Walking in North Yorkshire

Eskdale, Danby Dale and Westerdale

8.5 miles Fine and warm

This moorland walk that visits the secluded village of Westerdale is not a Tom Scott Burns walk but is across an area he will have known well. The walk starts at Castleton then progresses through Eskdale and Danby Dale before branching off to Westerdale.

We approached Castleton from the Whitby Moors road and parked at a designated parking spot just outside the village, as shown on the map below.

Today's walk- clockwise from top

Looking down to the lower village from the car park

Castleton takes its name from the castle which stood on Castle Hill from 1089 to the 15th century, and is situated along the end of Castleton Rigg, an outcrop of Danby Moor.

Leaving the car we walked straight downhill towards the village and after a couple of hundred yards we turned right just past an old Quaker graveyard then walked down the farm track for Didderhowe Farm.

Quaker graveyard

Turn alongside the Quaker graveyard into the farm track..

.. to Didderhowe Farm

Stone waller's transport

Walk through the farm to the fields

Leaving Didderhowe Farm we followed the path towards the valley bottom where we saw the tower of a secluded church to our left. This is St Hilda's, the parish church of Danby. We reached a tarmac lane that leads uphill to the church.

We are now on the Esk Valley Walk

Esk Valley

A slight impediment to progression

Looking back to Didderhowe Farm

We spot Danby Church

Unusual outdoor staircase to the balcony

We have only once found St Hilda's open. During the pandemic churches locked their doors to the public and many continued the practice after its conclusion.

Inside the church showing the balcony

When we were able to enter several years ago literature at the church informed us that the tower was built in the 14th century and a balcony which houses the organ was added in 1808. In the 1800s the vicar of Danby was a Daniel Duck (1743-1825) and on his death someone scratched on the back of a pew , "Yes Daniel, faithful Daniel - gone / We faithful few lament their loss / No more we fix our eyes upon / That zealous preacher of the cross".

Back on the Esk Valley Way we soon reached West Green Farm and then Plum Tree Farm, whose name is prettier than the building.

Dog weather vane at West Green Farm

West Green Farm

Plum Tree Farm

Outhouse at Plum Tree Farm

Dovecote dated 1810

We continued following the Esk Valley Way along Danby Dale to pass West Cliff Farm, then Blackmires Farm and its peacocks before reaching Stormy Hall Farm. Here we turned right onto tarmac, to climb steeply out of the dale.

West Cliff Farm

A peaceful spot at West Cliff Farm

We see the first of many peacocks as we approach Blackmires Farm

Peacock weather vane

Geese at Blackmires Farm

Blackmires Farm

There are many peacocks in this field

Stormy Hall

Superb views of Danby Dale opened up as we climbed and we paused several times to admire the view before reaching an old quarry where we stopped for coffee and scones with a fine view over towards Botton village and Danby Head.

Looking back as we climb out of Danby Dale

A good coffee stop

Looking to Danby Head

Looking back along Danby Dale

Coffee with a view

Coffee finished we crossed the main road to follow a footpath across Castleton Rigg. Here we paused again to take in the fine view and pick out our two immediate objectives below, Dale Head and Broad Gate Farms.

Cross the road and follow the sign

On Castleton Rigg

Descending towards Dale Head Farm

Dale Head Farm is home to an unusual feature built in 1832, a stone shelter for bee skeps. In the old days bees were kept in a straw skep and by placing them in the stone shelter they would remain dry in bad weather.

Entering Dale Head Farm

Bee Skeps

Looking back at Dale Head Farm

We turned right just beyond the Bee House and walked across several more fields to Broad Gate Farm. We followed the farm track and passed through a step stile set in the wall, crossing a field to negotiate a seven step stone stile.

Crossing Tower Beck

Broad Gate Farm

Step stiles

Step stiles are no use in sheep fields!

After crossing another field we entered the small village of Westerdale. We were disappointed to find its church, Christ Church, was also locked.

The house is called Pinfold and its position and small compound would suggest that it was one.

Houses in Westerdale

Christ Church, Westerdale

We left the church to follow the road through the village and were impressed by the unusual design of Westerdale Hall, originally a hunting lodge. The hall is built on the site of fortifications used by the Knight Templars and after WWII it became a youth hostel but is now in private hands again.

Westerdale Hall

We walked back through the village and down to the River Esk and its ancient bridge, restored in the 1800s. This is the Hunter's Sty Bridge, a medieval bridge dating from the 13th century. Hunter's Sty means Hunter's Steep Path, and it was built to provide access to the Forest of Pickering. As we approached the bridge we heard the sound of leather on willow and were surprised to see a cricket match taking place in the field opposite. There were lots of spectators and the pavilion was busy serving tea.

Hunter's Sty Bridge

Cricket at Westerdale

Continuing along the road we climbed steeply out of the village to reach Little Hograh Moor where we turned right to cross Westerdale Moor.

Looking back as we climb, cricket bottom right

Nearly at the top

Turning off the road to cross the moor

Westerdale Village

Crossing the moor we reached Crown End where there is a 'Stone Row', a Megalithic arrangement of standing stones, most now buried or lost in the heather. See here for more details.

Crown End, the sign has fallen down

Part of Stone Row

We walked for a mile or so across Westerdale Moor to reach Carr House. Here we crossed New Road and climbed steadily back up to the car park on the Westerdale road.