THERE is an old saying that April and May are the keys of the year, probably because the weather during these two months is so vital to our rapidly-growing plant life, both wild and cultivated.

There are lots of weather sayings which relate to this, both in this country and overseas. Here is just a small selection - A cold April the barn will fill (England); cold April gives bread and wine (France); a cold April, much bread and little wine (Spain); a cold and moist April fills the cellar and fattens the cow (Portugal); warm April, great blessing (Germany); when April shall shrilly sound his horn, on earth there will be plenty of hay and corn (Isle of Man); and April wears a white hat (ie frost, England).

Hereabouts, of course, we know that April showers bring forth May flowers, with most of us believing that this month is rather wetter than most.

I think this arises due to those sudden sharp, short, but very heavy, showers which are such a feature of this time of year, although in fact their combined deposits of rain tend to be less than, say, February or even March.

In short, April is not as wet as we believe, but it can be stormy, it can be cold and it can be windy. There can even be thunderstorms and snow in April, but in spite of that, it is one of the most exciting months of the year, particularly as far as nature is concerned.

In the great outdoors so much of interest is happening and we should take advantage of the benefits.

From time to time, I am asked to recommend to visitors a place to visit which is accessible, which offers memorable views, has lots of interesting things and provides a chance to enjoy the fresh air of this beautiful region, with refreshments if required.

I am sure lots of centres like York, Durham, Whitby or the Yorkshire Dales meet those demands, but there is one essentially rural and very compact spot which is unforgettable and which offers so much if one takes the trouble to discover all its charms.

That place is Sutton Bank Top, with its National Park centre and caf.

It lies a few miles to the east of Thirsk along the A170 as one heads towards Scarborough, and the stopping place, with car parks, is at the summit of a mile-long climb with three gradients of one-in-five (20pc, one-in-four (25pc) and one-in-five.

The ascent and descent of Sutton Bank presents no problems to local drivers, but seems to cause concern to visitors and, despite warning notices, some continue to attempt the climb while towing caravans, even though this was banned in 1984.

Large lorries also come to grief and block the road, but these difficulties are often due to a lack of skill in the drivers, not the capabilities of their vehicles.

There is little doubt that the walks and views from the summit of Sutton Bank are well worth the trip, for they are breathtaking and beautiful.

Few vantage points offer such a variety of interest but, like all such places, one must know what one is looking at in order to fully appreciate it.

The first thing which strikes viewers is the sheer scale of the panorama spread before them while looking west and north-west - it takes in the Vale of York, Vale of Mowbray, the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and south Durham hills, with towns, villages, rivers and other locations.

Much of the interest lies in trying to identify sites such as the Pennine peaks, market towns, rivers and church spires, and help is available from a coin-operated telescope set upon a plinth bearing arrows indicating named places. This is a few yards to the south of the car park.

One's own set of powerful binoculars would certainly be an asset here. In the days of steam trains, it was said one could watch a train leave York and follow its path all the way to Darlington while standing on Sutton Bank Top.

Some of the views can be enjoyed from the footpath, part of the Cleveland Way, leading south along the edge of the cliff towards the Yorkshire Gliding Club's airfield.

One pleasure is watching the gliders landing or being towed into the air by a small aircraft and, although the footpath skirts the rim of the airfield, one must be sure not to trespass on to the airstrip, or allow children and dogs to do likewise.

In the valley below this walk is Hood Hill, where the first monks of Byland Abbey originally settled in Yorkshire while seeking a site for their monastery. Long, long before then, this hill was used for human sacrifice.

Continuing around the airfield one eventually reaches the famous White Horse of Kilburn, a huge carved outline on the hillside facing south.

Completed in 1857 by the headmaster of Kilburn school, his pupils and 33 local men who carved it from the hillside, it is 105 yards long by about 76 yards high and is the only such outline in the North of England.

A long flight of steps leads down the side of the horse into a car park and eventually Kilburn village, known as the home of the Mouseman - the woodcarver who adorned his work with a tiny carved mouse signifying industry in quiet places.

Returning to the telescope vantage point, the most prominent sight below the Bank Top is Lake Gormire, which has its own legends and myths.

There is an old belief that the lake is bottomless, another says it contains an entire village complete with church and spire, and yet another says the Devil leapt from the Bank Top and crashed through the earth so that the lake formed in the resultant hole.

The truth is that the lake is fairly shallow, but it is of interest because there is no inlet stream and no outlet. So how does the water get here?

There is a steep and challenging walk down to the shores where you can ponder this mystery.

Another tale says that a white mare leapt from nearby cliffs, carrying a girl to her death on the rocks below, but her remains were never found.

The place where the Sutton Bank road enters Thirsk is still called White Mare Corner and the cliff from which she jumped is called White Mare Crag.

This could be a corruption of the term "white mere", referring to Lake Gormire's shining silver surface, but it has no links with Kilburn's White Horse.

Beyond Lake Gormire in the valley is Nevison House, the legendary home of the famous highwayman, Swift Nick Nevison, while behind the car park to the north is the former site of a racecourse where the popular Black Hambleton Races were staged between 1715 and 1770.

The turf is said to be the finest in England and racehorses continue to be trained in the locality. And there is also a fairies parlour!

If you visit Sutton Bank Top you will be in good company because William and Dorothy Wordsworth paused here to admire the views in 1802, as did John Wesley in 1755 and many others.

Dorothy reckons she saw a minster "unusually distinct", but did she really? Could she have seen either York Minster or Ripon Cathedral from here, or was it merely a distant parish church with a lofty tower? Go and have a look!

Last Wednesday, April 14, was St Tiburtius' feast day, but it is perhaps better known as Cuckoo Day. By tradition, this is the date the cuckoos arrive for their summer visit to this country and there used to be a saying that "the cuckoo sings from St Tiburtius to St John." St John's Day is June 24, otherwise known as Midsummer Day. In Yorkshire where I live, it was always said "When thoo hears t'cuckoo shout, it's tahme ti plant thi taties out."

In recent years, however, it seems we have not had so many cuckoos in this country and that their numbers are in steady decline. Certainly, its distinctive call is now something of a rarity. There are some who say we are better without this parasite - it is not a pleasant bird because the female lays her eggs in the nests of smaller species such as meadow pipits, hedge sparrows and reed warblers.

She will select a nest and lay one egg in it, removing one of the host's eggs to disguise her actions. Quite amazingly, her egg may also closely match the host's clutch in size and colour. She can lay about a dozen eggs, one in each chosen nest, but when the cuckoo chick hatches, it immediately throws out all the other eggs and takes over the nest.

The unfortunate tiny hosts are then faced with rearing and feeding a chick which grows much larger than its foster parents. Amazingly, those tiny parents love and cherish their new baby - but at what cost?