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Acklam Ings
Start / End: Gatehowe Road, Hanging Grimston
Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 2 hours
Map: OS 300
An extremely scenic walk with glorious views, but it was slightly tricky following the route through some of the fields, there were 6 stiles and it had a steep ascent at the end of Hanging Grimston Wold. Still worth it though!
The Walk
Start From: YO41 1QZ ///shaky.towels.vine
1. We parked up on Gatehowe Road, which heads up, quite steeply, out of Kirby Underdale. There is room to park off the road past Mount Pleasant Farm and before Low House Farm.Walk back to opposite the drive to Mount Pleasant Farm and take the track across the field on your right towards the trees. Note that there is no sign post here but it is a public footpath.
Note - there are gates that are sometimes closed across Gatehowe Road to keep sheep in - don't worry, you can still go through but close them after you!
2. At the start of the trees, go through the metal gate and walk ahead along the side of the field with the trees on your left The path swings round to left after which you will come to a gate.
3, Go through the gate and immediately turn right to follow the fence line (don't go straight on as we did initially - this is a footpath but the wrong one!). This field had sheep in it, so dogs should go back on a lead. Follow the fence line to the bottom corner where there is another wooden gate and stile. Luckily you can bypass the stile via the gate.
4. Turn left after the gate and follow the path along the edge of this field (on your right) and the hedge line on your left. At the bottom of this field the path swings round slightly to your left and then right almost straight away, at a skeletal tree.
5. You will then come to 'duck-boards' that go over Gilder Beck and a gate which you go through. Follow the path as it bends right, and then as you come out into an open field head more or less diagonally straight across to the far- right hand corner. You will see a metal gate on your right but walk past this one as you are heading towards the post and wire fencing that cuts across this field and the farm gate at the far-right hand corner.
6. The gate here has a livestock pen attached to the side of it and you will see a yellow way-marker sign on the gate post. Go through the gate where you will see a public bridleway sign pointing left along the farm road towards Lower Sleights Farm.
7. Turn right onto the farm road which now becomes Sleights Lane. This is a nice easy part of the route that follows the Lane up to the top where you meet the road at a crossroads.
8. At the crossroads turn right towards Birdsall (4 miles) and Pocklington (13 miles). Head up this quiet road for a short distance to the entrance to High Sleights Farm.
9. At the farm entrance you will see a public footpath signpost which points to a diverted path along the Chalkland Way. There is a stile here but you can go around the short length of fence to bypass it. Follow the diverted footpath along the side of the field with the hedge-line on your left. The path bends right and up the next side of the field.
10. The path now comes to a stile which is virtually impassable for larger dogs unless they can climb over it - with help - which is what Bill did heroically! The sign also says 'beware of the bull' - although none was in evidence - but be careful! This walk is not for the faint hearted!
11. The path in the field on the other side of the stile is not in evidence at all even though it is the Chalkland Way, but this is more than made up for with the absolutely stunning views of Deep Dale ahead. Bill absolutely loved it here though, as the grass was extremely long, wet and green and he had a fab time rolling about in it - I've never seen him as happy!!
Head in a right-hand direction across and down to the bottom right hand corner where there is a metal gate with a white way-marker sign on the gate post.
12. Go through the gate and continue through this next field - downwards and in a right-hand direction towards the trees that run along the bottom at Gilder Beck. You will pass a lone standing tree in the field and then eventually come to a wooden gate onto 'duck-boards' over the Beck. Walk through the gate over the Beck and through the second gate.
13. Immediately through the second gate turn left and follow the path along, with Gilder Beck on your left and Back Warren Plantation trees up the slope on your right.
14. Keep following the path as it winds its way straight ahead keeping Back Warren Plantation up the slope on your right. At one point you will go over more 'duck- boards' and find another stile, which you can easily walk around. This is such an attractive part of the walk with beautiful views all around including behind you as you come into Deep Dale and then Hanging Grimston Wold.
15. At the end of this stretch after you have gone through an open gateway in the fence, the path starts to rise up and to the right, and then bends left. Keep climbing steadily up towards the end of Hanging Grimston Wold with a fence line straight in front of you. (There were cows in the next field - but fenced off)
16. At the fence line head right and straight up the side of the Dale. As you reach the halfway point the path gets really quite steep. Bill just bounded up - and then came back to look for me several times as I was out of breath climbing up!
17. When you eventually get to the top, take some time to look back and enjoy the views.
18. At the top you may be dismayed to find another inaccessible stile, BUT instead of trying to get over it, head right along the top of the Dale and at the end you will find a welcome wooden gate on your left to take you through to the path onwards.
If you do manage to negotiate the stile on the other side you will find the footpath sign warning you about the steep gradient you have just come up!
19. Turn right after the stile or gate and continue along the edge of the field with the hedge line on your right.
20. You will eventually come to the end of the field and another stile, BUT again you can bypass the stile by walking around the hedge and out onto the road. As you come through the gap in the hedge whilst avoiding the stile turn right and then just head back down Gatehowe Road to the start.
Even though this walk was difficult in places and had many stiles we did really enjoy it, so if you are confident, do give it a go!
Photo Gallery
1. On Gatehowe Road
1. View down to Kirby Underdale
1. Getting underway
1. Looking backwards - green grass / blue skies
2. Through the metal gate
2. Follow the tree line
Photo Gallery
2. Views over the fields
2. Follow the path around
3. At the first gate - turn right
3. Bill surveying the sheep
3. Bill laughing at the sheep
3. Follow the fence line
Photo Gallery
3. The first stile
3. Take the gate
4. Follow the field edge
4. Views over the fields
4. Skeletal tree
5. Towards Gilder Beck
Photo Gallery
5. At Gilder Beck
5. Bill on the duck boards
5. The gate at Gilder Beck
5. Path bending to the right
5. Cross the field
5. Ignore this gate
Photo Gallery
5. Cross the field
5. Bill enjoying the grass
6. Head for this gate
6. The gate at the livestock pen
6. Do not follow this signpost!
7. Sleights Lane
Photo Gallery
7. Follow Sleights Lane to the end
8. Signpost at the crossroads
8. Looking back from the road
9. Diverted path signpost at High Sleights Farm
9. Stile number 2
9. Go around this fence to avoid stile 2
Photo Gallery
11. Follow the path around the field
11. Churned earth
10. Stile number 3 - virtually impassible for dogs!
11. Head through the long grass
11. Bill surveying the views
11. Time for a roll
Photo Gallery
11. Picture perfect!
11. Magnificent views
11. Go through this gate
12. Continue heading down
12. Head towards the trees
12. Head down to Gilder Beck
Photo Gallery
12. A lone tree
12. The gate and duck boards at Gilder Beck
13. Turn right along the path at Gilder Beck
14. Stile number 4 - easily avoided
14. Into Deep Dale
14. Deep Dale
Photo Gallery
14. Back Warren Plantation
14. Lumps and bumps at Back Warren Plantation
14. Up to Back Warren Plantation
15. Follow the path up
15. Up to Hanging Grimston Wold
15. Fence line at the end of the path
Photo Gallery
16. Heading up!
16. Bill taking it steady
17. Don't forget to look back
18. Stile number 5
18. Obvious signage
18. Use this gate instead of the stile
Photo Gallery
19. Follow the field edge
19. Bill's still exploring
20. 6th, and final stile
20. Bill finds the gap in the hedge
20 Take Gatehowe Road back to the start
Don't forget to spot the strange agricultural thing!