Boltby to Gormire Lake and Whitestone Cliff

7 miles                          Cloudy and dry

 

 

We approached Boltby from the Knayton turn-off on the A19 and drove through the village to park at a small car park next to a bend at the top of a hill on the same road.   We walked back towards the village and turned left into a lane.

 

Today's walk fromThe Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills

Boltby, approaching turn into lane on left

The Old School House, Boltby

Interesting weather-vane, we heard their labradors barking as we passed

Metal fox on wall in Boltby

Tom Scott Burns explains that Boltby is of great antiquity and was mentioned in the Domesday Book as the property of Hugh, son of Baldric.  We walked along the lane and then over the shoulder of Little Moor, passing Greendale Farm before dropping down to Tang Hall.  From here we followed the flinty track of the old coach road across Huggon Howl towards Southwoods Hall.

 

Cow Pasture Wood

Climb to Greendale

Tang Hall

Old Coach Road, Huggon Howl

A gentle climb took us to the entrance to Southwoods Hall which we could see to our left.  Just before the aptly named Midge Hole Gate there was a small lake with geese and goslings. Passing through the gate we continued through a woodland path to reach Southwoods Lodge, renovated and up for sale.

 

Clive points to Southwoods Hall

Southwoods Hall

Lake near Southwoods Hall entrance

Passing the Hall gates

Looking back along our path

Walking towards Southwoods Lodge

After Southwoods Lodge the path runs straight to Gormire Lake, we ignored several forks in the track until the lake appeared  through the trees ahead.  We paused to admire it and walked along the lakeside until we reached the path left, which we would have to follow in an almost vertical ascent.   Should we make the climb or should we have coffee and scones?  We settled for the latter and found a nice view over the lake to enjoy our break.

 

We arrive at Gormire, Clive now sporting a goose flight feather on his shoulder

Coffee break at Gormire

There are two terraces around Gormire and TSB explains that these were once shorelines when the lake was much deeper.  Its is often described as bottomless but is actually about 27 feet deep in the centre.  Tradition relates that a town stood here which was destroyed in an earthquake, but the lake is actually the result of a glacial overflow channel being blocked by a landslip, hence its position up a hillside.  No streams flow from it and its waters are mainly supplied by rain and diminish with evaporation.  A major landslip happened here on the 25th March 1755 which was described by Rev John Wesley as 'like many cannons or rolling thunder'. 

Our break had to end and the the climb had to be made. As you see from the map the ascent is a little over half a mile and very steep in places.  Puffing on to the top path near Sutton Bank Visitors' Centre we turned left and in a few yards had a magnificent view of Gormire and the surrounding countryside.

 

View back from the climb to Sutton Brow

On top at last

Looking down on Gormire

Looking across Whitestone Cliff, the southern rim of the North Yorkshire Moors

Clive laughs as I say "Back a bit!"

We now had a two mile walk along the ridge towards Boltby Scar, first passing Whitestone Cliff, also known locally as White Mare Crag after an unruly racer from the nearby gallops was supposed to have jumped from this point together with her rider.  TSB gives no further details and I would think this is a folk tale.  

This is a lovely stretch of walking with magnificent views and  Clive and I could see the Pennines quite clearly.  As we walked along the cliff top we heard an unusual bird song and on a dry stone wall saw the perpetrator, a bird about the size of a skylark,  with bright yellow feathers and a flicking tail.  We appear to have been watching a yellow hammer, a bird so rare it's now on the endangered 'red list.'

 

Heavily cropped photo of our Yellow Hammer

Boltby as we approach Boltby Scar

We came to a wooden sign pointing to Boltby but ignored it as our route follows the sign to Sneck Yate.  We walked alongside a deep sandstone quarry just below the path and then reached the ruins of an old barn where we turned left onto a small track leading steeply down.

No, not that way!

Follow the sign for Sneck Yate

Quarry workings and old barn in the distance

Marching towards the old barn

Inspecting sandstone quarry

The old barn, turn left here

Boltby had now disappeared from view as we followed a sunken path twisting and turning downwards, past Hesketh Grange on the right and then directly across several meadows to a steep hill before reaching the road at a stile almost next to our car.

We start to descend

Looking back to Boltby Scar

Our path has disappeared under freshly cut hay

The last couple of fields, our car is parked up the hill by the far trees