Hasty Bank, Cold Moor and Upper Bilsdale

8 miles                     Wet at first, then cool and dry

We parked at Clay Bank Car Park and walked straight to the top of Hasty Bank via the Cleveland Way footpath.  

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

Setting off up Hasty Bank

Tom Scott Burns suggests making a slight detour once the summit of Hasty Bank is reached, in order to find the enigmatic face of a lady carved on a rock wall who gazes eternally down into Bilsdale.   We took his suggestion as the last time we walked here my camera was on the wrong setting and my photos were spoiled.

Looking back down Hasty Bank

The lady and I gaze enigmatically down into Bilsdale

The Lady's view into Bilsdale

Leaving the Lady to her view we walked across the moor top to the Wainstones where we picked our way carefully through the slippery rocks before descending into Garfitts Gap and then climbing onto Cold Moor.   TSB says that the name Wainstones is believed to derive from the Saxon 'wanian' - to howl, and that the naming of the stones means 'stones of lamentation'. 

Approaching the Wainstones

On Cold Moor

On reaching the top of Cold Moor we turned left off the Cleveland Way and followed the track across the moor top for 2 miles, passing by a large cairn which marks the site of five burial mounds.    Further along our track we noticed a couple of wire traps set on pieces of wood.   One of them was on top of a stone wall and on examining the trap we saw it had been sprung and contained the remains of an unfortunate creature, probably a stoat, which had obviously been there for some time.  We hoped it met its end quickly and painlessly.

Trap

... and victim

We followed the track down from the moor until it became a hollow lane.  Unfortunately these hollow lanes are bridle-paths and so horses and bikes have right of access, and this one had been turned into a quagmire.  Stepping carefully through the mud we dropped down to reach the village of Chop Gate, our path joining the road near to an old Wesleyan chapel, almost hidden from the road.  The strange location is because the landowner, Lord Feversham, was C of E and totally against a non-conformist church being established in the dale.  However a local shop keeper sold the Methodists this plot of land and the chapel was built in 1858.  Apparently it contains an interesting harmonium (pump organ) but its doors were firmly locked today.

Entering the hollow lane

Hollow Lane to Chop Gate

Methodist Chapel

Wesleyan Chapel, Chop Gate

We turned left and followed the road through Chop Gate until we reached Seave Green, whose name is thought to derive from its owner in 1301, Nicholas del Seves.  We crossed the road and followed the tarmac track to Bilsdale Hall, admiring huge numbers of snowdrops along the verge as we walked.  On the left we passed Chisel Hill Mill which ceased operation in 1930 but became a recording studio that was used by Chris Rea in the 1980s, and is the subject of one of his songs, Chisel Hill.   Just past the Hall we found a sheltered spot that looked down into Stonehouse Cote and enjoyed our coffee and scones while watching a trio of sparrow hawks quartering the land below us. They were oblivious to us and making a terrific mewing noise, perhaps pairing up for the nesting season.

Seave Green

Chisel Hill Mill

Bilsdale Hall

View from our coffee stop

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 it may have been an animal enclosure.  The ground became increasingly wet as we approached and crossed a beck below Maiden Spring.  

Looking back down to Seave Green

An old store house just under the moor top

Moor gate

Walking along Urra Moor towards Clay Bank

Crossing Maiden Spring

Looking down into Bilsdale from Urra Moor

Spring plumage!

Leaving Urra Moor, Roseberry in the distance

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 taking us back to Clay Bank Car Park and our car.

Dropping down to Clay Bank Car Park

More spring plumage!