Walking guide to county that's a real breath of fresh winter air

There are many guides to beautiful summer walks around North Yorkshire.

But when the winter comes, the days become shorter and the weather changes, are they still passable?

Keen walker and geographer Dr Margaret Atherden realised that there was no guide to walks around God’s own county when the weather turns inclement.

“I have always loved walking around North Yorkshire, but from November to March a lot of the routes become boggy and even impassable, so we decided there was a need for a winter guide.

So, accompanied as she always is by her faithful terrier Bailey, Margaret has spent the last three years revisiting her favourite walks in the winter.

The fruits of her labour have just been published in a 100 page guide featuring 13 of her, and Bailey’s, favourite places.

“We had to go back three or four times as things such as stiles change and if four-wheel drive vehicles have been down it can make it very boggy and certain times of year, we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss anything. It is amazing what you miss when you visit somewhere for the first time.”

Margaret, a retired academic at York St John University, is also chief executive of the Yorkshire culture and conservation charity, PLACE, under whose auspices the colourful guide has been published.

“There are scores of books about summer walks, but few with specifically selected routes for winter,” she explains.

“Together with my faithful terrier Bailey we have spent the last three years on the trail and the walks we have chosen are pretty weather-resilient, but also portray the rich diversity of this extraordinary county.”

But Margaret was keen that the guide was much more than just a list of directions.

“We wanted to choose walks that had a story and things for people to see whether they are geographical, archeological, architectural or historical,” she says.

“I am hoping that even if people don’t want to do the walks they will find the information in the guide interesting to read.”

Armed with a copy, ramblers search for 4,000 year-old Neolithic remains near Boroughbridge and encounter the handsome Rievaulx beetle in the shadow of the famous monastic ruins near Helmsley.

The walk around the wild moorland of Nidderdale is one of Margaret’s favourites, whilst the remnants of alum mining at Ravenscar offer a fascinating window on a boom industry of the 18th century.

Each walk has a theme and varies in length between four and seven miles with options for short cuts and extensions.

“The longest walks take between four and five hours and the shortest two to three, although we have added short cuts to a lot of the walks in case of really bad weather or if people just don’t want to walk so far.

“We felt that an escape route was important,” says Margaret who added that all the walks are family and dog friendly, although a couple do have stiles where a dog might have to be carried over.

“We do advise that people wear walking boots although there are a couple of urban walks especially one in Scarborough where you might get away with trainers. None of the walks need specialist equipment but we always advise people to wear appropriate clothing for the weather.”

She has used a lot of her local knowledge to produce the guide.

“I walk a lot near the River Foss which is close to my home and so I know the areas that are prone to flooding and so know to avoid them or start the walk further south.”

Margaret has always been passionate about Yorkshire, its landscape and its people and wants to pass this on to others.

“We want to increase people’s knowledge, awareness and appreciation of the Yorkshire countryside, it’s natural and historical heritage.”

A geographer, she taught at York St John University where she helped found PLACE (People, Landscape and Cultural Environment) of Yorkshire.

Originally part of the university, its aim was to promote research into the county but also to raise awareness among the public of the natural and cultural heritage of Yorkshire.

In 2004 it became an independent charity with a virtual office at York St John and Margaret as its chief executive.

Margaret has written other books including Upland Britain in 1992 and Wild Flowers on the Edge in 2012 with Nan Sykes. It was the culmination of years of studying the county’s verges and included their belief that roadside verges should be treated like a huge national nature reserve.

She is in the process of putting together another walking guide, this time to Yorkshire woodlands.

“It won’t just be about any old woodland walk, like the winter walks, they will have to have a story and things of interest.”

She may be retired, but Margaret Atherden has no plans to put her feet up any time soon.

“Like most people who are retired, my diary is as full now than at any time when I was working.”

Her main concern at the moment is the impact that Brexit will have on the countryside.

“The EU gives a lot of support the farmers and the countryside and I am concerned that this support is replaced in a post- Brexit Britain,” she says,

“Farming is so important to the countryside. Dairy farmers are really struggling. We really need to try to support smaller farmers not just the big ones.”

She would also like to see a better link between the demand for intensive food production and the environment.

“There has been a disconnect between these two for too long. We should be able to have food production without damaging the environment.”

The 100 page PLACE Book of Winter Walks in North Yorkshire costs £5 (plus £2 p&p) and is available from the PLACE Office, York St John University, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York YO31 7EX. Email [email protected]. For more information visit www.place.uk.com