Route: Thixendale
Area: East Yorkshire
Date of walk: 22nd February 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 4.3 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: weak sunshine, rather hazy, warm
We parked near St Mary’s Church in the small village of Thixendale and headed west out of the village, turning off the road after a short distance to climb up a chalk track to Cow Wold. We were now on the Yorkshire Wolds Way, retreading a path we’d followed nearly three years ago when walking this long distance route from Hessle to Filey. It was a case of up hill and down dale as we descended from the wold and then ascended Vessey Hill, but it was all easy going thanks to the gently rolling nature of the chalk landscape in these parts
It was a warm day, and there was a sense of spring in the air as we enjoyed some good wildlife sightings – a family of buzzards circling overhead, several hares racing around in the fields – and numerous skylarks, which provided musical accompaniment overhead for much of the walk
Beyond Vessey Hill we turned east to follow a path above Wharram Percy Farm. At this point the walk could be extended (by about three miles) to include a visit to the nearby site of the medieval village of Wharram Percy. We headed south instead on the final leg of the walk, which took us back towards Thixendale along the Chalkland Way, a 40 mile long distance walk around the Yorkshire Wolds
It wasn’t until we arrived back at the outskirts of Thixendale that we met the only other walkers we’d seen during the course of this very enjoyable two hour ramble. We didn’t have time today, but anyone following this walk is recommended to visit the gallery of wildlife artist Robert Fuller, situated just outside the village
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Earlier in the week, spring flowers in the garden...
The stars of the show at the moment are the 'tommies' - crocus tommasinianus
They provide a good source of nectar for honeybees at this time of year...
St Mary's Church at the start of today's walk from Thixendale
We walk out of the village and join the chalk track left of picture
The track is part of the Yorkshire Wolds Way
Looking back to Thixendale
Looking along Thixen Dale (two words on the OS map when describing the dale)
We continue up the easy track
The Rigg on the left, which separates Thixen Dale from Water Dale below
Cow Wold
Looking down to The Rigg
Nearly to the top of Cow Wold, about 600 feet above sea level
We descend from the wold
Our route will take us along a path beside the chalk track below
Looking across to Vessey Pasture Dale
We climb out of the dale
Looking back...
A last look back as we reach the top of the wold
Heading east now, still on the Wolds Way
North Plantation on our right
Looking across the fields towards Wharram Percy Plantation
Snowdrops in North Plantation
Wolds Way waymarking
Deep Dale ahead - this leads to Wharram Percy, but we'll turn right ahead to join the Chalkland Way, which leads back into Thixendale
Catkins
Looking along The Warrens
Court Dale is below, and we turn left to follow a narrow path along its side
Honey Dale. part of the same valley as Court Dale
Path above Court Dale, which gently descends to the valley floor
Water Dale, where we follow a grassy path through the fields back into Thixendale
The lovely path along Water Dale
We walk past the cricket pavilion and arrive back in Thixendale
A last look back along our path before we walk back through the village to the end of the walk
