Hawnby, Easterside Hill and Shaken Bridge

7.5 miles, cloudy but fairly warm

We parked next to the restored Wesleyan Chapel in Hawnby and walked back to the T junction where we entered a meadow next to an old green footpath sign.  The grass in the meadow was wet but not too long and we quickly noticed that this doesn't appear to be a well walked path, in fact there doesn't appear to be any path at all.

A climb, picking out where we thought the path should be, led us to some woodland and Easterside Farm where we crossed the road back into more fields under a large mound called Easterside Hill. 

Map from The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills

Hawnby

Unfortunately we were not alone in these fields.  A large herd of frisky bullocks raced across towards us and then, just as we were considering climbing the fence they veered off and charged away from us.  We went forward cautiously but the bullocks decided they would accompany us and rushed through the open gate into the next field, where our faint path was leading us.  We followed gingerly and eventually circumnavigated them, leaving them behind as we reached Pepper Hill looking out at the magnificent views towards Bilsdale.

 Pheasant pen near Easterside Hill

As we walked round Pepper Hill we noticed a large gap in the wall on the east side which is mentioned by Tom Scott Burns in his book and which is still not repaired today.  This is the spot where a German Dornier plane crashed in December 1942, killing the four airmen aboard.

Although this point was only about a third of the way through the walk we noticed it was already 11.45am and as we had an excellent view looking down towards the B1257 Helmsley Road below us, we decided this would be a good spot to have our coffee and scones sitting on the scattered stones left in the hollow made by the Dornier.

 Looking across at Sportsman's Hall

Paths were indistinct for most of the walk

Hole in wall left by WW2 Dornier, Easterside Hill in background

Looking down from our coffee stop towards the B1257

This years heather is now past its best.  Contouring around Pepper Hill

We walked on across more meadows containing horses and this time, some rather sleepy cattle. We crossed a bridge then a path diversion led us around a very smart looking house which TSB describes as a pig rearing farm (Fair Hill Farm) but which now looks like an executive home.  The same path leads past another property called Broadway Foot  Farm but this also no longer looks like a working farm and we were sorry to see that the main building had been destroyed by fire, obviously very recently.

Clive framed by Rowan Trees.  We've noticed a very heavy crop of  berries this year

Sleepy cattle ignored us in this field

 1969 tractor still in use

Bridge near Fair Hill Farm 

We walked down from the burnt building to Shaken Bridge, which TSB explains is from the Old English 'Sceacre Bridge', or Robber's Bridge.  It's now a road bridge with a lovely view of the River Rye and we stood watching a grey wagtail on branches below us before crossing it and turning sharp left into a lane leading upwards to East Ley Wood.  The lane climbed to a large old barn at Peak Scar Top and more magnificent views.  We walked along a nice track at the wood's edge and then exited onto a road which led us gently down to Hawnby Bridge.  As we entered the village a friendly horse came over to see us and after stroking its nose Clive gave it one of his menthol eucalyptus sweets which the horse seemed to relish, stretching its lips back and breathing very noisily.  This brought other horses towards us and we moved quickly off, supplies being limited!

 Weather vane at Broadway Foot

 Broadway Foot main building

 The River Rye from Shaken Bridge

Looking back while climbing to Peak Scar Top

 

 Hawnby from East Ley Woods

 

"Wow, that cleared the tubes!"

A short walk brought us back to the Wesleyan Chapel and our car.
A nice walk but many fields had cattle and horses to negotiate.  Indistinct paths mean it would be wet in winter.