The Drove Road and Windygill Ridge from Boltby

7 miles                           Grey with heavy showers

We left the A19 at the Knayton turn-off and drove through Boltby village and up the steep hill at the east side of the village to a small car park at the side of the road.

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

Leaving the car we continued east for 100 yards before bearing left to follow the farm path to Lunshaw House Farm.  Before reaching the farm we crossed a stile to follow a field path signposted Low Paradise.    Sheep had used our small path and made it very muddy pushing us onto the sloping wet grass and we slipped and slid our way down to Lunshaw Beck.

Lunshaw House farm track

Looking over the Vale of Mowbray towards Low Paradise

We leave the farm track

Crossing Lunshaw Beck

Our field track now climbed steeply, first to Low Paradise Farm and then on to High Paradise Farm.  The last time we walked this path, a little over a year ago, we were beset by hounds as we approached a bungalow above Low Paradise and we wondered if they were still around.  They were and seeing us approach began howling and barking but fortunately from the other side of a fence.  The owner peered out of the window and shouted at the dogs to no avail and they continued to bark as we climbed towards High Paradise Farm.  We were impressed by both neat and tidy farms.  

Below Low Paradise Farm

Low Paradise Farm

Who let the dogs out?!

Approaching High Paradise

Tom Scott Burns describes the climb to High Paradise Farm as 'muscular' and we wouldn't argue with that description.  Finally on level ground we walked past the farm buildings and shortly came to the Old Drove Road at Sneck Gate, where we turned left to follow the green drove road, which is also a stretch of the Cleveland Way.  After about a mile on the old highway we came to Steeple Cross, or what's left of it, where we got down behind a stone wall and enjoyed our coffee and scones.  Steeple Cross was mentioned in 1246 but it is now just a 2 feet high piece of stone.  We sat for 15 minutes and in that time a cyclist and two sets of walkers passed by, all stopping to chat.  A busy spot considering we never saw anyone else throughout the whole walk.   As we finished the last of our coffee the heavens opened and I quickly donned my waterproofs while Clive unfurled his umbrella.   We turned left off the Drove Road through a gate and walked along a forestry path.

Old Drove Road, Boltby Moor to the left and Dale Town Common to the right

Leaving the Drove Road

Walking towards Gallow Hill

We walked through the forestry plantation and emerged at Gallow Hill, which in better weather would give us a nice view towards Cowesby village.  We turned left at Gallow Hill and followed the broad path to Windygill Ridge, all the time rain falling like stair rods.  To the left of our path was a forestry plantation and ahead a fine vista across the Vale of Mowbray and to the right Black Hambleton and the hummock of Seta Pike.  Suddenly the sky brightened and we looked down on a double rainbow, the nearest appearing very bright.

Lashing down!

Rainbow at Windygill Ridge

Just after passing Seta Pike our path turned left down a steep forestry path.  The track was very faint and also very boggy; the steep descents proved very slippery and progress was slow.   The path levelled out and we picked our way through Gurtof Wood, looking down on Gurtof Beck which ran below us.  Eventually we reached a gate leading out of the trees into wet meadows.

Steep descent!

Gurtof Wood

Totally unnecessary bridge

Out of the woods at last!

Our faint path crossed several meadows, all made very boggy by the rain until we came to a wide track through fields of maize, standing a good 7' tall.  We were surprised to see this growing here as a crop and wondered when it would be harvested and whether it would be animal feed or sold for human consumption.   The rooftops of Boltby now appeared below and the track led us alongside a field containing two rams, one of which must have been a pet as it came over to be fussed.  Clive can never resist feeding animals and the ram was treated first to an apple and then a rich tea biscuit, which it appeared to find more enjoyable.

Maize

Large fields of maize

'The Sheep Whisperer'

Apple's OK...

But biscuit's better...!

Our path exited at the west end of Boltby village and we turned left to walk along the road.  Set back from the road is Holy Trinity Church and finding it unlocked we entered for a look around.  The church is in very good repair and as TSB says that the church was first erected in 1409 and was continuously in use until it was rebuilt in 1859 we were surprised to see that the churchyard only seemed to contain fairly recent graves.  A further look at our guidebook The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills explained why: apparently it was the custom until Victorian times to carry the dead from Boltby for burial at Felixkirk, "swathed in linen and uncoffined."  Unfortunately the book does not say why this happened!

Holy Trinity Church, Boltby

Altar windows, Holy Trinity Church

We continued to walk along the main street past the old stone footbridge over Gurton Beck before climbing steeply out of the village to the hard standing where we had left the car.

Old packhorse bridge over Gurton Beck

Boltby

Looking down to Hesketh Hall from our car park