Limekiln House and the Drove Road from Kepwick

5.5 miles                          Mostly sunny

We rarely choose this Tom Scott Burns walk as it is so short but this week I am recovering from a calf injury and needs must, so we drove to Kepwick via the A19 and parked in the purpose built car park next to the old school.

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

The Old Chapel, Kepwick

Tom Scott Burns suggests that Kepwick is derived from the Scandinavian Kaeppi and Vik, producing Kaeppivik which means 'a nook in the hills'.  It's mentioned in the Domesday Book as Capuic.  

In Victorian times it was noted for its lime and sandstone quarries and a railway ran from Kepwick to kilns on the Yarm to Thirsk turnpike road until 1893.  

We walked east through the village and admired some of the pretty cottages scattered along the main street, before coming to the main gates of Kepwick Hall.

Houses in Kepwick

Miners' cottages

This is the only view we get of Kepwick Hall

Approaching the gates of Kepwick Hall

Gatehouse

We walked up to the gatehouse of Kepwick Hall in the hope we would get a view of the hall but it remained stubbornly hidden from us, so we returned to the Kepwick to Silton road and followed it to its junction with Bridge Beck Lane.

Here we turned right into a footpath and farm track to Nab Farm, walking past a little hill called The Nab, with French Hill wood on our left.

We pass the bed of the old mineral railway

Looking across at French Hill Wood from the road

We leave the road at the entrance to Nab Farm

Approaching The Nab, French Hill Wood to our right

Passing The Nab we walked through Nab Farm outbuildings to see our path stretching into the hills ahead.

To our right are the old mine workings and access path

Approaching Nab Farm

Whitestone Scar on the left and Kepwick Moor to the right

Leaving Nab Farm behind, we paused to look across the valley, over Bridge Beck towards Whitestone Scar and Kepwick Moor on the horizon.  We could see our path all the way to the high moor.

Bridge Beck

Bear left after the beck

After the beck we came to the ruins of an old lime kiln and our path climbed quickly away from it, following a nice green path alongside a dry stone wall.  We followed this green path all the way up to Kepwick Moor where it joins the old drovers' road.

A spring had made this bit very muddy

Looking back to Nab Farm

Too cold for adders today

Ruined Lime Kiln

We followed this green track steadily uphill

Kepwick below to our right

The green path climbs for a mile to reach the Hambleton Drove Road

Reaching the top we joined the old drovers' road via a gate and found a sheltered spot behind the wall to sit and enjoy our coffee and scones opposite the ruined site of Limekiln House.

Joining the Drove Road at the gate

Another old gate makes a seat for our break

We look across at the memorial to Limekiln House

... and another to Bert, man or beast, we'll never know

Refreshed we set off along the Drovers Road, following it for nearly two miles to reach the remains of Steeple Cross.  TSB tells us that Steeple Cross was referred to as Stepingecross in documents dated 1290 and was probably derived from the old English 'steapinga' - 'dweller on the slope', hence 'crossroads of the hill-dwellers'.  All round this area are Bronze Age earthworks. 

The Cleveland Way follows the drovers' road

Steeple Cross is by those trees

Not much left of Steeple Cross

We turned right through a forestry gate at Steeple Cross and followed the track left where it splits in two, towards Gallow Hill.  This is an ancient track  and we passed by the remains of Friars Cross, which is believed to mark an old road leading from the escarpment towards Rievaulx and Helsmley.

Turn right through this gate

.. and follow this ancient track

We saw a lot of wind damaged trees

Wind damaged trees near to..

Friars Cross

The remains of Friars Cross

The path skirts the edge of the forestry and we saw that the trees had taken a lot of damage in the recent storms.  Trees had fallen across the path and we had some difficulty getting past.

Eventually we climb over the wall to pass the fallen trees

But that still proves difficult!

We reached and descended Atlay Bank.  This was once thick with rhododendrons but a couple of years ago they were cut back very hard and are just staring to recover.  Bikes use the track and had made it difficult in places.

Bear right before Gallow Hill

Straight ahead through the gate

Enter hollow lanes on Pen Hill

Into the rhododendrons on Atlay Bank

.. which were cut back hard in 2020

Same spot in 2015

After Atlay Bank we entered fields to descend to the road at Kepwick.  In one of the fields we saw an old stone shed  with water pipes inside it.  TSB explains that in 1873 the Warner family erected Kepwick Hall and made extensive improvements to the estate including the construction of two reservoirs on the moors above, one to supply the house with water and the other for the gardens and terraces.  This building is obviously from that period. 

Crossing fields to Kepwick

We believe the shed dates back to the old reservoir

We joined the road at a gate and walked back to the car park, past the small privately owned chapel which unfortunately is locked to the public but has an interesting history.

Originally it was a mission room but was rebuilt as a chapel by the Warner family whose only son was shot down during WWI, whilst serving with the RFC against Baron Richthofen's flying circus.  Interestingly, his late sister was the model for one of James Herriot's characters, Mrs Pumphrey, who owned a spoilt pekingese dog.  

Private chapel

Looking back to the rhododendrons of Atlay Bank

Although quite short there is plenty to see on this walk and we were soon discussing its merits over a pint, although the lack of a pub in Kepwick means a short drive to accomplish this.

Clive listens with unconcealed enthusiasm as I recount once again how I pulled my calf muscle....