Tuesday, 14th July 2020
I had to go into work today so took advantage of the light nights and the fact I was on "that" side of town to get my first walk with any hills in since the lockdown in March.
I plumped for this walk as I'm used to doing that distance on the flat locally, so I was interested to see how my legs (and lungs!) coped when I chucked a few ups and downs at them!
My legs coped remarkably well. My lungs less so. This is the first time I've been properly out of breath since March! And my skin leaked too!
I got parked up near the church and set off, uphill straight away, up Kidd Lane. I took it nice and steady (do I have any other speed?) - I just wanted to monitor how I got on with sustained walking uphill after such a long time of flat walks. I pleasantly surprised myself to be honest and got to the top of the hill without stopping and only mild heavy breathing. My recovery took longer than normal though so something's slipped. I seem to recall in my early days of walking, this hill was much steeper and required at least 3 breathers.
(The big "test" will be my South Cave walk with my 4 stops hill - I must do that soon as it's my hill fitness/training walk where I obsessively note all sorts of "stats" to see if my fitness is improving).
For some reason, I didn't take a photo of the views across the rooftops of Brough, over the Humber Estuary, to Lincolnshire. Not sure why so you'll just have to take my word for it that it was lovely to be high up (by round here's standards) enjoying the views.
No sooner had I got to the top and I start descending down into Elloughton.
No sooner had I got to the bottom and I start ascending up this long slow lane:
I don't think it has a name.
This is one of those hills that doesn't feel like a hill until you turn round and look and, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't even really notice I was walking uphill.
I get to the gate which leads into Scarbro Wold Plantation and the gradient ramps up a bit as, technically, you're going up the "nose" of the hill now:
Up and up and up it goes until you reach the junction at South Wold Plantation. Aaaaand then down and down and down it goes until you reach the Elloughton Dale Road. I chose the slightly gentler descent this time, a cheeky little trespass which, as you can see, is well walked!:
Upon reaching and crossing the road you head up and up and up again:
Once again, I take the gentler(ish) route which bears off to the left in the above pic, but did need to stop for a breather this time - this is the sharpest gradient of the whole walk but I knew once I was at the top the gradient eases back to one of those long slow uphills you don't realise you're walking up before gently meandering back down the other side to Wauldby Road.
I think this part of the walk before the road is my favourite. In the dappled sunshine in spring, particularly, the wild flowers and the earthy smell is wonderful.
A left turn for a bit of road walking (more gentle uphill) then a right turn at Welton Top and suddenly you're hit with a view:
It's quite a contrast after all the leafy woodland paths!
Arty-farty bumble bee on thistle pic:
A short distance along the concrete track (which isn't the right of way as that runs alongside the track in the field in the pic above but nobody takes any notice/cares), anyway, a short distance along and I take the now well trodden trespass into the woods to have a look at the Mausoleum. Once upon a time this was fenced off but all that remains now is a squashed into the floor wire netting fence. I think the owners have given up replacing it and have just accepted that something as exciting as a Mausoleum is going to justify a crafty gander:
There is a conveniently fallen tree trunk here and I sat and had a banana break and a schlurp of my water and wished I'd brought my flask. It was lovely and peaceful and the birdsong was smashing once they'd forgotten I was sat there.
I did notice a "new" path beyond the tree trunk though and had an inkling that this might be a shortcut to the path I would be heading to anyway. So I explored:
I wasn't wrong. It basically cuts a corner off and I popped out onto the Yorkshire Wolds Way a little further down the trail which leads off the concrete track above.
Continuing on down, down, down I reach a gate which leads into Welton Dale:
I've not walked here since the fence was put up after complaints by pretty much everyone that the new owners had put new cattle in which were a bit too, um..inquisitive. The old Highland cattle were so friendly (pets rather than livestock I think) you could pet them and scratch behind their ears. I discovered that horns are warm the last time I petted them! Shame they're no longer there. They're my favourite type of cow.
Lovely Welton Dale:
You start to reach civilisation again at Dale Road and Welton Springs. The Mill Pond looks lovely when the light is right. It wasn't today:
Eventually you join Cowgate and return to the village centre. The lower part of the springs have been made a feature of the village before feeding into the village pond:
The water level was very low so I stood in the middle of it to take that pic.
Whilst I was waiting for a young couple to pass out of my camera's view I couldn't help but overhear their conversation. He was offering to take her photograph with the pretty views. I looked up and smiled. It would seem she was nonplussed by his suggestion! I couldn't help but wonder if it was a first date. Nice stroll to Welton Dale up the stony and muddy track I'd just walked down. Thing is, he was dressed somewhat country casually, she was dolled up to the nines with dainty little sandals on. After getting stones in her toes and muddy feet it could quite possibly be their last date!
And then, a lovely finale to a lovely walk. Mammy and babby duck:
I noticed there wasn't anyone feeding the ducks now so I took the obligatory picture of the Church:
I'd forgotten what a lovely walk this is and I'm more than pleased that my legs didn't think anything of the uppy and downy-ness of this walk, even after 4 months of total flatness. My breathing and cardio fitness needs some work but hopefully I'll run true to form on that one and a few days worth of hilly walks will sort me out. I just wish there was something more local to me with a decent gradient to train on.
Anyway, thanks for reading 😊