Arden Great Moor Circular

10.5 miles              Fine and dry

This longer walk is from the Tom Scott Burns book 'A Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills' and is a good 'leg stretcher' for a fine day like today.

TSB suggests starting at Arden Hall but we prefer to park at Square Corner on the Osmotherley to Hawnby road, the top 'P' in the map below.  This makes Arden Hall roughly the half way point of the walk and an ideal place to pause for coffee.

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

We set off and climbed up the west flank of Black Hambleton, all the time facing into a chilly wind.  After a long climb we walked along the drover's road known as Hambleton Street for about 2.5 miles until we reached the ruins of the old drovers' inn that was known as Limekiln House.

Square Corner, where we parked

Looking over at Osmotherley from Square Corner

Black Hambleton looms in the distance

Looking towards Crabtree Bank Plantation from Hambleton Street

Nether Silton below 

Looking across Kepwick Moor to Nab Farm

Who is 'Bert'?

Close to this information stone about Limekiln House Inn is a small memorial to 'Bert'.  Man or dog? I suspect the latter but would like to know more about this memorial. We haven't been able to find anything online.

We turned left off the drovers' road at Limekiln House where there is a sign, and followed a green lane to the lovely hidden valley of Thorodale.

Turn left at Limekiln House

There is a green path to the left both in front and behind the gate.  We want the path behind.

Reaching Thorodale

Beautiful hidden valley

Walking through Thorodale

We followed the track through Thorodale Wood then North Moor Wood with brief glimpses of Thorodale Lake below.  As the track approaches Arden Hall we found ourselves walking through masses of snowdrops which TSB suggests were probably planted by the nuns that occupied this site in the Benedictine nunnery of St Andrew, founded in 1148.  All that's left of the nunnery today is an old chimney, now embodied into Arden Hall.

TSB says that the name Arden was probably derived from arn, an eagle, and doen, a deep valley - the valley of the eagle.

Entering North Moor Wood...

... which is clarty in places 

The trailer was full of dead pheasants although we had heard no shooting

Masses of snowdrops in North Moor Wood

'Wolfsbane'

As we neared the hall we saw more and more little yellow flowers among the snowdrops.  These are winter aconites which are somewhat poisonous and also known as wolfsbane.  TSB says these were also planted by the nuns to use in preparations of medicine.


In a secluded place, just before Arden Hall and overlooking a stream, is a memorial bench that is dedicated to three hikers who were killed in a crash driving home from a hike.  It is situated in a lovely sheltered spot and was ideal for our coffee stop.  The sun came out and we enjoyed our scones with a fine view.

"You're never alone with a scone.."

Hiking tragedy

Arden Hall

Side View

Front of Arden Hall

We retraced our steps uphill to rejoin our earlier path, this time turning right at a gate to walk across fields towards Mount Pleasant Farm.  As we climbed we looked across the rooftops of Arden Hall to Coomb Hill opposite.  Hawnby Hill also came into view.

Arden Hall below

Coomb Hill

Hawnby Hill

Approaching Mount Pleasant Farm

Walking up from the farm we passed the pretty cottage known as Harker Gates then entered the woods of North Moor. 

After crossing Eskerdale Beck by a small bridge our path took us past two ruined farms, Brewster Hill and Cow Wath.  Although no longer occupied, the outbuildings of Brewster Hill are still in use with both cattle and sheep being penned over winter.

Harker Gates cottage

Looking over Eskerdale Beck to Brewster Hill ruin

Brewster Hill Farm

Cow Wath ruin

We continued following the faint path, now with the River Rye running parallel below, until after a couple of miles we passed the ruins of Far House.

Field paths

Metal fox target has been hit several times!

Clive looks at the River Rye below

River Rye

Our passing is observed

Far House ruin

We passed by Low Locker Farm and over a large bridge at Dale Head.  Just upstream from this bridge is the source of the River Rye.

We thought this might be a late lamb from last summer?

No, not sunbathing. Dead rabbit in tree at Lower Locker Farm

Still parallel to the River Rye below us

Moor tracks are quite dry for once

Wide bridge at Dale Head

Ruin at Dale Head

Disused lime kiln at Dale Head

Walking away from the bridge we passed by our last ruined farm of the day before walking across the heather of Locker Low Moor to join the Osmotherley to Hawnby road where we turned left to walk back down to the car.

A short drive took us to the Queen Catherine at Osmotherley where we enjoyed a pint and reflected on a good walk.

Back-lit sheep

"What are they eating?"

Mmm, salt-lick!

Grow what?  The Ministry of Pointless Signs strikes again near Square Corner