National Trail Guides UK
NATIONAL TRAIL GUIDES Footpath Guides :: Wolds Way :: Day 1
Contents : WOLDS WAY
THE WOLDS WAY STARTS ON THE HUMBER AND THEN ARCS INLAND
NATIONAL TRAILS GUIDES UK - DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS & GALLERIESDay 1 :: Adventures on the Humber :: Hessel to North Newbald :: 22 miles
Old windmill near Humber Bridge
Approaching the Humber Bridge Looking back from the footpath improvement workEventually we glimpsed the end of the improvement work, still some way off, but were sufficiently encouraged to increase our pace and at length we succeeded in reaching this place and scrambled up the slimy, seaweed strewn boulders to the soft grassy track above. We rested momentarily (we were exhausted\from the cloying mud) and I put down my compass and map case. We continued to run, but I forgot to pick up my map case.
The path above was now easy and we were able to run quickly to cover the distance left to North Ferriby, where we encountered a small nature reserve with a good sized lake, most of which was covered with reeds. Behind the lake were the red tiled roofs of North Ferriby. Here we left the path and again continued along the foreshore, weaving between boulders, pebbles and sand. After we had covered about one mile from where the path improvements ended I decided to check my map as I knew we would be turning inland very shortly. It was then that I discovered I had left behind my map case. Ron waited while I ran back, adding an additional and unwanted two miles to my journey.
After reuniting with Ron we set off again, noticing trees in the distance coming down to the foreshore. We knew we would be turning inland here. A short flight of wooden stairs leading from the shore took us to a small woodland above. This was Long Plantation, and it took us from the foreshore, over a railway and on to the A63. I was thrilled at the contrast provided by this small woodland. Although it was very narrow and ran along the edge of North Ferriby, it was very much alive with the sound of birds that continually trilled and warbled, their music echoing loudly in the otherwise silent air. We enjoyed the shade of the woodland that offered a welcome respite from the heat of the sun. We were pouring with sweat and flies attracted to the shade soon found themselves attracted to our salty odours
North Ferriby Nature Reserve Terrace PlantationOnce reaching the A63, a thunderously busy main road, we looked to the distant footbridge for a safe crossing. However a suitable gap in the traffic provided an easier crossing and we took it, finding a wooden gate leading to the continuing route of the Wolds Way. We stopped on the far side of the gate for a rationed sip of water. We were now within Terrace Plantation and began running uphill to ascend into the Wolds. The spacing between the trees in Terrace Plantation was not like that in Long Plantation. The trees were now further apart, there was more leaf litter carpeting the pathway and more sunlight reached us. We passed a number of wooden chalets, the use for which I did not know.
We were now looking for a minor road which I expected to cross to take me into Bow Plantation. We came across a minor road – very minor, and I incorrectly assumed it was the road we were expecting it was not, but merely a very good woodland path. This threw me with direction finding for a while. Ron, who is very good with directions was likewise deceived. We crossed the path and shortly came upon a minor road with a quarry to the side. We could not work out where we were until it eventually dawned upon us that we had not come as far as we had thought.
We crossed the road and passed through the gate at the side of the quarry and entered Bow Plantation. We were running fairly steeply uphill. The scenery here was gloomy despite the good weather. The path took the western edge of the Plantation and allowed us a view of the now distant Humber. We were well pleased at leaving this stretch of path and found ourselves on the road to Welton, where we turned left and ran downhill, barely entering the village before leaving it again at the first road on our right, and running uphill passing some beautiful houses on our left, their proud owners treating themselves to a measure of sunlight in their gardens.
The road ended and became a track . We ran beside a foul, anaerobic mill pond; its dreadful stench belied its appearance. What a contrast this was. The pond really did appear idyllic in its woodland setting but the stench coming from it was foul and unpleasant to be around. The trees bowed heavily over the pond’s surface. Everywhere, including the pond itself, seemed to be coloured in a shade of green or yellow.
