The Drove Road and Windygill Ridge from Boltby

7 miles                                Wet!

We drove through Boltby and parked at a hard shoulder on the right hand side of the road. As we got out of our cars it started to rain heavily so we got straight into wet weather gear.  After booting up we continued walking uphill along the same road, away from the village, until turning left at a footpath sign into a farm track to Lunshaw House Farm.

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

View over to High Barn from the car park

Turn left towards Lunshaw Farm

Before reaching the farm we crossed a stile on the right to follow a field path signposted Low Paradise.  Our path followed the camber of the hill for some time, which meant walking at an awkward 45 degree angle, until it dropped down into woods before Lunshaw Beck.  

Leave the road here

Follow the sign to paradise..

... which is wet today

Aim for the woods

Fight through the bracken

Drop down to Lunshaw Beck

Low Paradise Farm appears in the distance

Crossing the beck we started a mile long ascent which TSB accurately describes as a 'muscular climb'.  We passed by the always well ordered Low Paradise Farm and continued to climb to reach Oak Cottage.

On the 'muscular' climb to Low Paradise

Low Paradise Farm

New to us, weather vane at Low Paradise

Oak Beck Cottage

The track continues past Oak Beck cottage to climb relentlessly upwards until reaching High Paradise Farm, but would their tea room be open in these troubled times?  The answer was... sort of. 

A chuck wagon was standing at the rear of the farm buildings and here you could buy coffee and food.  Nearby were picnic tables and chairs but in today's torrential rain the masked assistant took pity on us and told us to return to the old cafe where we would find tables under cover, and this we did.  

The scones and coffee were as good as ever and as we ate we watched birds, who had obviously made the most of the cafe being closed,  attending their chicks in nooks and crannies around the cafe.

After Oak Beck cottage we are on the Cleveland Way

Looking down towards Boltby

Looks promising!

High Paradise Farm

Hens making the most of the bird feeders

"...then I just add a smidgen of butter and jam and then ... am I boring you?"

Pied wagtail babies getting too big for their nest

A crush at High Paradise

We enjoyed a leisurely stop sheltering from the rain at High Paradise but eventually it was time to move on.

Leaving the farm we walked towards Sneck Gate and the moor.  Passing through the gate we were now on the Hambleton Drove Road, which we followed left, soon reaching forest.

Young tup at High Paradise

On the Hambleton Drove Road

Entering Boltby Forest

We walked on through the trees for some time and then, just before reaching the ruins of Steeple Cross (first mentioned in 1246 but no longer a cross, now just a 2 feet high piece of stone) we turned left to enter the plantation's trees.

Turn left here, just before Steeple Cross

We walked through the forestry plantation and emerged at Gallow Hill where there was a view through misty rain towards Cowesby village far below.

View from Gallow Hill

We turned left at Gallow Hill and followed the broad path to Windygill Ridge. To the left of the path is a forestry plantation and ahead a view across the Vale of Mowbray, while to the right Black Hambleton and the hummock of Seta Pike are visible.

Just after passing Seta Pike the path turns left into a steep forestry path.  

Red horns!

It gets heavier

But conifers are showing drought dieback

A strange find near Seta Pike

Just after sneering at this unnecessary sign...

... turn left into Gurtof Wood

Our track was rather faint and also very boggy; the steep descents proved very slippery and progress was slow.   The path levelled out and we picked our way through Gurtof Wood, looking down on Gurtof Beck which ran below us. 

Entering Gurtof Wood

New steps down a tricky bit

Remains of fire

Looking down at Gurtof Beck

Descending through conifers at the end of Gurtof Wood

We followed the indistinct path through the woods until we reached a gate leading into fields.  

Out of the woods at last 

... and into the bracken

We then walked through fields using way-marks on the field boundaries as guides until we joined a wide track.  We followed this to a green lane, which, after passing by a smallholding with sheep and a horse, led us into Boltby.

Cross the fields

.. to reach this grassy path to Boltby

Boltby High Street

Picture perfect cottages in the High Street

Holy Trinity Church, not yet open for general visiting

Tiny Jasmine Cottage

Pack Horse bridge

Merry Hall, Boltby

1678 - Merry Hall date

We continued through the village and then up the steep hill back to our cars.  After getting out of our sodden waterproofs we made the short drive to Osmotherley where we discussed today's walk over a pint in the Golden Lion Hotel.