Caydale and Noddle End from Murton

 

7.5 miles                           Wet

We took the Hawnby turn-off from the B1257 Stokesley to Helmsley road and parked on the verge near to the white buildings of the Grange.  The forecast was for heavy rain but it was dry as we set off and walked away from the car along the tarmac road next to Murton Grange.

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

Alongside Murton Grange

Murton Grange

We followed the tarmac until we took a rough track branching right through an open gate. Pheasants ran ahead of us keeping to the hedgerows and eventually our track dropped down into the pretty valley of Caydale. Looking across the valley we noticed a JCB among the bushes and saw that much of the ground had been cleared and fires were still smouldering.

Tarmac Lane to Caydale Mill

We branch off onto a rough track

Little walked path through Caydale

Young pheasants lead us

Tom Scott Burns tells us that the last wild cat in England was shot at this spot in 1840, by a Charles Harrison.  Indeed, on past visits we found this to be a very wild place and have usually seen deer among the trees but today we saw nothing, possibly because of the  work going on above us.

Our faint track took us down to the bottom of the valley where we crossed bridges over clear man made becks or 'rills' and started the long climb up the other side.  We were soon standing among the debris of the cleared hillside.  We were sorry that a casualty of the clearing was the wooden ruin of the Captain's Seat, see TSB's map above.  We have previously commented on its dilapidated state but now it has gone, presumably into the flames.  We wondered what is being planned for this pretty valley?

Who the Captain actually was and why he sat at this remote spot we have never been able to discover but a Google search on Caydale reveals that in the 1740s a Joseph Ford of Kirbymoorside perfected a system of tapping into springs and channeling water in open 'rills' some 12 inches wide.  Water was diverted by this method through Caydale from King Spring to the village of Old Byland. The rills are still to be seen and their water looks clean and pure.

 

One of the clear rills of Caydale

The Captain's Seat was just about here!

Fires still smouldering

Looking back down into Caydale

Leaving the climb and Caydale we crossed several fields to reach the tarmac of High Leir Lane where we turned right and walked by neat and tidy Weathercote Farm with its novel 'cat and rat' weather vane.  The rain had become heavy and for a while I put my camera in my rucksack, missing the farm, so here is an old photo of the weather vane, one of my favourites.

Weather-vane at Weathercote Farm

After a mile on the road we reached the junction with Cleveland Road which we crossed to follow field paths for another half mile until we reached the high ridge of Boltby Scar.  

Across fields to High Leir Lane

We saw several Yellowhammers in High Leir Lane

We now followed the Cleveland Way along Boltby Scar, past the old quarry workings and the ruins of High Barn, briefly crossing the tarmac of Sneck Yate Bank and on through the trees of Boltby plantation to reach High Paradise Farm and its tea room.  Here we stopped for a leisurely coffee and cake.

We join the Cleveland Way

Clive looks down at Boltby

Boltby

We walk towards High Barn

The ruins of High Barn

Continuing along the Cleveland Way

Approaching Boltby Plantation

Freshly sheared sheep

Rejoining tarmac to walk to High Paradise and its tea room

Looking over Low Paradise

Although a bit awkward to reach for motor traffic, High Paradise is a little oasis for cyclists and walkers and we found the coffee and cakes to be superb.

A cockerel leads us to the door

Much refreshed, we continued past the farm to reach Sneck Gate and the old Drovers' Road, which we crossed into Daletown Common eventually reaching the barn at Noddle End.

Approaching the barn at Noddle End

Clive at Noddle End, looking down at Gowerdale House

When we reached the barn we paused to enjoy a nice view into Gowerdale, before following the path down to reach the ruined farm of Gowerdale House.

Gowerdale House

This area was the site of what was once a medieval village, long abandoned.  TSB speculates whether the Black Death visited this secluded valley.  Gowerdale House has no road or track leading to it and we walked in front of the house, which has the bleak message "Look around and get out!" painted on the front door, and then followed a rising path through the yard of Dale Town Farm.

We walked straight uphill from the farm, turning left along Peak Scar Top and soon reaching Murton Bank Road and our car. 

Daletown Farm

Looking back at Daletown Farm from Peak Scar Top