The Lord Stones to Cringle Moor and Clough

 

6 miles                             Fine and sunny

My second walk in three days and with Clive having just returned from London we decided on this shorter walk from Tom Scott Burns' 'The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills'.

There is ample parking at The Lord Stones Cafe and we would repay the favour with our custom at the end of the walk.

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

The Lord Stones Cafe

In his walker's guide Tom Scott Burns explains that the Lord Stones Cafe takes its name from the Three Lords' Stones tumulus which is situated immediately behind the cafe.  This modern name for the tumulus derives from the three estate boundaries held by the local land owning lords: Helmsley, Busby and Whorlton, which meet here.  The present owners have placed a few 'faux Lord stones' on the green ridge north of the cafe and we walked over to have a look at them, passing a memorial plaque to the founder of the Samaritan Way as we did so.

The Samaritan Way is a tough 40 mile walk around these hills.  See here

Lord Stones

Seat with a view

Zoom view towards Roseberry Topping from the stone seat

We returned to our path and the long climb to the top of Cringle Moor, where we paused at Falconer's Seat, a stone memorial to Alex Falconer who wrote the Rambler column in the Evening Gazette in the 1950s and 60s.

If you hear a bird singing at this time of year you will probably be hearing a robin. We stood for a few minutes listening as this chap serenaded us.

Climbing to Cringle Moor

Arriving at Falconer's Seat

A fine view from Falconer's Seat

There's a great view from this spot and the memorial's plaque points out all the surrounding features.

Leaving the memorial we walked on and after about 100 yards looked down onto a rock face where long ago, in more literate times, someone carved 'Tempus exploro omnis negotium'.  TSB says this roughly translates as "I'll try anything once and everything in time."  but Google translates it as "Time solves all problems", which sounds more likely, though not as much fun.

'Tempus exploro omnis negotium'

We walked east across the ridge and then negotiated the steep descent from Cringle Moor (from Cranimoor - circular moor) and reached the old stone remains of Donna Cross at the side of our path.

Our path lies ahead

Great Broughton in the foreground

A superb ridge walk

Descending from Cringle Moor

The remains of the Donna Cross

The Donna Cross was probably a wayside cross marking the descent down from the moor towards Kirby. The E carved on it stands for the Emmerson Family of Easby Hall and the F on the other side for Feversham of Duncombe Park suggests that it was also a boundary stone.

We followed the wooden Cleveland Way direction post to a ridiculously placed road traffic sign where we passed through the gate and turned to walk towards Beak Hills, leaving the Cleveland Way behind.

Sheep at Beak Hills Farm

Initially there is no path but having crossed a field we passed through a gate and joined a farm track that changes from grass to stone as one progresses and eventually becomes tarmac. 

TSB says this was an ancient pannier-man's trod, along which lime, fish, salt, jet and alum were once transported.  It now joins the farms of Beak Hills, Cold Moor Cote and Stone Intake to the Chop Gate to Carlton road.

Ancient pannierman's trod

Pheasants take to the air. Today is the first day of pheasant shooting season, 1st Oct

A partridge peers round the gatepost - "It's from 1st September for me mate!"

There were several horses grazing here, one of which decided to investigate us but fortunately after a bit of fuss rejoined his pals.

We are met at the gate!

We decide to give way

"Got any apples?"

Passing Cold Moor Cote Farm we paused to admire their hardy Galloway cattle before continuing along the road to turn off at a stile just before Stone Intake Farm.

The valley of Raisdale to our right

Cold Moor Cote Farm

A mix of traditional and White Galloway cattle at Cold Moor Cote Farm

Reaching Stone Intake Farm we turned right into a field at a stile just before the farm buildings, and descended via several fields as we dropped down to Raisdale Beck, soon reaching the Chop Gate to Lords Stone road.  We followed the tarmac lane for a hundred yards or so before turning left into a drive leading to Raisdale Mill.

The stile is almost hidden just before Stone Intake Farm

Steep descent to the Chop Gate to Lord Stones road

Stone Intake Farm

Really?!  A crime scene near Raisdale Beck?

Raisdale Mill ahead

Reaching Raisdale Mill we found an old picnic table and had our coffee and scones in the sun.

Raisdale Mill

Date above Mill door

Even the outbuildings have hanging baskets

An ideal spot for lunch

Refreshed we set off from the mill, across the fields alongside Raisdale Beck until we reached a conifer plantation. 

We then followed the forestry track until it crosses Raisdale Beck and swings sharply left.  At this point we turned right, following a yellow waymark sign into fields and towards the remains of the hamlet of Clough.

Leaving the forestry plantation

The ruined hamlet of Clough

Looking round Clough

Old milk churn

Clough

The word Clough comes from the Anglo-Saxon for a valley with steep sides and this Clough is a rather sad spot with fairly extensive ruins showing that it was once a thriving community.  

Beyond Clough the path crosses several boggy, reedy fields.  There is no path as such but yellow waymarks indicate the way at every field boundary.  We continued straight ahead until we reached Staindale Farm where we were greeted by noisy dogs. 

Cross fields using way marks on field boundaries

Mine workings on Wath Hill opposite Staindale Farm

Staindale Farm

Staindale Farm

Sheep weather-vane at Staindale Farm

We get a noisy reception

We continued following yellow way marks through sheep fields soon reaching Thwaites House, and shortly after, the tarmac road almost adjacent to the Lords Stone Cafe.

Looking over to Low Broomflatt Farm

More sheep fields to cross

Thwaites House comes into view

Thwaites House

Duck pond at Thwaites House

Glamping pod at Lord Stones

After arriving at Lord Stones we changed out of our boots and sat in the sun outside the cafe with welcome pints of beer.  We hadn't walked this enjoyable route since 2018 and we resolved to do it more often!

To Raisdale!