Route: Millington Pasture
Area: East Yorkshire
Date of walk: 9th June 2022
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 3.7 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Mixed sun and cloud
Millington Pasture is an area of special scientific interest and is a system of dry chalk valleys in the East Yorkshire Wolds. The grassland slopes are grazed by sheep and highland cattle and are crossed by sheep tracks, ancient Roman roads and long distance paths
I parked in the free car park at Millington Wood Nature Reserve. Millington Wood is one of the few remaining wooded dales in the Wolds and is worth a visit in its own right. Time permitting, this walk could be extended to include a loop of the ancient wood, home to some rare wildlife and plants. My route lay the other way and so I walked out of the car park and turned left onto the road. I then went through a gate on the left and climbed up the bridleway to the second gate. Instead of going through the gate, I turned right and followed the fence line along the edge of Millington Pasture to Allison Nab. The path is not shown on the OS maps as a public footpath. It’s faint and little used but, once located, navigation is straightforward and consists of keeping the fence on the left. There were lovely views down into Millington Dale as I followed the contour line around the top of the dale
I followed the path beside the fence down into Scoar Dale, turning right at the bottom and from there walked along the valley floor to join the quiet road along Millington Dale. There were several buzzards and red kites in the skies above, circling the dales in search of prey. I followed the quiet road for a short distance before turning off to join a chalk track which is part of three long distance walks – the Yorkshire Wolds Way, the Chalkland Way and the Minster Way
The path took me gently uphill, with more big views across the Wolds, heading briefly into Sylvan Dale before descending back into Millington Dale. At the foot of the dale I joined the road and this took me back to the start of an excellent short walk through Millington Pasture
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The start of the walk from the car park at Millington Wood Nature Reserve
I leave the valley road and turn left uphill here
Millington Dale below as I follow a path beside the fence
Looking into Sylvan Dale, one of several side valleys which radiate out of Millington Dale
I follow a faint and sometimes non-existent path beside the fence, with Millington Dale below on my right...
Wildflowers lining the path, attracting hundreds of butterflies
Views into Millington Dale....
Scoar Dale ahead
The path continues along the upper edge of Scoar Dale, and will eventually descend to valley level at the woods mid-picture
Looking back into Millington Dale
Further along Scoar Dale
I descend into Scoar Dale and will turn right along the valley floor
A lovely section along Scoar Dale....
This is a good place to see birds of prey - as was the case when I was last here, there were several red kites and buzzards soaring overhead
A last look back along the dale as I arrive in Millington Dale
I turn left beyond the gate and follow the quiet valley road
One of eleven carved oak posts - a single letter is carved into each which, when read in sequence, spells GAIT IN WOLDS. This one is 'O
Further along Millington Dale
I leave the road here and enter into Nettle Dale
Instead of walking further into Nettle Dale, I turn right at this sign. The Yorkshire Wolds Way is on the other side of the fence, but I follow a parallel track uphill
The chalk track offers unimpeded views into Millington Dale...
The chalk track ends at a gate, but the official Wolds Way path is easily accessed via a stile at this point (here looking back into Millington Dale)
I'm now following three long distance paths - the Wolds Way, the Chalkland Way and the Minster Way
Occasional gaps in the hedge give good views over Millington Dale...
Bench with a view
I pass through this gate above Sylvan Dale. It's possible to descend directly into the dale beyond the gate, but easier on the knees to follow a zig zag path, initially to the left
Heading down into well named Sylvan Dale
Dappled sunlight and big skies showing the landscape at its best
The path turns sharply back on itself to lead gently down to the valley floor
Millington Bottom - a path on the right leads to a bridge over Millington Beck
Before crossing the bridge I make a short diversion to a pond in the beck
After crossing the footbridge I join the Millington Dale road and turn left
The end of the walk is just around the corner
