Acklam Ings Plus

1. Park up on where Gatehowe Road bends around the corner heading towards Wold Farm. This is where you come out when you are doing our main Acklam Ings Walk, so, if you are, you can just turn left at point 20) and pick up this walk.

2. Continue along Gatehowe Road, on the Chalkland Way, past Wold Farm. Look out for a tumulus on your left just past here and you will soon reach the T junction with the Roman Road where you turn right.

3. There are more ancient features to look out for along this stretch including Queen Dike, on the left and a Long Barrow on your right. 

The long barrow was excavated in the 1868 by the antiquarian J.R. Mortimer. Burials included a human leg bone as well as bowls and pigs’ jaws but without the tusks, the remains have since been dated to about 3450BC. The barrow is thought to have been around 24 metres long by 15 metres wide. Later the barrow became part of a linear earthwork now known as Queen Dyke, thought to date from the middle Bronze Age.

4. Walk along the road past where the Chalkland Way heads off left and past two more tumuli. You will spot a signpost at just under a mile taking you off right.

10. Once through the stile obstacle continue walking downhill with the wire fence and trees on your right (we had sheep to our left too). You will come to another swing gate, but this time you can walk through into the next field. 

11. Once through the gate you can enjoy the fabulous views as you continue downhill, heading slightly left to walk down the fence on your left towards the bottom.

12. At the bottom you will find a fence, which has a way-marker pointing left (this is another path which you should ignore). Instead your path curves round to the right continues downhill towards Opendale Beck. In the distance on the top of the hill ahead you will see a farm building which is where you are heading as this is Mount Pleasant Farm.

13. Keep heading towards the beck in the valley bottom. This is the bit that was particularly wet when we were here, so I very much hope that has dried out for you when you do it.  

18. As the fence line turns away left carry on straight ahead. You will see Mount Pleasant Farm on your right and you need to walk closer to it to get through the fence there. Head for the large trees in the middle of this field including the one shaped like a two-pronged fork.

19. At the fence line, when you are passing Mount Pleasant Farm there is a swing gate with a yellow route market. If you have been on the right line you will also have passed a post with a route market on it, beforehand. 

Go through the gate and walk straight ahead up to the next fence. Note - there may be sheep all around here so it is best to keep dogs on a lead.  There are, though, some glorious views all around.

20. Go through the gap in the next fence, walk straight ahead and you are back on Gatehowe Lane. Now all you have to do is turn right and you can walk up the road to whichever point you started.