Whewil one

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Two of us walked this route together from Wheldrake to Wilberfoss on a chill-damp frosty day in December. We found the route map to be accurate, and the terrain mostly a mixture of tarmac (quiet country roads and driveways) and grassy paths (field edges, river bank and a small amount of woodland). Point of interest include the 2 lovely villages of Wheldrake and Elvington, both of which have attractive churches that we found open to visitors, and the ancient Sutton Bridge over the River Derwent about half way along the route. Newton upon Derwent village, however, is bypassed.

There was little ascent or descent but a kissing gate, a narrow wooden bridge and a short narrow scramble over tree roots may rule this route out for those with wheels. Weather conditions on the day we walked it meant the path underfoot was somewhat muddy in places.

We were progressing very well till we reached the left turn off Bull Balk lane into a sheep pasture at GR734497, where the public right of way was blocked by an electric fence (pictured). We had no wish to check whether it was switched on so faced a choice of retracing our steps along Bull Balk and then turning right along Back O' Newton to reach the A1079 and Wilberfoss, or to continue onwards to the A1079 beyond our destination.

Updated 2 January 2023: I've been back to GR734497 today in the glorious new year sunshine and am delighted to report that the electric fence has been removed and access along the public footpath reinstated. I was therefore able to complete the remaining mile of the route into Wilberfoss. This passes through farmland where the signage is clear although one or two of the kissing gates are a little rickety. The route emerges through a farmyard to meet the busy A1079 - the bus stop for express buses between York and Hull is here, or you can cross the road using the traffic island to continue to the facilities in the centre of the village, including the bus stop for the slower local buses.

Walked this with a friend on 10th December 2022, starting at Wheldrake at approximately 11 a.m. This walk is one of the group which forms a circumnavigation around York. It is a quiet and pleasant walk mostly across farmlands with some great trees.

There were good bus links from and to York at each end of the walk, and we had no difficulty finding the walk's beginning just past Wheldrake's picturesque St. Helen's church - see picture of the lovely weathervane, a gryphon? We had a short break in Elvington's Holy Trinity Church, enjoyed the pretty and historic Sutton Bridge across the River Derwent, and had lunch on a very convenient fallen log seat as we skirted the bottom of Sutton Wood. Signage throughout the walk was generally excellent and wayfinding easy. The going was flat and negotiable, with some mud in places, which is expected at this time of year. Footbridges, though slippery wood, were usually in good condition with handrails. The second half of the walk was mostly on tarmac. Our most significant issue began as we by-passed Newton Upon Derwent on the verges of the Back O' Newton B road. We found the Bull Balk road turn-off easily enough, but the diversion sign (picture attached) did not indicate if this was for cars or pedestrians, or both. The diversion turned out to be an unsafe culvert bridge higher up Carr Lane, which was cheerfully ignored by several locals in 4x4s who chuntered past us and over the bridge.

The final turn onto a right of way at Holly Farm, map reference GR733497, which should have led us to Wilberforce, was obstructed by an electric fence with no safe crossing e.g. rubber mats, or a section with the wires covered. We attempted to rejoin the right of way using the farm access road 200m further up what was now Carr lane, but this was also blocked by a tall locked gate. We had no option but to continue to the end of Carr Lane, which brought us out onto the A1079 near Nelson Park Florida Keys holiday park, where, fortuitously, there was a bus stop which took us back to York via Wilberfoss (the original end of the walk).

So in order for the walk to be properly accessible, it needs either a safe crossing for the electric fence or re-routing onto the A1079 for approximately 500m.

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