ASKRIGG, the centre for this week's walk, is among the most attractive of Wensleydale's many villages.

More than 40 years ago, it was the subject of Yorkshire Village, a classic village history written by two residents, Marie Hartley and the late Joan Ingleby. The book gives a vivid account of Askrigg and its inhabitants through the centuries.

The route passes many of the places mentioned in the book. The centre of the village is the market place, with its cross of 1830 and one of the village's pumps. The last market was held in 1878, the competition with the rapidly expanding Hawes being too great.

St Oswald's Parish Church is the largest in the dale and dates from the middle of the fifteenth century. Its wooden nave ceiling is one of the finest in the North Riding and its walls have many memorials to local families.

To start the walk, take Mill Lane along the north side of the church. This leads beyond the houses and across a field to West Mill, formerly a corn mill and still containing some original machinery as well as the channel for bringing water to the wheel. Pass under the channel and in 50 yards cross Mill Gill by a footbridge. The path to the pretty Mill Gill waterfall climbs right here, but you should continue ahead across a field to the first of many squeeze through stiles with attendant gates.

There are fine views across the dale to Addlebrough. The succession of stiles is easy to follow and the path drops to the Askrigg to Bainbridge road, where you turn right.

In 50 yards, go left across a field to a lane beyond which is a fine example of a packhorse bridge. Cross it and turn left under another bridge which once carried the North-Eastern Railway between Northallerton and Hawes, opened in 1877. Now turn right across a field to reach Yore Bridge, probably dating from the end of the eighteenth century though there are records of an earlier crossing here.

Bainbridge, with its green so spacious that it seems to rule over the main road traffic that crosses it, has a manor house dated 1670, although the house was rebuilt in the eighteenth century after a fire.

Just off the green, and by the "River Bain, shortest river in England", is Low Mill with a restored working waterwheel. Our route crosses the green and then the Bain along the A684, passing close by the earliest site in Bainbridge, the first century Roman fort on the Brough, the hill overlooking the village.

Turn right on the road to Semerwater and almost immediately take a footpath on the left signed to Cubeck, one-and-a-third miles.

The path climbs to the limestone outcrop of Brough Scar, from which the rectangular fort with its protective ditch and bank can readily be seen. There are also fine views across to Askrigg and the moors beyond.

In about half a mile descend from the scar at a sign to Worton, a cluster of grey houses another half a mile away. The first house in the village, just as you cross the main road, was built in 1729 and still has the own owner's plaque - "Michael Smith Mechanick, But He that built all things is God, Heb 3". Beyond the village, descend to cross Worton Bridge. If you wish to cut short your walk here, ignore the riverside path, left, but turn half left back over the fields on a beautiful route to Askrigg three-quarters of a mile away.

To continue with the full walk, take the first footpath on the right after the bridge along the river bank to Nappa Mill, like West Mill one of three ancient corn mills in the parish.

At the mill, turn left on the farm track and, where it turns left by a ford and bridge, go straight ahead (sign-posted Nappa) over two stiles and uphill to Nappa Hall, a fortified manor house of about 1459, built by James Metcalfe, father of Sir Thomas, who later became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Judging by the scale and solidity of its construction - two embattled towers connected by a single-storey range - the Metcalfes wanted to impress the dale with their importance and authority. Even so, Nappa is hardly on the same scale as Bolton Castle, further down Wensleydale, built by the Scropes 80 years earlier.

Climb the track past the hall to the road which runs along the limestone of Nappa Scar. Turn left and in 100 yards left again, signed to Askrigg one mile, and go ahead by a path which leads down the narrow bands of the scar and then head across the field right, keeping a line of power cable posts on your left. A stream then has to be crossed after which, on the same alignment, head straight uphill under another power line.

There is a stile of steps set into the wall ahead, but after that the stiles revert to the squeeze through variety and are easy to find as they take you down towards Askrigg.

On the way, notice the many terraces in the fields. They are called ranes and are the remains of the communal medieval open field system.

At that time the land was ploughed in narrow strips, the hilly nature of the land in the dale leading to the strips being arranged at all angles to one another.

When the road is reached, continue ahead into Askrigg, ignoring a footpath sign on the left over a footbridge which says Askrigg one quarter mile, unless you wish to complete the walk by a sharp pull uphill to enter the village by the back way.

Walk Facts

Distance: Six and a half miles.

Time: Allow four hours.

Grade of walk: Moderate. There is one short, sharp ascent to Worton Scar.

Conditions: There are many stiles to negotiate but only one, between Nappa Hall and Askrigg, consists of stone steps protruding from the wall