Hasty Bank, Cold Moor and Upper Bilsdale

9 miles                             Fair with stiff breeze

We parked at Clay Bank Car Park and walked straight to the top of Hasty Bank, using the Cleveland Way footpath.   I paused to take a couple of photographs as we climbed but failed to notice that I had left the white balance setting on my camera on 'tungsten,' which means that all today's photos are somewhat spoiled by a blueish tint.

Map of today's walk from The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills

Always check your White Balance - today's photos are ruined by Tungsten setting!

Tom Scott Burns tells us that there is an ancient carving of a woman's head in a quarry near to our path, once the summit of Hasty Bank is reached.  We have walked this path many times but never seen this carving so today Clive and I decided that we would make an effort to locate it.  We split up and followed little paths through the heather until we came across the remains of an ancient quarry.  We climbed down and there, gazing down on Bilsdale with an enigmatic expression was our lady.  Who carved her, when and why are long lost in time.

Looking back from Hasty Bank

The enigmatic lady of Bilsdale

Clive in quarry, the lady's face behind his right shoulder

We returned to our path and followed the ridge around to the Wainstones.  TSB tells us that the name Wain Stones comes from the Saxon 'wanian' - to howl.  They were known as the stones of lamentation and were formed by unequal erosion of rocks of different strengths.

Approaching The Wainstones

Clive picks his way through the Wainstones

We followed the Cleveland Way footpath down through Garfitt Gap and then up to the summit of Cold Moor where we made a sharp left turn, following the track along the spine of Cold Moor.  Recent heavy rain meant all today's tracks were heavily waterlogged and difficult to walk.   At the end of the moor we descended via a hollow lane to Chop Gate.  This lane was a quagmire and we made slow progress, eventually coming out at a small Wesleyan chapel, hidden from the main road and built here by local non-conformists against the wishes of the landowner, Lord Feversham,  in the 1850s. 

Cold Moor

Descending from the moor

Hollow Lane to Chop Gate

Clive inspects the Wesleyan Chapel

Wesleyan Chapel

We now followed the main road back towards Seave Green, named after Nicholas del Seves, a landowner in the 1300s.  We left the road at the entrance to Bilsdale Hall  and followed the lane upwards past a renovated mill, called Chisel Hill Mill.  In the 1970s this mill was converted to a recording studio and was used by Chris Rea.  He named one of his songs Chisel Hill, although locals believe he was referring to Roseberry Topping with its distinctive shape.  

A little further along the lane we stopped and enjoyed our coffee and scones facing the entrance to Bilsdale Hall.

Walking through Chop Gate

Chisel Hill Mill

Bilsdale Hall

Clive digs out the coffee

We then had a steep climb to the top of Urra Moor where we made a sharp left and followed the ridge, with sweeping views of Bilsdale below us.  As well as being the ridge of the moor we also noticed we were walking alongside the remains of an earthworks.  This earthworks stretches for 2.5 miles and its origin is forgotten, possibly defensive or possibly an animal enclosure.  The ground became increasingly wet as we approached and crossed a beck below Maiden Spring.

Climbing to Urra Moor

Looking back to Chop Gate

Urra Moor

Looking across to The Wainstones in the distance

Traffic jam on Urra Moor

Leaving the beck we continued to follow the earthworks until we rejoined the Cleveland Way track on Carr Ridge.  We turned left and walked steeply down to Haggs Gate where we rejoined the main road for a few yards back to Clay Bank Car Park and our car.

Looking at Hasty Bank, our first climb of the day, from Urra Moor

Maiden Moor beck

Walking down to Clay Bank Car Park