What a difference in the weather from the last walk. Today was a beautiful summer's day with a breeze to keep us cool. A large part of the walk was through Wykeham Forest and Dalby Forest and Frank did a great job of keeping us on the right track. There were many people out cycling today on the forest trails, the day an Englishman won the Tour de France for the first time. Bradley Wiggins of course in case you hadn't heard!
After the first mile and a half to get us back on the track we entered the forest and our first sight was a young deer.
He obligingly stayed still just long enough to have his photo taken before disappearing into the undergrowth. My book says we may see 'remnants of the once great herds of deer hunted by kings 600 years ago in a royal forest that stretched from Pickering to Scarborough'. And so we did! (Cleveland Way and Tabular Hills Link by Martin Collins, Dalesman Publishing Company)
It wasn't too long before we found a place for lunch and a signpost actually marked with the Tabular Hills walk
We had to finish by 5 o'clock so Frank told us we had to walk briskly today and we did. The paths were easy and wide, no hills and very little mud thankfully.
There were loads of beautiful orchids everywhere, wild flowers, an adder, a lizard and upside down frog!
Once we got out of the forest we were walking along Old Wife's Way, part of an old packhorse route between Malton and Robin Hood's Bay. Then we got a view of Blakey Topping and Fylingdales in the distance.
Not longer after we arrived at the
Hole of Horcum with plenty of time for an ice cream before the A party finished their walk.
Legend has it that the
Hole of Horcum was formed by a local giant, Wade, who in a fit of temper scooped up a gargantuan fistful of earth which he threw as far as he could: it became Blakey Topping! Any relation Ron?!
The day finished with a visit to Pickering for refreshments before setting off for home at 6.00 pm.
