"There must be dales in Paradise
Which you and I will find.."

Friday 21 February 2020




The Hanging Stone and High Cliff from Gribdale Gate


8 miles                          Cold and wet


We've had heavy rain from Storm Dennis this week and field paths are sure to be sodden and boggy so we decided to do this moors walk where the ground should be better underfoot.



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


In The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills, Tom Scott Burns relates a curious belief from a 19th century book called 'Customs of the North Riding' which states, 'Anyone who dares to stand near Gribdale Gate on New Year's Eve at midnight will see an old man pass through and then vanish'.    But it's now late February and there are already other cars parked at Gribdale Gate and we changed into our boots as the rain lashed down.  Leaving the car we followed the footpath steeply uphill onto Great Ayton Moor.


Straight out of the car and straight uphill

A bit of dolomite makes the path easier

After reaching the moor the footpath follows a dry stone wall with views over to Roseberry Topping through the rain.  We came to a gate at Newton Moor but turned right just before it. Tom Scott Burns mentions that this is the site of a chambered cairn, part of a complex Neolithic burial site dating from the Bronze Age, roughly 2300 - 800BC, a time when these moors were covered with mixed forest and woodland clearance was beginning to take place. By the Iron Age the site was treeless and cultivation was in progress.  Following the Iron Age, heather had spread across the moor replacing farmland, so the moors have in fact looked much as they do now since that time. 


Roseberry from Great Ayton Moor

A corridor of trees no more

We followed the distinct path through the remains of a conifer wood which TSB describes as 'a corridor of trees rinsed with the scent of pine.'  No more, I'm afraid those trees have gone.

The path eventually led us to a surprise view of Hanging Stone, which is a massive block of sandstone that TSB believes may have been part of an old quarry.  We needed to pick our steps with care as we descended past the stone as the heavy rain was now starting to make the path slippery.


Walking through some self seeded spruce brings us to...

...Hanging Stone and its view of Guisborough

We climb aboard for a better view

Looking over to High Cliff from Hanging Stone

A slippery descent

The track falls steeply from the Hanging Stone and is treacherously slippery, so we took our time descending through the trees to briefly join a connecting track through Hutton Lowcross Woods, then turning left to again descend to reach Hutton village road.  Turning right along the road we entered Hutton village, which was built as a model village during ironstone mining of the 1850s.  At the end of the village our track climbed towards Bold Venture Gill.


Hutton Lowcross Woods

Slippery when wet!

In 2015 we admire this 1973 Rover V8 in Hutton Village


We are surprised to see the same car today, still obviously in daily use!

Once these were miners' cottages but now smart private homes


Eco Home as we leave Hutton Village

Bold Venture Gill disappears into a culvert

We stayed on this track ignoring all turn-offs and noted recent forestry work.  No longer are there 'endless rows of conifers' as described in 'The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills'.  A convenient bench near to the nab was too exposed to the strong westerly wind for our coffee stop so we continued under the nab on to Guisborough Moor.  We followed our path alongside a dry stone wall and came to a well placed bench, out of the wind if not the rain.  Hot coffee and scones were very welcome.  As we ate the weather brightened and the rain stopped.



A steady climb to High Cliff

High Cliff appears ahead

Following the moor path below High Cliff

A bench!  Time for coffee.

Scones in the rain


Our walk now led us on to the open moor where we looked down to High Cliff Farm.  We then strode across Codhill Heights, 'Cod' being derived from the Viking word 'Keld', which means 'spring'.  As we crossed the moor rain flurries stung our faces as we walked into the strong wind.  On our left we looked down into Sleddale which is apparently derived from the old English 'slaed', a wide flat valley.  Soon isolated Sleddale Farm came into view, looking a bleak place in today's weather.


High Cliff Farm


Clive points out the way ahead

Codhill Heights

Moors resident

Heather has been burnt off alongside our path

Sleddale

Sleddale Farm with new pond under construction
We joined a tarmac road that serves as the access road to Sleddale Farm.  After a while we came to a T junction with Percy Cross Rigg rd and turned right into it, enjoying views in all directions. The rain had stopped and a watery sun was occasionally breaking through the clouds.

We came to a small fenced area which is the site of several Iron Age huts that were excavated in the 1960s.  We were pleased to see that dense heather which had previously covered the huts had been cut back, giving a much better idea of the layout of the huts.


Percy Cross Rigg

'I don't know where to start!'


Hut circle remains

Hut circles


We walked along Percy Cross Rigg, once a prehistoric track connecting settlements at Eston Moor, Great Ayton Moor and the Crown End Settlement in Westerdale, until we reached a gate and information board at Percy Cross Rigg.   Here there is a meeting of paths that is actually the junction of four parishes, Guisborough, Kildale, Great Ayton and Hutton Lowcross, although there is no sign to that effect.  However, we did notice a sign declaring the area a Site of Special Scientific Interest and saw that someone had obscured the word 'Motorcycles' from the prohibitions listed on the sign.  This junction is where we turned left from Percy Cross Rigg to cut across the moor on a green path with Lonsdale Bowl to our left.   Looking at the map of the walk (above), you will see that this took us alongside Lonsdale Plantation.   The trees shown on the map have also been felled, but in this case with the advantage that there is now a fine view to be had into Lonsdale Bowl.  

Looking across at High Cliff from Percy Cross Rigg

The moors are a Site of Special Scientific Interest

Lonsdale Bowl

Captain Cook's Monument in the distance

We followed our path across Great Ayton Moor for the final leg of our walk, dropping down from the moor to retun to the car at Gribdale Gate.  A short drive took us to the Royal Oak at Great Ayton where we discussed today's winter walk over a pint.




