Thixendale and the Wolds Way

Chalk underlies the Yorkshire Wolds. Unlike the harder rocks of the Dales and the Moors, the Wolds chalk is soft and permeable, so the landscape around here is one of rounded hills and deep dry valleys. These were formed when the meltwater from the ice age glaciers rushed with tremendous force across the chalk. Our walk is through rich farming land – indeed, these slopes have been cultivated since neolithic people cleared them and set up home here more than 5,000 years ago.

More than half the walk follows the Wolds Way, a 79-mile (127km) National Trail that runs from the great bridge over the Humber Estuary to Filey Brigg. At its northern end it links with the Cleveland Way and at the southern end (via the Humber Bridge) with the Viking Way to Oakham in Rutland. Less frequented than many of the other National Trails, it offers consistently fine views and a wealth of archaeological interest along its pastoral route – as well as some very welcoming pubs. For much of the walk, too, you will be following the Centenary Way, a route established by North Yorkshire County Council in 1989 to mark 100 years of local government.

Some say that Thixendale is named from the six dry valleys that meet here; the more imaginative reckon to count 16 converging dales. Place-name dictionaries, more prosaically, link it to a Viking called Sigstein. Whatever its origin, Thixendale is one of the most remote of the Wolds villages, approached from every direction by deep, winding dry valleys between steep chalk escarpments. It has a number of old cottages, but much of its character is due to local landowner Sir Tatton Sykes in the later part of the 19th century. As well as building estate cottages, he contributed the church, the school and the former vicarage, picturesquely designed by architect George Edmund Street. Do visit the church – the stained glass by Clayton and Bell showing the Days of Creation is great fun, especially the flamingos and the fearsome waterspout.

Sir Tatton Sykes, 5th Baronet of Sledmere House, was a great church builder and philanthropist – and an even greater eccentric. He insisted that his body needed to maintain an even temperature, and was known to stick his bare feet out of the windows of railway carriages to make sure. As he warmed up on his walks he would shed clothing, paying local boys to return it to the house. He even wore two pairs of trousers to preserve the decencies as he divested himself. Flowers were a pet hate; he had the estate gardens ploughed up and told his tenants that the only kind of flowers they could grow were cauliflowers.

From the church, walk west along Thixendale’s village street. Just beyond the last house on the right, go up a track, following the Wolds Way/Centenary Way sign.

Where the track bears right as you approach the top of the hill, bear left following a Wolds Way sign, which takes you left along a grassy track. Go through a gateway, then straight on along the field side.

At the next Wolds Way sign, turn left as indicated on an adjacent sign to continue parallel to the track with a hedge on your left. At the top of the field go right by the sign. The path descends to reach a kissing gate, then descends more steeply into a dry valley to another waymarked kissing gate, then curves to a gate.

After the gate follow the blue public bridleway sign to the right, winding left up the side valley. Near the top of the valley is a deep earthwork ditch; go through a gate and continue along the edge of the field. Where the footpath divides at an acorn waymarker go right, through the patch of woodland, onto a track by a signpost.

Turn right and follow the Wolds Way sign. Follow this clear grassy track for 0.75 miles (1.2km). At the end of the woodland on your right, just beyond an acorn-topped Wolds Way sculpture, look out for a signpost. Turn right here, following the Centenary Way sign to go down the edge of the field to a track. Follow the winding track past two more Centenary Way signposts.

At the next signpost, turn right off the track, again signed ‘Centenary Way’. Walk down the field side on a grassy track. At the field end leave the track and go through a waymarked gate. The path goes left and passes along the hillside to descend to a stile beside a gate.

Follow the yellow waymarker straight ahead across the field. Pass over a track and continue to a sign by a stile. Go straight on, to the left of the row of trees. The path descends to the village cricket field on the valley floor. Go through a gate, onto a lane by a house then past the Cross Keys public house. When you reach the main road, turn right, back to the start.