Ladhill Gill and Bumper Castle from Fangdale Beck

7.5 miles                           Grey sky, dry and cool

We turned off the B1257 Bilsdale Road and drove past an old green telephone kiosk to the village of Fangdale Beck where we parked at the roadside.  Tom Scott Burns tells us that Fangdale comes from the personal Scandinavian name Fangi or Fangulf, giving 'Fangi's Valley'.   Leaving the car we crossed the beck by the little bridge and walked past the old Wesleyan Chapel, now converted into a private house.

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

Unusual telephone box at Fangdale Beck - see story below

Fangdale Beck

Old Wensleyan Chapel, now a house

The green telephone box at Fangdale Beck was installed in the 1930s and was green at the request of Lord Feversham, who wanted it to blend in with its surroundings. In 1992 a battle was fought over this when British Telecom, without any consultation, removed it and installed one of the new 'shower cubicle' type boxes, without realising they had removed a Grade II listed building.  To the delight of the locals they were fined £3000 and ordered to restore the original.

We crossed the bridge next to the old Chapel and followed the tarmac lane around to a farm with a sign above the door inscribed Malkin Bower. (Matilda's or Maude's dwelling)  We continued straight past the farm with the tarmac changing to a grassy track.

Looking back at Fangdale Beck

Looking across Bilsdale to St John's Church

Malkin Bower

Dog weather vane at Malkin Bower

Passing Malkin Bower

Once past the farm the tarmac vanished and our track became a muddy path which we followed along the valley of Bilsdale, parallel to the road below us.  The path dropped down to the River Seph becoming wetter and muddier before climbing gently up to Helm House.  

Mist in the valley

Helm House

Leaving Helm House we continued on a very muddy path across sheep fields before arriving at Benhill Bank Plantation where the track climbs steadily up to reach the moor gate.

Benhill Bank Plantation in the distance

Benhill Bank Plantation

"You lot have made it a right mess!"

The ground finally became less muddy as we climbed through the conifer plantation.   At the top of the bank we turned right onto a tarmac road to Wethercote Farm, which we left, bearing left, after a couple of hundred yards.  We now walked across fields, our path completely undetectable apart from the occasional yellow waymark. 

Join the road towards Weathercote Farm at Low Ewe Farm...

... and climb uphill

Heading for the moor gate

The last gate took us to the moor edge where the path becomes more distinct, leading from the moor gate.  Looking down to our right we saw the ruins of Bumper Castle behind a grove of trees.  TSB tells us that the castle was once part of the estate of the Duke of Buckingham and also that the monks of Rievaulx once wrought iron on Bumper Moor.

The ruins of Bumper Castle.  For a fuller report on the castle see our last visit in November 2017

We walked parallel to the valley bottom along an old cart track until we reached a line of telegraph poles.  Here we met another track leading straight down to Ladhill Gill.  Reaching the stream we sat on some convenient rocks near the bridge and enjoyed our coffee, sheltered from the breeze.  

Following the cart track parallel to the stream

Easterside Hill comes into view ahead

Walking down to Ladhill Gill, Sportsmans Hall on the hill ahead

Yellow right of way mark on the boulder indicates position of bridge across Ladhill Gill

We sit to enjoy our coffee near the bridge

We crossed the bridge and climbed steeply up the opposite side of the valley, turning left to join a track that led us above Sportsmans Hall.  TSB suggests that this name probably has something to do with Bumper Castle and the Duke's sporting pastimes.

Slippery bridge

Ladhill Gill

Way-mark down!

We climb up from the stream..

.. to pass behind Sportsmans Hall

"Excuse me but we're coming through"

We walked towards the Hawnby road and turned right along a vehicle access track at the moor gate.   The track divides twice and on each occasion we took the right fork, heading towards Bilsdale mast.

Turn right at this sign to follow a shooter's path

We have come across a few of these painted stones recently

Across the moor towards Bilsdale Mast

Eventually our path struck off faintly across the moor.  We lost sight of the track occasionally but it didn't matter, we knew we had to head east to cross the upper reaches of Ladhill Gill, where it joins with Wetherhouse Beck.  Here the route is indicated by a row of wooden stakes showing the location of some shooting butts. 

This part of the walk is a bit hit and miss, the moor track being either non-existent or overgrown and very boggy, but eventually we reached the shooting butts and we turned left to follow their line.

We follow the line of shooting butts 

Turn right before this fence...

... and follow the fence line

At the end of the shooting butts we came to a fence which we followed uphill to reach the top of the moor and a sandy shooter's track.  We then followed the shooters' track along the ridge of the moor until we came to poles, indicating more shooting butts.  The top of these poles have been painted white and we followed their line downhill towards Bilsdale.

Follow the poles!

It was at this point in 2016 I had the good fortune to have my camera out and ready when some grouse took to the air, providing me with one of my favourite photos.

A lucky shot in 2016

We passed a rounded hillock and then bore right between two plantations.   We went through the moor gate and by some old quarries and then descended via the usual hollow way to emerge at Malkin Bower where we turned left to return to Fangdale and our car.

Back into Bilsdale

Following a hollow lane..

.. back to Fangdale

Arriving at Fangdale

Having time to spare we decided to pay a quick call to nearby St John's Church, which is just opposite the Fangdale turn off on the B1257.  The church was built in the 1890s and so has little history, but it was unlocked and we were free to look around.

St John's Church, Bilsdale

Altar window at St John's Church