Near to the pond we crossed through a wooden gate into Welton Dale, running on the eastern side of Dale Plantation along the narrow bottom of the steep sided Welton Wold, which was covered in a coarse swathe of tufty grasses. The dale meandered gently as we proceeded forward. The path itself, at first a narrow gritty track, dwindled into a grassy trail.
Mill Pond, Welton Welton DaleAfter about a mile our path along Dale Plantation came to an end and we turned right over a stile and followed an earthy uphill track through Welton Wold Plantation. At length we emerged from the trees, turned right along a private road and continued uphill, completely missing our left turning towards Wauldby Manor Farm. We pressed on instead, until reaching the Ten Acre Belt. At first we did not recognise the buildings here, but we realised we were no longer on the Wolds Way. We retraced our steps, found our turn and ran along the edge of another plantation (confusingly not on our map ) until reaching Wauldby Manor Farm. Here was a magnificent pond known as Wauldby Dam, clustered with reedy islands inhabited by moorhens and other small ducks. Peering past it, through the trees could be seen the splendid Wauldby Manor Farm, partly hiding a tall silo and a range of agricultural buildings.
At a junction in a very broad track there were two white cottages, each vacant, the windows and doors all painted blue. It seemed such a shame for such beautiful cottages to stand empty. If they were to be sold I would be more than happy to purchase one of them. I could quite easily enjoy living in this neighbourhood. I repented of this thought, however, as I ran past the nearby cesspit to the side of the path, from which emanated a putrid unwholesome stench.
In utter contrast we then found ourselves running along a gradually climbing broad track between white flowering hedgerows. I was quite overcome by the scent and visual beauty of the flowering hawthorn, the yellow flowering rape seed in the adjoining fields and the idyllic setting of the fields, trees and hedges. At each side of the track, on the verges, there was a dense profusion of Cow Parsley, with its pure white umbels wafting gently in the warm rising air currents. At the same time there were many hedgerow birds flitting in and out and chirping the sweetest songbird melodies.
Notwithstanding the gladdening of my heart by the splendour of everything around me I was growing increasingly weary. We had now been running for more than three hours and we still had a long way to go. We were both very thirsty and were both lacking energy. The water we carried, originally one pint each, was becoming less and less and our requirement for water was increasing. There were no shops or watering facilities on our route. We would just have to make do.
Turning left after Fox Covert another track took us uphill in a westerly direction past Bottom Plantation, where there was an attractive farmhouse and a view over the hedgerow to the Humber Bridge which was just discernible in the far distance. We were now on a good wide track but were climbing steadily uphill. We were still running, but our pace was slowing considerably. The fields on the far side of the hedgerows were full of heaving crops. We reached a road junction and carried on across, following a road until leaving it at a bend and continuing across on a broad grassy track, still uphill. We ran alongside Long Plantation and after a while we came to the brow of the hill, meeting the road into Brantingham and followed this downhill until finding a right turn over a stile, taking us down a steep grassy field towards Brantingham Church.
This is as fine a setting as one could hope to see. The church and the nearby cottage are outside of the village and nestle in a small valley surrounded by woodland. We crossed a stile from the field to join a minor road and stopped for a short while to admire the church and cottage. We then ran to our right and up the road as it climbed through Brantingham Dale, until reaching a bend, where we left it to take a path through a gate onto Ellerker North Wold, through dense woodland.
The cottage was built of stone and was double-fronted, having a thick mantle of dark green ivy above a hipped central porch. Behind the gardens of the cottage fields rolled uphill to meet a varied splendour of woodland trees, dappled with all shades of green. A quaint old-fashioned lamp post stood outside of the cottage. To the left of the cottage was the church and its graveyard. Behind it were tiers of dark green conifers, marching uphill along the flanks of Brantingham Wold. The church has red roof tiles which matched well with the stonework of its elevations.
