Author Topic: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.  (Read 1999 times)

andybr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 367
The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« on: 16:08:34, 10/09/18 »
Like many good trip reports this one starts "It seemed like a good idea at the time".
At the end of July I found myself with a few spare days to fill and decided I could fit in a quick 4 day backpack across the Wolds Way. This would involve a long first day from Hessle to Goodmanham but I was not particularly worried about it and set off full of confidence. I had not planned, however, on the onset of this summer's heatwave.
I started off well enough and quickly reached South Cave where I stopped for some lunch and refilled my water bottle. Leaving the Fox and Coney I discovered that the temperature had climbed rapidly and was touching 30 degrees. By the time I got to the long road section before Arras my water was almost gone and I was becoming desperately thirsty. I managed to get a quick refill from the owner of a house by the road but the damage was already done and I felt more and more dehydrated all the way to Goodmanham. A couple of pints in the pub helped but I still had a very uncomfortable night and more or less decide to abandon the walk.
Eating breakfast outside my tent the following morning with a Red Kite circling overhead I felt much more optimistic and decided I would carry on to Fridaythorpe. This started well enough but once I was past Nunburnholme the water sources disappeared entirely. Climbing out of Nettledale I realised I had made a mistake and I dragged myself on to Huggate where I managed to get a lift into Driffield and a train home.
It took me a few days to recover enough to contemplate returning to the trail and the lack of public transport made rejoining and carrying on all of the way to Filey impossible. I therefore decided to do a couple of circular day walks to take in the section between the place I left and Wharram le Street which I could reach by bus for a final couple of days to Filey. The first of these was a glorious day from Fridaythorpe to Huggate and back with the chalk dales bathed in sunshine and looking magnificent. The second, however, was entirely different. I walked through three separate thunderstorms and a biblical downpour which saw me walking up Thixendale high street ankle deep in flood water. The rain finally stopped just before I reached Wharram Percy but I had a very damp drive home.
My penultimate day took me from Wharram le Street to Sherburn. I had decided not to camp but to get a bus back to my home in Scarborough and return the following morning the same way. Unfortunately this meant that I was walking against the clock and did not have a lot of time to take in the views but it was pleasant enough.
The final day from Sherburn to Filey could take as long as it needed and proved to be my most enjoyable day. I had thought that the leaving the dales between Huggate and Wharram le Street behind meant that I had seen the best of the scenery but the long stretch between Staxton Wold and Muston was every bit as good. By the time I reached the end it was only the failing daylight which prevented me from carrying on up the Cleveland Way to Scarborough.
I assembled many of my pictures from this walk into a slideshow but unfortunately I am not allowed to post a link to this on Youtube. If there is a way to do this could somebody let me know how. I am new here.

andybr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 367
Re: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« Reply #1 on: 14:57:23, 11/09/18 »
I understand my problem linking to my pictures might be due to a minimum posts requirement. hopefully it will work now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84j5oD0RAXw

pdstsp

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3826
Re: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« Reply #2 on: 17:42:13, 11/09/18 »
Ha - there's a few lessons learned there!  I remember walking a week of the SWCP in Dorset years ago during a heatwave, and those chalk cliffs nearly killed me - I remember lying under an ice cream van to get out of the sun!


Lovely photos - I've only ever walked a bit of the Wolds way but I'd like to go back and do the whole thing - thanks for posting - you've whetted my appetite.

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« Reply #3 on: 22:08:19, 11/09/18 »
Glad you got sorted.  Great set of pics of my sort of local-ish stomping ground.


Well done on snapping those bird and butterfly pics too.   O0

andybr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 367
Re: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« Reply #4 on: 11:11:00, 12/09/18 »
Thanks Mel. Wildlife watching and photography are other passions of mine and I found the Wolds way to be a superb walk for both. I will definitely be returning to parts of the route fully equipped in future. The area around Millington was especially rich in butterflies and there were birds everywhere, particularly raptors.

Doddy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 417
Re: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« Reply #5 on: 15:46:30, 13/10/18 »
I live not so far away from the WW and have walked and wild camped it a couple of times.
Water is an issue as it is dry valleys. [/color]  
Commensurate with the WW at times I do a day walk on the North Wolds Way as a training walk. Odd times I have been to the pub at Huggate, farms and houses to get water. It is possible slightly off route to treat water from Millington Beck; near Millington Wood could be the closest. There is a small stream and a house near Uncleby. Lots of sheep about so not the best but possible sources.

andybr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 367
Re: The Wolds Way. - How not to do it.
« Reply #6 on: 11:26:11, 14/10/18 »
Thanks Doddy. The last time I was there the pub at Huggate was temporarily closed. The sign suggested that it was just for a short time so hopefully it is open again now.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy