Getting Lost in Wintergill Plantation?

Our local paper, the Whitby Gazette reported this Tuesday 17th August that a family of 3 adults and 8 children had to call out the mountain rescue as they were 'lost' inside Wintergill plantation. Lost? You can see from the map that at most the plantation is less than 1km wide and in a valley. You couldn't hide 11 people in that plantation!! The family were staying in Glaisdale and had walked to the woods. Obviously having walked either up to it or down to it from the road they obviously couldn't work out which way was back. Surely even simply knowing that it is in a valley you could walk downhill and end up in the open valley below or uphill and you end up on the road.
Read the full story here

Canoeing the Rivers Rye & Derwent (North Yorkshire)

Dropped off at Newham Bridge a few miles NW of Malton on the R.Rye. The river is narrow and I soon encountered the first of a handful of log jambs which had to be negotiated. This section of the Rye contains several simple rapids. But the biggest challenge was avoiding the many sheep drowned in the winter due to flooding. There's no way around this. Through Malton. Not pleasant but no one noticed!! An hours paddling took me to Jeffry Bog a couple of meadows managed by Yorkshire Wildlife trust and absolutely packed with many species of grasses, flowers and awash with common blue butterflies. I decide to camp just downstream. No tent, just the canoe, a karrimat and my fishing gear. Its a warm evening and as darkness approaches I notice a ripple advancing towards me from close to my side of the bank. I knew this was no bird and keeping as still as possible a pair of otters came and swam in front of me, one of which approached to within several feet to see what I was. I woke early the next morning to be greeted by this young bullock.. My arms were still sore after some neck and shoulder injury so I decided I wouldn't paddle much further that day. Another night was spent further upstream and I discovered a family of otters playing in a tiny feeder stream. One of the many moorhens nests along the banks side. (To be continued)