A little meander from Marske.

I’ve wanted to do this for a couple of weeks.  Peter is off working again this weekend, and, after a frustrating wait to make sure the wet weather and mist cleared I managed to get out this afternoon.  It is only a little walk of 5 miles+, nothing too strenuous but in an area new to me.  I’d included a little waterfall in my route, and I was looking forward to exploring.

Lessons learnt:

• When driving to and from walk, always plan to change boots after completion of said exercise. 

• There are such things as bright yellow and purple mushrooms.  (No - not together in stripes or anything.  I mean separate mushrooms). 

• Sheep can be scary 

• I can take the wrong path more times than you have fingers.  (Boasting now.) 

I’ve added a little map of the intended route for interested walking types (see bottom).  The walk goes northwest along the north side of Marske Beck, dallies around a bit, and then comes back on the south side.  There aren’t any steep hills, the Yorkshire countryside is always lovely, and pleasant sights include the becks, horses, brightly coloured fungi, Orgate Force and an old water wheel.   I parked the car at a little layby next to the bridge over Marske Beck and started my walk from there.  The walk goes like this. 

• Start at layby 
• Trek through the village (backtrack and check three different roads to be sure of the right one). 
• Follow track through a couple of fields into the woods.  Whilst walking through woods, checkout three different paths to be sure of right one.  Notice buzzing noise.  Notice buzzing noise is very loud.  Notice you are surrounded by hovering, buzzing, humming yellow and black insects. Look up.  No nest, phew!  Move very swiftly out of area.  Buzzing diminishes. 

Orgate Force

• Walk on to Orgate Farm. Miss intended path.  Take another instead down to Orgate force. Take loads of pictures, enjoy surroundings.
• Back up to Orgate Farm, head on towards Telfit Farm.  Wonder about little bridge?  Look over edge……. Ahhhhh there it is. 

Is this is a Bright Yellow Russula? 

• Go past Telfit farm, take pictures and enjoy the scenery, get curious stares from horses and discover yellow mushrooms. Go uphill towards fields with cattle and sheep.
• Walk past unnervingly docile cow into field full of hyped up and very noisy sheep.  Establish that sheep believe you have something they want when complete flock masses behind you baaing loudly.  Complete flock quite menacingly follows you (stopping only when you stop) and baaing very loudly for length of field.

• Climb gate, (because really have got fed up with sheep, and ended up at wrong one).  Subsequently end up on wrong path along Telfit Bank.  Do not spot this mistake until you come to wall that doesn’t have a stile.
• Go downhill to road/track, follow this to the first wooden “Public Footpath” sign you have seen on the walk and cross fields to Pillimire Bridge. Discover purple mushrooms and waterwheel.

Blackish-Purple Russula

• Cross bridge, turn right and walk alongside river.  In the last 30 yards of the walk, find the thickest, deepest mud possible to cake your boots in.  Finish walk with boots twice the size and weight that you started.
• End walk at layby

Another lovely afternoon.  I will add in my defence that several of the paths and gates had no markers, whether they be right or wrong.  And anyone can make a mistake when being hounded by 40-50 sheep.