Overview
The River Rye rises in the Cleveland Hills and passes through rugged wooded valleys before emerging into the open rolling landscapes north-east of York. Here clusters of broadleaves and ancient hedges punctuate fields of arable and grazing, for this is prime farming country.
The market towns and villages of the region – of chalky limestone, or ochre sandstone, or brown brick – are of a muted loveliness, and seem not much changed for decades. Substantial Georgian mansions abound, as do mediaeval and Victorian churches, and there is a handful of major stately homes, all reflecting centuries of agricultural prosperity.
The North Yorkshire Moors are adjacent; they contain 30% of Britain’s heather moor, and at their edges are some exceptionally pretty valleys, steep-sided and variegated with woodland, dry-stone walls and pasturage. To the south-west rise the Howardian Hills, lowland undulations at their most magisterial, the site of great estates and noble veteran trees.
This all makes for excellent walking country, and when timed to coincide with the Ryedale Festival there emerges the possibility of a magnificent addition to our series of tours combining country walks with concerts of classical music.
Founded in 1981, the Ryedale Festival has steadily grown, latterly under the enlightened and imaginative curatorship of Christopher Glynn, into one of the most alluring in the country. Established artists mix with young discoveries, core repertoire with unusual and imaginative programming. Mostly the programme consists of chamber music and song, appropriate to the small scale of most of the venues – beautiful and often remote parish churches, civic halls and theatres, country house saloons and chapels.
The enthusiastic and loyal audience is largely local, but visitors from further afield are immediately charmed by the warmth of welcome and the prevailing spirit of goodwill. An essentially rural event touches the peaks of civilized existence; genuine community involvement enables a relatively small regional festival to be of national significance.
Day 1
The coach leaves York Station at 1.30pm and drives the 29 miles to Helmsley. The base for all six nights, Helmsley is a busy little country town, largely Georgian in the centre. Time to settle in, a talk, dinner. In the evening drive to Castle Howard for a Triple Concert, with the audience rotating around three spaces to hear three contrasting performances (programmes to be announced). Long Gallery, the Royal Northern Sinfonia; Chapel, artist to be announced; Great Hall, Choir of York Minster.
Day 2
Drive up to the North York Moors for a five-mile walk along mostly flat terrain on the top of Sutton Bank escarpment, along the Cleveland Way and Sneck Yate Bank with spectacular views to York and the distant Pennines. Evening concert: the Carducci Quartet, programme to be announced.
Day 3
Drive to Pickering (25 mins) to catch a heritage train, maybe steam, on the North Yorks Moors Railway to the charming village of Goathland (‘Aidensfield’; ‘Hogsmead’) to start a five-mile circular walk, taking in the waterfall at Mallyan Spout. Some medium ascents and more gradual descents over undulating countryside. Return to Helmsley for a little free time. Late in the afternoon drive to Scarborough for dinner and a concert at the Grand Hall. Orchestra of Opera North, Pavel Kolesnikov (piano). Humperdinck, Overture to Hansel & Gretel; Rachmaninov, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique.
Day 4
A morning lecture and coffee concert. Chloe Hanslip (violin), Danny Driver (piano), cellist to be announced. Schubert, Trio in E flat. After some free time for lunch walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey. A fairly gentle three-mile walk through pasture and woodland alongside the River Rye. Rieveaulx Abbey is a mediaeval Cistercian foundation whose famous ruins are splendidly preserved. Walk back to Helmsley. There is no concert this evening and dinner is independent.
Day 5
A wonderful 5-mile walk which starts in the village of Rosedale Abbey and follows a shaded beck through a succession of little fields, steadily climbing to open moorland. Sheep and cattle, game birds and raptors, the views ranging from picturesque to panoramic, 4½ hours, including picnic lunch. Return to Helmsley. Evening concerts: 8.00pm concert from Sir John Tomlinson (bass), Christopher Glynn (piano), Schubert, Swansong; Wotan’s Ring. 9.30pm candlelit concert, Elias Quartet & Sally Beamish, Mozart, Quartet in G minor.
Day 6
A morning lecture and coffee concert. Llŷr Williams, Schubert, Impromptus; Sonata No.19 in C minor. Free afternoon, to rest, explore Helmsley or do a waymarked walk into the countryside. In the evening, a 7.00pm double concert at Sledmere house and church. House: Elias Quartet, Schubert, String Quintet in C. Church: to be announced.
Day 7
The coach arrives at York Station around 11.00am. As an optional extra we recommend depositing luggage and exploring York.
Please note that full details are not available for the Ryedale Festival so there may be some changes to the itinerary and concert programmes.
Price, per person
Two sharing: £2,490. Single occupancy: £2,860.
Included
Hotel accommodation; journeys by private coach; breakfasts, 4 dinners/ suppers, 2 lunches (one a picnic), with wine, water, coffee; admission to museums and sites visited as a group; tickets for 8 concerts costing c. £240; all tips; all taxes; the services of the lecturer and tour manager.
Accommodation
Black Swan, Helmsley AA****. An old stone building fronts the main square but most of the bedrooms are in a new wing behind, parallel to well-tended gardens that rise in a series of terraces. Décor and furnishings are agreeable; good restaurant. The churchyard is adjacent. Single rooms are doubles for sole use.
How strenuous?
This is a walking tour, with four country walks of between one and four hours, between two and five miles. Some of the terrain is moderately steep, with cumulative elevation gain of up to 150 metres. Participants must be used to regular country walking with significant uphill element. Average distance by coach per day: 47 miles.
Are you fit enough to join the tour?
Group size
Between 10 and 22 participants.
The range and quality of the music was most rewarding and experienced in some architecturally fascinating venues.
The lectures were excellent; thoughtfully structured and clearly focused for a purpose. The lecturer’s delivery and use of technology to illuminate ideas was seamless, accessible for all and helpful in preparing us for appreicating the forthcoming concert programme.
The music was wonderfully varied and performed to the highest standard.