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Dales Trails

A slight dusting of snow on the Wolds near Huggate/Photo by Arnold Underwood/Jan 2000

The bronze statue of David Midgely at Wold House Farm/from a photo by Arnold Underwood/March 2007

EAST YORKSHIRE - Fridaythorpe

What a Wonderful Wold - from Fridaythorpe to Huggate

The well-drained terrain of the Yorkshire Wolds is ideal for winter walking. Winters can be hard for those living and working on the Wolds but firm ground and the clear air make it excellent walking country.

Fact File

Distance 13km (8¼ miles)
Time 4¼ hours
Map OS Explorer 294 (Market Weighton & Yorkshire Wolds Central)
Start/Parking Fridaythorpe by the village pond
Terrain Field paths, tracks & minor roads Access Land Symbol
nearest Town Driffield
Refreshments Seaways Cafe at Fridaythorpe
Rachel's Walnut Cottage Tearoom (01377 288378) and The Wolds Inn in Huggate (01377 288217)
Toilets
Public Transport Fridaythorpe is served by bus service 135 from Driffield
Suitable for for everyone.
Stiles 5

  1. (Start) From the pond in Fridaythorpe walk back towards the Inn and the main road and turn right along the pavement. Cross over the road and walk past a recent housing development. Where the main road bears right continue on down a lane, signed Wolds Way. In a further ¼mile (400m) go straight ahead through a gate. Do not drop into the dale but bear right to walk along the top towards another gate. Continue up the field side, turning left at a gap. You soon come to a track that heads straight across the flat farmland towards Wold House Farm.

  2. (2.2km, 1¼miles) Walk through this large clean and tidy farmyard. Note by the farmhouse a very lifelike bronze statue - this is of David Midgley - for many years Foreman at the farm. Under his watchful eye continue down the farm drive to the road. Turn right and walk along the road for about 200yds. Almost opposite a road junction a bridleway goes left into a wooded dale. Before taking to the bridleway note the unusual concrete bollards with latin engravings, at a gateway to a field.

  3. (3.2km, 2 miles) Now head down the bridleway into the wooded Tun Dale. In early spring the woodland floor is carpeted with snowdrops. After descending steeply the track swings left and after a further ¼mile (400m) leaves the woodland. (note - over the last year or so, much tree felling has taken place in this area). Ahead lies the grassy valley of Frendal Dale. Go through the small gate on the right and continue down the dale, Follow the twists and turns down this dale, finally bearing left to gates onto the Millington road.

  4. (5.7km, 3½ miles) Cross the road to another stile and climb the hillside. There are good views down Millington Dale from here. At the brow cross a stile and descend to a Wolds Way signpost. Turning left here provides a slightly shorter and easier route to Huggate. Otherwise continue forward down into Nettle Dale and partway up the other side. Turn left to follow the Minster Way, which contours alongside an overgrown hawthorn hedge. Walking is uneven along here. Near the end of the dale, climb diagonally up towards a small wood, coming to a gate at its far end. Through the gate continue forward by a fence to reach a minor road by Cobdale Cottage. Cross the road and walk along a green lane - part of the historic Hawold Bridle Road - which crosses the high ground above the secret valleys of Warter Wold. At the next road turn left and walk down to the cross-roads in Huggate. You will find that the popular Wolds Inn is just along to the right.

  5. (8.7km, 5½ miles) From the cross-roads, walk down through the village passing the green and St. Mary's Church. The route follows the Wolds Way back to Fridaythorpe. Ignore any footpaths indicated left or right, and continue along the lane, which becomes the private road to Northfield Farm. The way turns left at a bridleway sign about 200yds before the farm and continues along a field boundary to a gate overlooking Horse Dale Access Land Symbol.
    Turn right and descend the steep valley side diagonally towards some sheep pens. Turn left through a gate beyond the sheep pens and head into the grassy Holm Dale. It is a steady pull up this dale bearing slightly right near the top to arrive back at the gate and the lane to Fridaythorpe. Retrace your steps through the village to your starting point at the pond.

    Along the Way

    Fridaythorpe is a small village on the main York to Bridlington road. Its main claim to fame is for being the midpoint of the 80-mile Wolds Way national trail from the Humber Bridge to Filey. It was here that the Wold Way was officially declared open on October 2nd 1982.

    Arnold Underwood (Dec 2002/March 2004) Revised Mar 2007, Nov 2018

This page was created by
Arnold Underwood

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