East Riding of Yorkshire & Humberside (former)

Walk Details:
Date: 4/12/2005
Total ascent: 4m/ 13ft
Total distance walked: 0.17 miles
Walk difficulty: 1/10
Enjoyment rating: 2.5/10
Best bits: Classic car rally, top on tumulus
Worst bits: Rather conspicuous trespassing required
Walkers: Anth, Jim
Car Parking: There’s a layby on the A166 at SE 821 569

Top details:
Name: Bishop Wilton Wold
County top number: 110 & 111 of 207
Marilyn number: 27 of 1553
Grid reference: SE 82175 57009 Map
Height above sea level: 246m/ 807ft
How nice was the top? 3.5/10
Views: 1/10
Description/Notes: The highest point of the county of Yorkshire East Riding and the former county of Humberside is on a tree-covered tumulus. It’s also a marilyn. The nearby trig point is slightly lower.

The Walk:

We were glad to get away from the shadow of Hull, but it was a long drive across Yorkshire East Riding to reach its county top. We took our lunch break in a picnic area off the A166 a mile or so east of the county top, and were delighted to discover it was a checkpoint for a classic car rally. We sat and watched with some enjoyment as a selection of old but still sporty-looking vehicles arrived, more often than not with a great deal of rattling and a cloud of smoke. One of them arrived from the wrong direction and was sent around the block before it was allowed to check in. We were interested to see that even old Ford Escorts now counted as classic. We gave the checkpoint couple a cheery wave as we left – they must have been absolutely freezing standing out there today!

Suitably refuelled, we headed a little further down the A166 looking for a parking space near the county top. We had been worried that it would be difficult to park on such a busy road, but there turned out to be a layby on the north side of the road right next to the county top – it could almost have been purpose built.

From the layby we could see a trig point inside a nearby reservoir-and-telegraph mast enclosure. The enclosure was surrounded by secure fences so we were – for once – glad that the trig wasn’t actually at (quite) the highest point. That honour was reserved for the summit of a tree-covered tumulus in the neighbouring field.

There was also a handy gap in the hedge into the field next to the layby. What could have been a tricky top to access was turning out to be very easy indeed! The farmer had sowed winter wheat in the field and we were careful to keep as much to the tractor tracks as we could as we made our way to the tumulus, our boots getting covered in heavy soil as we went.
The trees on the mound helped hide us somewhat from the main road, and therefore alleviated our fears of being caught trespassing. They also hid something that looked more than a little like an air-powered cannon.

Top done, we made our way back to the car as swiftly as our mud-encrusted boots allowed. Looking back at the top we both agreed that it was a most attractive looking one, the green mound standing out well against the flat land all around.