Walking in North Yorkshire

Coomb Hill and Dale Town from Hawnby

6 miles Cold and dreary weather

It's more than three years since we walked this Tom Scott Burns route which is short enough to be ideal for a winter's day. TSB suggests parking on the grass verge in front of the church at Hawnby but this is a wet grassy spot with a risk of getting bogged down at this time of year so we parked at the village hall in the lower village and walked back to the church. This makes the walk a mile longer.

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

The River Rye runs behind the car park

Free parking... BUT

House opposite the village hall

Lower Hawnby

We walked along the lane to reach All Saints Church which is practically invisible among trees until you are almost on top of it. TSB explains that the church is basically a Norman structure, rebuilt in the late 14th century and restored in 1876 at a cost of £600, raised by subscription.

The church was unlocked and we popped in for a look around, I was surprised that it is in such good fettle considering its damp and sunless location.

Leaving Hawnby

Snowdrops at All Saints Church

"All you who look upon this stone reflect how suddenly we were gone. Death does not always warning give therefore be careful how you live"

There is a small brass plaque set into the floor near the back of the church in memory of William Mansell 38 years, a gamekeeper who died in 1811 while staying at Bumper Castle. It would be interesting to know the circumstances of his death and why the Duke of Rutland would have this plaque made for a lowly servant.

One of the most notable features of the church is a modern window commemorating the dead of WWI. The Revd. William Hughes was the parson of Hawnby during the First World War and was known as 'The Fighting Parson' because of his encouragement of the young men of the area to join up. Perhaps because of this Hawnby has a larger than usual 'roll of honour' and deaths, including the parson's own three sons. The window commemorates these men.

Interesting plaque set in floor

WWI memorial window

So many fallen for a small community

The 'Fighting Parson' at the window's dedication

We left the church and walked down to Church Bridge then immediately after crossing this we turned sharp left, then right at an Inn Way sign and began the climb to Coomb Hill.

The River Rye from Church Bridge

Church Bridge

Leave the bridge near this Inn Way sign

Wet underfoot today

Having gained height we circumnavigated the hill, passing the ruins of two old buildings and eventually dropping down to rejoin the same tarmac road that we had left at Church Bridge.

Climbing Coomb Hill

Looking back towards Hawnby as we climb

Bird Flu precautions?

Descending from Coomb Hill

This trap was 2'6" from the ground. After squirrels?

It looks like a bird has fallen foul of it

Dropping down to the road

Walking towards Arden Hall

We walked along the road to reach the gates of Arden Hall where an old North Riding road sign indicates that a right of way runs towards the hall. We left the road to get a closer look at the hall.

The bridleway directs the walker to the entrance of Arden Hall

We wander down for a look

Arden Hall front

Side view

Estate cottages

Snowdrops at Arden Hall

From Arden Hall the road climbs steeply passing a small quarry and eventually reaching Daletown Common. We decided to stop for coffee at this point as it was sheltered from the brisk breeze.

A steep climb

... before coffee

Climbing onto Daletown Common

After enjoying our coffee we walked a little further uphill to see a track heading left onto Daletown Common. Having gained height we could look down to our right into Thorodale, catching a glimpse of Thorodale Lake through the saplings. The lake was much reduced even though we have had so much rain, could it have been drained we wondered.

Hawnby Hill in the distance

Thorodale Lake below

Crossing the common to pass through a gate we came to a dyke that follows the line of a dry stone wall to the right. Apparently the dyke dates from the late Bronze Age, 900 - 600BC, and it is thought that this and other similar dykes were constructed to define the limits of farming settlements.

Shortly after passing a new plastic water tank we turned through a gate and walked across fields for a mile or so to reach a barn.

Pass this water tank and look for a gate in the fence

Through the gate and follow the track for a mile

... to reach an old barn

Cattle were over-wintering in the barn and passing it by we came to an area of tumuli, shown on the map above. TSB explains that before the moorland was enclosed there was a group of about 20 tumuli here but only 7 or 8 remain. During the 1850s some excavation work was carried out and in one large mound, 40 - 50 feet diameter and 4 feet high, the skeleton of an Anglo Saxon lady of rank was found preserved in the limestone. At her head was a bronze bowl with three handles, round her waist a leather girdle inlaid with garnets and her hair was secured with gold and silver. This would be a good site for detectorists!

Tumuli

We're not sure whether this relates to the tumuli or is a more modern lime kiln

Heather burning over towards Sportsmans Lodge

The route now headed towards the perimeter of North Bank Wood before turning sharply left downhill at a sign just before Sunnybank Farm. A steep and occasionally tricky descent back down to the River Rye followed, this area shown as Toad Hole on the OS map.