Friday 14 February 2020

Coomb Hill and Dale Town from Hawnby





6 miles                         Chilly with wintry showers



We decided on a short walk owing to today's wintry conditions and we haven't done this Tom Scott Burns' walk since autumn 2018.  

TSB suggests parking on the grass verge in front of the church at Hawnby but in bad weather this carries a risk of getting bogged down so we parked at the village hall and walked back to the church, adding a mile to TSB's 5 mile walk description.



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

We walked along the snowdrop lined lane to reach All Saints Church which is practically invisible among trees until you are almost on top of it.  The church graveyard had an even better display of snowdrops which we paused to admire before entering the unlocked church.



Pheasants galore and the shooting season is over



All Saints Church at Hawnby

Cheerful display of snowdrops

TSB explains that the church is basically a Norman structure, rebuilt in the late 14th century and restored in 1876 at a cost of £600, raised by subscription.  The small parish of Hawnby suffered the terrible loss of 45 men in WWI and two windows commemorate that loss.



Tragedy:  This window is dedicated to the three sons of William Hughes, the Rector of Hawnby, who were killed in action in 1917 and 1918

WWI window



The Rev Hughes at the window dedication

We wondered why this plaque to a young'stranger' to the village was installed into the church floor

Affliction sore long time I bore, physicians skill were vain, I dying left my husband dear, for God to be his guide


We left the church and walked down to Church Bridge then immediately after crossing this we turned sharp left, then right at an Inn Way sign and began our climb to Coomb Hill.

The church gate leads us towards the bridge

Heavy overnight rain has left roads and paths waterlogged

The River Rye from Church Bridge

After crossing the bridge turn left onto track

Follow the Inn Way

After crossing a field we started to climb Coomb Hill where we saw a dead deer in the trees to our right.  There was no sign of injury and we presumed it had simply sickened and died.  As we looked at the deer we saw a group of six or more run off about a hundred yards away, the trees making a photograph impossible. 


Starting to climb Coomb Hill

Through the gate and turn right uphill

Looking back towards Church Bridge

What's that?

Dead deer

Having gained height we circumnavigated the hill, passing the ruins of two old buildings and eventually dropping down to rejoin the same tarmac road we had left at Church Bridge.

We walked along the road to reach Arden Hall, passing what TSB describes as 'the small but eerie ravine of Stoney Gill Hole'. 


Stoney Gill Hole

We see Arden Hall rooftops

Not sure what breed of sheep (Leicesters?) these are at Arden Hall

We pass the front of Arden Hall

 After passing the front of Arden Hall the road becomes a rough track and climbs steeply and we soon found we were walking in snow.  As we continued to make height visibility deteriorated and we decided to have a break before reaching the open moor.  We found a fallen tree in a sheltered spot and sat to enjoy our coffee and scones.  

Setting off again we walked past an old quarry and turned left off the track at a way-mark sign to climb to Dale Town Common. Here we should have had a view of Thorodale Lake below but we could see nothing in the mist.



We climb past the snow line

The gamekeeper passes as we enjoy coffee and scones

Turn left off the track at the way- mark post

Poor visibility on Dale Town Common

Crossing the common to pass through a gate we came to a dyke that follows the line of a dry stone wall to the right, and in the poor visibilty we were glad to follow this wall.  Apparently the dyke dates from the late Bronze Age, 900 - 600BC, and it is thought that it and other similar dykes were constructed to define the limits of farming settlements.

Shortly after passing a new plastic water tank we turned through a gate and walked across fields for a mile or so until we reached a barn where cattle were over-wintering. 


Crossing Dale Town Common



The wall and fence to our left make a good landmark

Sheep in the turnip field

New Tank

Old tank in 2018




Turn left through the gate and follow the fence




Follow the old wall.....



... to reach a barn where cattle over-winter

Just past the barn our path went through an area of tumuli and TSB explains that before the moorland was enclosed there was a group of about 20 tumuli here, only about 7 or 8 now remain. During the 1850s some excavation work was carried out and in one large mound, 40 - 50 feet diameter and 4 feet high, the skeleton of an Anglo Saxon lady of rank was found preserved in the limestone.  At her head was a bronze bowl with three handles, round her waist a leather girdle inlaid with garnets and her hair was secured with gold and silver.



Hawnby Hill and Easterside Hill appear in the distance

Ancient earthworks

Our route now headed towards the perimeter of North Bank Wood before turning sharp left downhill at a sign just before Sunnybank Farm.   There was now a steep and occasionally tricky descent back down to the River Rye.


Turn left at Sunnybank Farm...

... to follow the path down to the River Rye

Cross the stile...

... and descend steeply following the yellow way-marks

As we entered a field with Dalicar Bridge over the river ahead of us three wild geese came towards us.  Although wary they gave the impression they expected food and we wondered if they had been hand reared.

In the corner of the field is an old shed which in previous years contained two elderly tractors.  They now appeared to have been joined by another which Clive noticed had new engine parts.  It would appear that a tractor enthusiast is collecting the old machines.    We stopped to admire them before crossing the bridge to reach the tarmac road back to Hawnby.  


Hungry geese

A 'new' addition

Two old tractors in the shed

'Just a bit of bread....?'


New timber on Dalicar Bridge


Hawnby


A short drive took us to the Lords Stone Cafe where we drank a pint of Black Sheep and discussed today's short but enjoyable walk.