Walking in North Yorkshire: Boltby to Gormire Lake and Whitestone Cliff

7 miles Fine and dry

We reached Boltby from the A19 Knayton turn off and drove right through the village and up a steep hill to leave our cars at a small designated car park at the side of the road.

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

Boltby

We walked back down the road into Boltby and took the first left into a lane. Tom Scott Burns explains that Boltby is of great antiquity and is mentioned in the Domesday Book as the property of Hugh, son of Baldric.

We passed the last of the houses and soon our lane petered out and we went through a gate to follow a faint track over the shoulder of Little Moor to drop down to Greendale Farm.

Leaving Boltby

Labrador weather vane

Crossing beck at lane end

Walk towards Little Moor

After circumnavigating Cow Pasture Wood we dropped down to Greendale Farm and followed the path around the side of a hill to reach Tang Hall Farm where the way turned left just before the buildings to enter fields.

Cow Pasture Wood

Greendale Farm

Tang Hall Farm

We were now on a stony bridleway, once an old coach road, which crosses Huggon Howl to Southwoods Hall. Here we found we were kept to the bridleway by new fencing that stretched right across Huggon Howl, past the Hall to reach the trees at Midge Hole Gate.

Huggon Howl

Southwoods Hall

We are kept on the straight and narrow by new fencing

Artificial lake in front of Southwoods Hall

We walked past the hall, hidden from view behind its own high hedge and turned into South Woods on a forest path which we followed to reach Southwoods Lodge.

Southwoods Lodge

On reaching the lodge we followed the track straight ahead through Garbutt Wood, eventually reaching Gormire Lake where we sat by the water's edge and had a peaceful break enjoying our coffee and scones.

Entering Garbutt Wood

The lake comes into view

View with coffee

There are two terraces around Gormire and TSB explains that these were once shorelines when the lake was much deeper. Its is often described as bottomless but is actually about 27 feet deep in the centre and covers about twenty six acres. Tradition has it that a town stood here which was destroyed in an earthquake, but the lake is actually the result of a glacial overflow channel being blocked by a landslip, hence its position up a hillside. No streams flow from it and its waters are mainly supplied by rain and diminish with evaporation. A major landslip happened here on the 25th March 1755 which was described by Rev John Wesley as 'like many cannons or rolling thunder'.

Start of the climb

Finally it was time to go and leaving the lake we climbed straight up through Garbutt Wood to reach Sutton Brow. This is a steep half mile diagonally up the side of the bank and we regretted scoffing our scones by the time we reached the top. From here there is a fine view back to Gormire Lake and to the left over towards Roulston Scar. After catching our breath we set off past Whitestone Cliff, still able to look down at the lake from various vantage points.

Fallen rock on the climb

Look through the trees to Sutton Bank in the distance

Hood Hill and Hood Farm below

Nearly there!

We now had a three mile walk along the ridge, passing the remains of several tumuli to our right and with fine views to the left over Thirlby and then Boltby.

Gormire

A nice ridge walk

Whitestone Cliff

A last look back at Gormire

As we walked a flash of yellow passed in front of us and a brightly coloured bird landed on the path ahead. It was a yellow hammer and was happy to pose for a couple of photos.

Thirlby

"What's that?"

Nice plumage

The yellow hammer

Eventually we passed by the remains of an old hill fort and quarry and reached the derelict High Barn where we left the ridge at a sign, turning left to descend towards Boltby.

Ignore the Bolby path and continue along the Cleveland Way

The Boltby path drops away to the left

Boltby below, our white cars parked at 3 o'clock

Old Quarry, Fort remains (on the hillside) and old barn

Tom Scott Burns explains that the fort originally had a D shaped rampart enclosing three acres. Gold earrings from the early Bronze Age have been unearthed, along with pottery from an earlier culture, probably Neolithic.