Nether and Over Silton to Hanging Stone and Oakdale Reservoir

7.8 miles                                                  Warm and Sunny

After seeing the old church at Over Silton looking glorious in a sea of bluebells last year, we decided to repeat the experience today, however lack of rain meant the bluebells were not quite as good as last year.  Still well worth a visit and this walk is recommended for its variety.

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

Osmotherley from our car park

We drove through Osmotherley on the Hawnby road and parked at a moors car park shown on the OS map as Square Corner.  

We set off on a wide path towards Black Hambleton but turned right to Moor Lane, a forestry track, which we followed for about two miles to Nether Silton.

Black Hambleton

Entering Silton Forest (what's left of it) and Moor Lane

 Moor Lane

Walking along Moor Lane

Dropping down towards Nether Silton

The forestry track becomes a tarmac road and drops down into the village of Nether Silton.  We walked into the village and turned right through a gate next to the old post office.  There is no signpost here but the red post box built into the wall marks the spot.

"Feed me!"  Harassed dad in Nether Silton

Cottage in Nether Silton

Our path lies through the white gate...

.... and between the houses to fields beyond

We crossed a stile to enter fields beyond the village and followed the way marked path to eventually cross a tarmac road and re-enter fields taking us towards the ancient and isolated church of St Mary at Over Silton.  The church stands alone in a field with no footpaths or roads for access, and no electricity or mains services.  

Over Silton

St Mary's Church at Over Silton

The church was surrounded by bluebells as we had hoped, but they were duller in colour than last year and obviously need moisture to bring them to their best. 

As usual we set our bags down on the Jubilee Bench and enjoyed coffee and scones before wandering around the church and graveyard.  I was pleased to find a few epitaphs I hadn't noticed previously. 

Inside St Mary's, note the candelabra, the only source of lighting

Looking to the rear of the church

Window in the church narthex

Altar window

Striking stained glass window

It was easy to spend an enjoyable hour at St Mary's before returning to our trail.

Ancient Celtic Cross Base

'When though in lonely grief we sigh, for friends beloved no longer nigh, submissive still we would reply, Thy will be done'

'Afflictions sore long time I bore, Physicians were in vain, 'Till God alone did hear me mourn, And eas'd me of my pain'

'In vain the tears that fall from you, And here supply the place of due, How vain to weep the happy's dead, And now to heavenly realms are fled, Repine no more your 'plaints forbear, And strive at last to meet me there'  I think the spelling of 'due' should have been 'dew'?

We walked across the fields from the isolated church, towards the hamlet of Over Silton. and almost immediately past the old Manor House on our right.  TSB tells us that this house was once owned by the gallant gentleman George Orby Wombwell, Baronet, who served with the 17th Lancers and was present at The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava on 25th October 1854.  His horse was shot from under him and he was taken prisoner but escaped on a Russian horse only to take part in another charge, without sword or pistol!  He died in 1913 aged 81 years.

The Old Manor House, Nether Silton

Wombwell Coat of Arms

The Old School House

Garden in Over Silton

We walked out of the village and turned left at a metal footpath sign, to climb steeply to Crabtree Bank Plantation.  This forestry path is usually very wet and muddy but today was bone dry, and we followed it around the escarpment with fine views to our left.

Turn left uphill at the sign

Climbing into Crabtree Plantation

We follow the forestry track

A Speckled Wood Butterfly

As we walked through the woods we saw numerous Speckled Wood Butterflies.  Apparently this once quite rare butterfly has become very common with an 84% increase in the last 40 years.
See Here!

We followed our path for 2.5 miles through these woods, sometimes on broad and sometimes on narrow paths and with occasional glimpses of Thimbleby below.

Walking through Crabtree Plantation

Thimbleby below

Forestry clearance reveals Osmotherley in the distance

We passed by Hanging Stone so engrossed in conversation that I forgot to photograph it so here is an old photo from a previous walk.

Hanging Stone

Crabtree Plantation became Thimbleby Bank Plantation and then Big Wood, but the differences are in name alone, and we soon reached Oakdale. 

We were forbidden from using this path...

.. and were directed onto this one running parallel...

.... steeply down into Oakdale

A steep descent took us down into Oakdale where we walked through more bluebells before crossing a bridge over Jenny Brewster's Gill and emerging from the wood.

Tom Scott Burns explains that Jenny Brewster's Gill was named after a famous witch and was once the haunt of smugglers who peddled liquor to the surrounding villages.  Several secret stills were dotted around the moors, one being at Solomon's Temple, another Wildgoose Nest, near what is now Cod Beck Reservoir and another at Swainsty Crag on Nether Silton Moor.

Bridge over Jenny Brewster's Gill

Bluebell woods

Leaving the woods

We now walked alongside Oakdale Reservoir which was built in the 19th century to provide water to the local area but which has now been decommissioned. The last couple of times we have passed by workmen have been hard at work with the decommissioning but the work is now finished and the reservoir downgraded to a small lake that it is hoped will attract wildfowl.  

We thought the work had greatly enhanced the area and once grass has grown and nature takes over it will look fine.

Oakdale Run-Off

Looking much better than last year...

Last year

Looking back at Oakdale today, from our climb to the car

This walk ends with a sharp climb back to Square Corner and our car.  We were soon settled in the Queen Catherine at Osmotherley enjoying a pint of Wainwright and discussing today's enjoyable walk.

Weather vane in Osmotherley.  Perhaps of Jenny Brewster?