Brantingham Church Brantingham CottageHere I made a dreadful mistake. I drank the rest of my water, and a small tot of a high protein drink, and consumed an energy bar. Ron did likewise. It was really too much to have at once midway during such a long run. We continued to run uphill, through the woods, and I acquired severe indigestion which did not leave me either this day or the next. It left me with a terrible stitch in my lower stomach each time I ran downhill. When we crested the brow of our first hill after eating we ran steeply downhill, and my stitch caused me such severe pain that I was compelled to walk for a while. When we reached Woodale Farm we turned right and immediately became confused as there were two possible routes and neither was signed. We made our choice (which turned out to be the correct one) and crossed into a field, downhill at first and then up an extremely steep grassy bank above Woo Dale. This provided us with a glorious view back over Woodale Farm, Ellecker North Wold and also over Woo Dale, which was thickly wooded.
We continued our uphill labour until reaching Mount Airy Farm, where we were greeted by a friendly-seeming black dog, but which turned out to be quite vicious, especially after it promenaded its large white canines whilst barking and threatening to run at us. Its master did not seem to be to hand. The dog, however, did not attack and we took the opportunity to run faster once out of sight. We then turned left into the farm proper, and the dog came at us again from another direction. That was enough! We ran faster, leaving the farm on a farm road, running downhill.
My stitch became so severe here that I was forced to walk again and Ron went ahead, waiting for me at the bottom of the road, out of sight where it joined the road into South Cave. Walking I could not help but take the time to admire the view to my left, looking down over the fields. I rejoined Ron at the bottom of the track and we then ran on a short way towards South Cave before turning off to our right to proceed up Little Wold Side. The climb up Little Wold, although tiring, permitted us a clear view of the fields to each side, and they were very pleasing to the eye. At the top of the climb we turned right, onto a footpath between trees at the edge of Little Wold Plantation.
We followed this path to a road and turned right upon it, crossing and turning off it after 400 metres and then heading downhill along Comber Dale. At the end of Comber Dale we crossed a stile to join a dismantled railway running through Weedley Dale. The area was wooded and there were many day-trippers about. After running along a stony track for about ten minutes we turned off to our left, steeply uphill, to climb East Dale, still densely wooded. We seemed to cover the distance through this woodland quickly and found ourselves at the top of a field, which we followed along its edge, west then north, until reaching a minor road, which we crossed. We then crossed another field, and joined another minor road, turning right into it. As we ran along this road we could see and smell the crop spraying some 400 metres from us. As luck would have it when we met and crossed the B1230 ahead of us we followed a broad path immediately adjacent to the spraying machine and then turned sharp left and followed a hedge, the other side of which was being sprayed by the farmer.
There was a most annoying disturbance here. From a skeletal metal tower came the incessant sham of shot guns being fired. It really did disturb the peace and tranquility of the area and could be heard for miles around. It never once stopped while we were within earshot. Traveling steeply downhill we eventually attained Swin Dale, which marked the last leg of today’s run. I was totally exhausted, dehydrated and feeling quite ill. I had over-exerted myself on the first day. Ron did not feel too good either but he was not complaining. My feet felt as if there were blisters on every toe, although in actuality I had only one blister, albeit a large one. I felt unable to run further and finished the rest of the journey by walking. In fact, I felt close to stopping and giving up, but of course that choice was not mine – I could not just stay there. Ron walked with me.
I could no longer admire the beauty of the dale, although earlier in the day I would have done so. Near the end of the dale the path ran through the middle of a crop of rape seed in full bloom and the colours were attractive. More attractive, however, was the site of Tanya’s car waiting on the minor road leading to North Newbald at the dale head.
Tanya was with Chris, her fiance, who had joined her for two days. Tanya had thoughtfully purchased a large quantity of drinks, cheese, grapes and bread. I quenched my thirst, stretched, changed into clean clothes and then ate before we left to return to our hotel.