'Abbey ramble' around Byland (From The Westmorland Gazette)

'Abbey ramble' around Byland

8:20am Friday 2nd December 2011

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Finding walks around old abbeys has always fascinated me as I feel I am walking through history. In the last year I have walked around Cartmel Priory, Wetheral Priory and Shap Abbey. This week I have ventured a little further afield and have visited Byland Abbey in North Yorkshire. I did this the day that the clocks changed and so I made an early start.

How to get there: Take the A170 from Thirsk to Helmsley. Turn to the right onto a minor road to Wass. Byland Abbey is signed from Wass. Do not confuse Byland Abbey with Old Byland which is some distance to the north ad close to Rievaulx Abbey. There is another lovely walk from this abbey. There is street parking around Byland and at Wass.

Route 1 Start at Byland Abbey which has a fascinating history and has a firm connection with Furness Abbey on the outskirts of Barrow. This was my reason for planning this walk. The abbey is closed in the winter but this does not matter because it can easily be seen from the road. In 1134 a group of Savigniac monks (later the Cistercian) set off from Furness Abbey and found a daughter house at Byland. In the 14th Century it was said to be the largest ecclesiastical building in the whole of Europe. Henry VIII disbanded the Abbey in 1539 and sold off the most wonderful treasures and left only a ruin. Some of the glory can still be enjoyed at the start and the finish of this stroll. From the Abbey bear right along a well marked footpath then turn right and pass between gates. After another series of gates a road is reached.

2 To the right is the pretty little village of Wass and this should not be rushed. Look for a left turn marked ‘observatory.’ A steep climb through a woodland produced an exciting sight. Here was a female Pied Flycatcher which ought to have migrated a couple of months ago. At the stile turn left and then right. Continue to climb until you reach an open space. Take a left then go towards Oldstead observatory. This was set up by John Wormald of Oldstead Hall in 1818. He dedicated this to Victoria who became Queen that year.

3 Keep the observatory to the right and descend a steep path. Turn right, a sign indicated Oldstead. This path reaches a lane.

4 Approach a T junction and turn left. Pass through a set of gateposts and over a cattle grid. Continue along a field path to reach a minor road. Turn sharp right and after a short distance turn left and follow a very obvious path. Pass to the left of Oldstead Grange. A grange simply meant a farm owned by the monks. They also built extensive fish ponds on this site.

5 Byland Abbey is well signed from this point and as the track leads through fields look out for more depressions in ground where there were more fish ponds. Pass through another wooded area to reach a minor road. Turn left and return to the Abbey and the starting point.

Over the next few months I am planning to enjoy a few more ’Abbey Rambles’ including Lancross, St Bees and Calder. Railway walks have also fascinated me especially the ones which have been closed to traffic and so I look forward to a busy winter.

Information

Distance: 6 miles

Time: Allow 3 hours

Map: OS Landranger 100 (grid reference 548 791)

NB: Restrictions on space mean this article provides a summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who follows the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.