Whorlton Castle and Church from Swainby

6 miles                           Cool and fine

We parked at the road side in Swainby opposite the Black Horse Pub and crossed the bridge to walk up the High Street.  We turned left into a marked footpath behind houses that soon led to Church Lane, which we followed to Whorlton Castle.

Today's walk from The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills

Swainby

The castle gatehouse door was standing open and we went through it for a look around.  Tom Scott Burns says that the castle was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Wiruelton and had a chequered history passing from the de Mortain to the de Meynell family. In 1323 Edward II stayed there while hunting deer.   Later, in the Cromwellian period, Royalists held the castle and were bombarded from Whorl Hill by Roundheads. 

 

Whorlton Castle Gatehouse

Rear of Gatehouse - not sure if the red paint is graffiti or official

Our route would shortly be taking us to Whorl Hill but first we stopped off to look around the old Holy Cross Church which was near the castle.  The church is late Norman and partly in ruins but interesting to explore.  TSB writes that it was built on an old Roman site and pottery and other artifacts have been found there.

Holy Cross Church

Sadly we found no artifacts and leaving the church we walked up to the junction with Whorlton Lane before cutting across field tracks to Whorl Hill.  Last night's torrential rain made these tracks heavy going.  Our route turned into woods opposite a farm and we followed the edge of these woods around Whorl hill emerging near a bungalow on Bank Lane.

Approaching Whorl Hill across field tracks

Looking back at Whorlton Castle

Which way? Our path is hidden by fallen beech leaves

Walking through Whorl Hill woods

A steady climb up Bank Lane was followed by a very steep ascent through woods to Live Moor where we joined the Cleveland Way just below Gold Hill.   

Bank Lane

Emerging below Gold Hill after steep climb through woods

We join the Cleveland Way

We turned right and followed the Way to a large cairn which provided a sheltered spot for our coffee and scones and gave a good view into Scugdale to one side and down to Whorl Hill on the other.

Scugdale from our coffee stop

Whorl Hill from our coffee stop

Refreshed and still following the Cleveland Way we descended steeply down to Huthwaite Green, sliding on the muddy path whose stones were made more slippery by a covering of pine needles.  The last time Clive and I walked down this path we saw a large deer in the woods and today we walked quietly hoping to repeat the experience but saw nothing.

Approaching Scugdale on the Cleveland Way

Slippery descent to Huthwaite Green

We crossed the ford below Hollin Hill Farm and then walked over fields to join a forestry track above Scugdale beck.  The track led us to a tarmac road just above the old railway and we were surprised to see an ancient railway goods truck, minus its wheels, at the side of the road.

Old railway truck

Crossing Scugdale Beck at ford

Whorl Hill in the distance from forestry track

Scugdale, Barkers Ridge top right, from forestry track above Scugdale Beck

A pleasant walk along this road brought us back into Swainby and eventually to our car. 

Forestry track above Scugdale Beck

Looking down to Swainby

Whorlton Recreation Rooms, now Swainby Post Office