Middleton Arms offers a warm welcome with good food and beer.
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