Wed 2nd Oct
This month’s walks started with a Pilgrimage! Whilst at Kilnwick Percy a few days earlier I picked up a leaflet describing the Pilgrimage of Grace from Warter to Pocklington by way of Nunburnholme and Kilnwick Percy. So on dull morning me and Suzie caught the bus from Pocklington to Warter. At Warter we visited the Heritage Centre in the Church before setting off along the narrow lane to Nunburnholme. After visiting the church (locked) we joined the Wolds Way and climbed steadily to Warrendale Farm, with Red Kites overhead. Next port of call was Kilnwick Percy where we decided to lunch (vegetarian paninis) at the World Peace Cafe instead of sitting out in the damp. Then it was across the golf course and down to Pocklington and a visit to the parish church – this was a pilgrimage, remember – before returning home. (8 miles)

Sun 6th Oct
The weather was good so a few of us skipped the short walk (from Dunnington, near York) and headed further afield to the edge of the Moors at Lastingham – which was shrouded in fog! However we hadn’t been walking far towards Ana Cross when the fog cleared. From the cross, a faint path, and then no path (Bob taking us off piste again!), took us east across the moor down through a disused quarry to the track down Rosedale towards Hartoft. After a lunch stop we continued through Low Askew then up through woods to Spaunton. From there it was downhill and back along the edge of the moor past Camomile Farm. (8 ½ miles) Tea and scones were taken in style in the garden of Lastingham Grange Hotel!

Sun 13th Oct
Torrential rain! Ten of us made it to the car park on Goathland Moor, but there five got back in their cars and returned home! The remaining five kitted up for the worst and headed off into the rain. It was Wartime Weekend on the NYMR and as we neared Goathland Station we could hear ‘singing’ – on the platform, Dickie Lines was entertaining, singing some 40s classics without hitting any of the right notes! From Goathland we headed up and over to Darnholm and then up and over to Beckhole – where we saw Sir Nigel struggling and slipping up the gradient to Goathland. Then the sun came out so we stopped for lunch. After visiting the waterfall at Mallyan Spout it was back up to Goathland and along the rail trail to Moorgates, arriving back at the cars almost dry. (8 miles)

Sun 20th Oct
The forecast was for more rain, but we didn’t see a drop on the LWC walk from West Ayton – in fact it was a sunny autumn day. After walking through Hutton Buscel we took to bridleways and farm roads to Wykeham Forest. We headed east through the forest to lunch overlooking Hackness. After dropping down to Cockrah we turned south towards Forge Valley but took the high-level route back to West Ayton to avoid the slippery board walk. (8 ½ miles) We stopped off at the Wolds Gallery Tearoom on the way home

Tues 22nd Oct
The idea was to walk from Welton, but due to roadworks we couldn’t get there, so we started from near Elloughton. It was a dull day following earlier rain but the paths were generally ok. Me and Suzie headed up through the woods to Spout Hill, joining the Wolds Way. We followed this to Wauldby Manor and had a coffee stop by the pond. Then down Welton Dale past the pond to the old mill which is being converted into luxury homes. One of the workmen showed us the mill water-wheel, one of the biggest in the country at 30ft diameter. Near Welton, after crossing newly laid tarmac which seemed to melt the soles of our boots, we had a late lunch watching buzzards soar over Elloughton (7 miles)

Sun 27th Oct
It was a bright breezy day as we set off along the road from Leavening Brow. The tarmac was followed to Aldo Farm and along to Toisland, with views towards the Moors. In shelter from the wind at the bottom of the hill we paused for coffee (It was here Dudley left his walking pole - later retrieved on the way home). Then on through Birdsall, where police, ambulance, and air ambulance where seen rushing to an incident in the area. After a lunch stop in woods near Burythorpe we continued past the little hilltop church and back via High Penhowe to Leavening. (10 miles) We stopped off at Seaways at Fridaythorpe for tea.

Mon 28th Oct
Fifteen of us travelled by National Holidays coach to Shanklin, on the Isle of Wight. Fortunately the earlier gales had cleared by the time we had to cross the Solent!

Tues 29th Oct
An absolutely glorious day! The walkers took advantage of Mel’s NH coach tour to get to Alum Bay and The Needles. Ann and the rest of the holidaymakers continued the tour, whilst the walkers headed east from the Needles over Tennyson Down. From the monument we dropped down to Freshwater and a change of scene. A delightful path picked its way through an area of reed-beds, where suddenly we were confronted with the SWAMP! After a fashion we managed to negotiate two waterlogged areas to reach dry ground and a good path on a causeway – once a railway. This provided good walking above the marshland to the little town of Yarmouth. After a quick look at this picturesque place we caught the service bus to Newport, and another from there to Shanklin. (7½ miles)

Wed 30th Oct
A circular walk from our Hotel, starting with a steady climb up the cliff steps to the town centre. After buying sandwiches we joined the Sunshine Trail, another former railway, for an easy stroll towards Wroxhall. So easy in fact, that I missed the turn-off! Not to worry, as all paths to the left eventually lead up on to St Martin’s Down. From there we could see the full width of the Island from the Needles in the west to Sandown Bay in the east. Paths and tracks on the down where very muddy, and soon we found out why – the downs were populated by a very large herd of Highland cattle! These appeared stampeding over the hill – dozens and dozens of them, large and small. I’ve never seen Highlands moving at more than an amble – why the stampede we’ll never know? Fortunately most of them stayed up the hill above us. We turned down to Wroxhall Manor then up onto Wroxhall Down for lunch overlooking the English Channel. An easy walk with a following wind over the highest point on the Island, St Boniface Down and Bonchurch Down, ended with a steep descent to the main Ventnor road and on down to the Coastal Path. This we followed into Shanklin Old Village, with its thatched buildings, then down Appley Steps to the seafront and our hotel (8 miles)

Thurs 31st Oct
Whilst some took Mel’s coach tour to Godshill and Cowes, others used the excellent island bus service to visit Osborne House and Carisbrooke Castle. Just five of us were left to walk the planned linear route from TESCO’s, near Ryde, back to Shanklin. Mel offered us a lift in his coach up to Shanklin bus station, from where we caught the bus for 30min journey to TESCO’s. After stocking up with rations and using the facilities, we had to find our way out, across the car park, past the petrol station, and over the main road. Down steps we entered another world – a little wooded valley with a stream wending its way through the trees. Just visible through the trees was a steam locomotive on the IOW Steam Railway, then, rather incongruously – an ex-London Underground train on the Island Line service. After a bit of road walking we picked up the Nunwell Trail through pleasant farmland, and crossed the Steam Railway – here we had to wait - a train was coming and an ancient loco and carriages rattled past (this wasn’t planned!). We lunched in a sheltered quarry among beech trees on Nunwell Down. As we crossed Brading Down the weather to the west looked very ominous, so we made haste down the long descent to Alverstone. Fortunately the storm didn't come our way. Beyond the village we kept to bridleways and farm tracks, coming across a collection of aviaries that housed a variety of owls - snowy owls and eagle owls being identified. The track crossed the end of the Island Airport runway – just a grass airstrip - and arrived at Lake, a suburb of Sandown. Here we joined another section of the Sunshine Trail along the edge of town and into Shanklin, where we stopped off for a pint in the Pig & Whistle before heading down to the hotel (9 ½ miles)
It was Halloween – something you can’t avoid when you have Jyl, Joyce, Josie and Suzie in your party! See the IOW web photos if you dare...!

Fri 1st Nov
It was an early start for the long journey home through horrendous weather and Friday traffic - it was about 6.30pm when Mel dropped us off in Leven.