Great Fryup Dale

10:27am Saturday 24th May 2008

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The Moors Centre at Danby was warming up in the morning, the weather forecast posted read 11 degrees, sunny intervals and a seven mph north north easterly. We set off on a lane, the blue carriages of the Esk Valley Line train rattled past to Whitby, swallows hunted low over the pastures, Duck Bridge arches thin and humpbacked over the River Esk, geese outnumbered cars and, under the alders, paddled duck and moorhen chicks.

Danby Crag was visible up on the horizon, Crag Farm had a Welcome sign, and Crag Wood was lovely. Ace woods, damp here and there with springs, one red. Boulders are bound by the roots of the alder, ash, holly, birch, oak and hazel. Underneath were soft grasses and the last of the bluebells. There is a specimen fruit.

We had climbed through the wood to views of Esk Dale and, for us a ten minute puzzle about the line of the footpath, irritating this a mere mile or so from the National Parks Moors Centre. But while we mulled and backtracked there was the pleasure of side valley views, the drama of lapwings chasing crows, and interest in the concrete sleeper construction of farm track.

Eventually we left the mouth of Great Fryup Dale and headed along the Heads towards Little Fryup Dale. This is a good length of path by a low stone wall right on the top edge of the crag drops. At one place a ladder stile encourages the sitting on the precipice, but a sign forbids the fun.

At the edge of bilberry moor we went down through Crag Wood again and levelled off at old pastures, some, to judge by the boulders of sandstone, have never felt the plough. In between the runs of a slurry sprayer we slid past and on to back road where the fastest traffic was a farmer on his quad bike.

And on this road was the walk's surprise, Danby Castle, a real bonus. We'd never been here before, a pound it costs. There are romantic 14th century walls bright with wallflowers, a Jury Room with oak panelled walls and a flag-floored Court Room that is still in use. The Court Room has a map of the 12,000 acres of local Common Land and the acoustics for music recording. Downstairs a 19th century built-in wooden threshing machine has a drive shaft to the adjacent horsepower room. And down, down below is a dungeon gloomy enough for Goths' Weddings', and there's tea and events.

Then soon we were back at the Moors Centre and reported the lack of waymarks.

Here they entertain with Bugs and Beasties' and in the art room with, amongst the local landscapes, a tiger by Sue Ford, but unfortunately not a tiger on purple heather. We had tea. On our last visit the scavengers around the sunshine tables were chaffinches, they have been outmuscled by oft maligned jackdaws - let them eat cake.

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point.

Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1. Left from Danby Moors Centre car park to road.

2. Fieldgate/cattlegrid on right to Crag Farm drive (fingerpost).

3. On left-hand bend before house, straight on to track, 100 yards, fieldgate (waymark), 25 yards, fieldgate (waymark), 11 o'clock for 200 yards uphill via old, irrelevant for us, 2 way fingerpost to new fieldgate into wood, track (no sign). Fieldgate (waymark) into open area of wood.

4. About 25 yards before end of wood, where farm barns above, sharp left downhill on clear path between holly trees (no waymark), 100 yards, take lower grass track right and downhill, loop around field below old quarries, right to concrete farm drive uphill.

5. Track by wall to right of farmyard entrance (waymarks), 200 yards, fieldgate (waymark), track uphill by fence, fieldgate (waymark) and stay by wall to your right.

6. Propped up fieldgate to moor (yellow dot), 50 yards, gate on right (yellow paint) to path downhill, zigzags last 100 yards through new trees to fieldgate. Downhill 11 o'clock across field.

7. Left to grass track by wall, 3 fieldgates (waymarks).

8. Fieldgate and right to drive (fingerpost), right before house (fieldgate) and 10 o'clock downhill across field to fieldgate (yellow dot), grass track 200 yards then old raised grassed track swings left downhill and joins wall. Fieldgate and bridge to walled track uphill (waymark), fieldgate to track (waymark).

9. Right to road, swing right downhill after Danby Castle, ignore right over humpback bridge.

10. Gate on right (fingerpost Moors Centre), snickelgate and cross railway line, snickelgate, gated bridge over River Esk.

Fact file

Distance: Six miles.

General Location: North York Moors.

Start: Moors Centre Danby.

Right of Way: Public.

Map: Drawn from OS Explorer OL27 North York Moors eastern area.

Dogs: Legal.

Date walked: May 2008.

Road Route: Via Castleton. On Moorsbus route.

Car Parking: Moors Centre £2.

Lavatories: Moors Centre.

Refreshments: Danby Castle. Moors Centre.

Tourist & Public Transport Information: Moors Centre 01439 772737. Danby Castle 01287 669219 www.danbycastle.com.

Terrain: Valley and valleyside.

Points of interest: The workings of the Danby Court Leet.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.