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Part Two

The Wolds Way

The longest walk of the week I did was from Goodmanham to Thixendale. This is one of the most picturesque sections of the way passing the villages of Millington, Huggate and Fridaythorpe. The landscape retains much of its pastoral character especially around Fridaythorpe and Thixendale where there are more dales that remain as sheepwalk. Indeed the name Thixendale is thought to be derived from 'sixteen dales' though counting them is rather difficult to do without the aid of a map.

The abandonned village of Wharram Percy was not officially on the route at the time I did it but I went there anyway. The outlines of the houses are still visible on the hillside above the church that remained in use until recently despite the last occupants of the village leaving early in the 16th century as it also served nearby farms and hamlets. The population of Wharram Percy was thought to be 150 before it declined as a result of the plague known as 'The Black Death' and changing patterns of agriculture.

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Part One