Route: Thixendale
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 2nd July 2017
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 8.8 miles
Ascent: 1,000 feet
Weather: Sunny
Some time ago I’d asked wildlife artist Robert Fuller to paint a red squirrel, based one one of my photos of our favourite animal. The great day duly arrived when the painting was ready for collection, and full of anticipation we set off for Thixendale, where Robert’s gallery is based. For anyone in the area, the gallery is well worth a visit. It’s full of interest, with displays of original paintings, prints, ideas for gifts, storyboards, live webcams trained on local wildlife and much more besides. All of these show Robert’s deep love for wildlife and the understanding he has for his subjects. Best of all, entrance to the gallery is free – though maybe not, as it’s impossible to resist buying something
The squirrel painting was duly unveiled and we weren’t disappointed, it was all we’d been hoping for and more
The Yorkshire Wolds is one of my favourite walking areas and Thixendale is set in the very heart of it, so this was a good opportunity to combine our visit to the gallery with a walk. Having conducted our business, which was a pleasure, we drove over to nearby Thixendale village and set off on the ‘Thixendale Round‘
Details of the walk are contained in the link so I won’t repeat these, save to say that it’s a delight every step of the way. There are a few short road sections, but we encountered little traffic and the surrounding countryside is beautiful throughout. The Wolds are best seen against a background of ‘big skies’ and we were lucky today as the weather suited the landscape perfectly
The photos which follow will tell the story of a walk in pristine English countryside…
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
First stop, the Robert E Fuller Galley, where Robert shows us our painting - a wonderful moment
The painting is handed over to a happy Gilly
A short time later, the start of today's walk as we leave the village of Thixendale
We pass by St Mary's Church
An essential component of a proper village - a red phone box
We follow the lane out of the village
Just after Manor Farm we turn off the lane to enter into Thixen Dale
Thixen Dale, a classic example of the dry valleys of the Yorkshire Wolds...
Looking back along the valley
Bonnie contemplates the way ahead
We climb out of the valley via Milham Dale
Beyond Thixendale Grange
Huge views over the Vale of York to our right from a short road section of the walk
We leave the road to descend in the direction of the Vale of York...
We pass by Waterloo Cottage on Uncleby Hill
The delightful unspoilt village of Kirby Underdale...
All Saints Church
Just after the village we leave the road to follow a path passing by Painsthorpe Hall
Looking back to Kirby Underdale
Walking along Painsthorpe Lane
Looking back
A view down into Painsthorpe Dale
Painsthorpe Wold
We follow a grassy shelf into Worm Dale
Worm Dale
At the end of the dale we turn left into Thixen Dale
A crossroads where we follow the path to the left along Thixen Dale
A heavenly stroll along Thixen Dale, where we spotted a hare, kestrel and buzzard
Climbing out of the dale towards the road
We turn right here, but will return to the gallery in the car to collect our painting
The road to Thixendale
Looking across the valley...
...and a final look back along it
Back home, we unwrap the painting - a great end to a great day
