Exploring Scugdale from Carlton Bank

7 miles           Drizzle, fine later

We drove up the steep hill on Alum House Lane, the Carlton to Chop Gate road, and parked at Lord Stones Cafe where parking is permitted during cafe hours.

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

Leaving the car park we walked back along the Carlton road for a few yards until we reached a Cleveland Way sign. Here we turned left off the road and almost immediately turned right again off the Cleveland Way to follow the wide access road for the old Gliding Club (now demolished) steadily uphill.

Turn on to the Cleveland Way path

Follow the old Gliding Club access road

... steadily uphill

Reaching the top of the access road we left it by turning left into a narrow track across the heather.  There was a wooden footpath sign here last time we walked but no longer. The first feature one comes to on this path is the rocky outcrop of Stone Ruck.

Bear left here, Clive remarks that the sign is missing

Follow the path through bracken..

.. and then heather

.. to pass Stone Ruck

Tom Scott Burns explains that Ruck is derived from the Old Norse bruga meaning to pile or heap up, as in a cairn.  

We followed the path for a mile or so across the moor into drizzle and a headwind until we came to Brian's Pond and once again pondered on its unusual name. Did Brian drown there or did he once own it?  The name's origin seems to be lost in time and my previous efforts with books and Google have come to nought.

Brian's Pond

Now apparently popular with wild swimmers, not today though

Leaving Brian's Pond we climbed steadily over Clough Gill Top, where a signpost indicates a choice of routes. We took the right fork that ascends steadily to the moor rim where we suddenly came upon the valley of Scugdale.   To one's right are the rocks of Barker's Crags and below are the buildings of Scugdale Hall.  

Bear right at Clough Gill Top

Scugdale Head comes into view

We saw no grouse today and remarked how few we've seen this year

The top of Barker's Crags 

A lovely view into Scugdale

TSB refers to Scugdale as 'the sheltered dale' from the Danish skygger - to overshadow.  

We went through a new metal gate and descended across a couple of fields to reach the dale road where we turned left to walk towards the top of the valley and High House.  

Descending into Scugdale

Jet mine workings opposite almost hidden by bracken

As we walked towards High House we looked across the dale at the remains of jet mine workings. After jet jewellery became fashionable in Victorian times Bilsdale, Raisdale and Scugdale were heavily mined.  Mining was a simple affair, the miners tunnelled into the hillside and the shale was brought out and examined for jet.  The spoil was then tipped down the hillside leaving the long piles of rubble seen above.  An interesting article here provides more information about mining in the area.

We reached High House which has a very neglected air about it. We noticed that the out buildings have deteriorated rapidly since our last visit.

High House

Big deterioration since our last visit

The old bridge, no longer over troubled waters

TSB records that in this old farmhouse lived Harry Cooper who was reputed to be the tallest man in the world, standing at 8'6".  He left Scugdale to join Barnum's Circus in America and died in 1898 at the age of 41.

Just beyond the house we turned right off the lane into fields at a dilapidated stile.  This part of the walk appears untrodden but there are guiding way-marks at field boundaries and we descended to reach then cross Scugdale Beck 

After crossing the beck we climbed up to join a faint path that took us down the valley, walking under the old jet and alum workings. When we reached some grassy banks just before Holiday House we stopped for coffee and scones out of the wind.  The drizzle stopped at this point, and we enjoyed our break looking across at Scugdale Hall.

Approaching Holiday House

Scugdale Hall

After our break we walked past the strangely named Holiday House which was shown on 1940's maps as such. It seems an unusual name for the region and we would like to know why it is so called.

The footpath alongside Holiday House appears unwalked

Holiday House

Leaving Holiday House we followed its long access track to the dale road, where we turned left and continued to reach the farm buildings of Fog Close. There is a shortage of way-marks here so one must follow the map. We turned right into the farm's track and then turned right again before reaching the farm buildings, before turning left and walking up the side of the farm towards Live Moor.  Here there is a waymark on the gate.

Pheasants are being reared here and have recently been released into the wild

No footpath signs

The main gate is chained and locked and Clive forces his way through the briars

Still no waymarks but the footpath is through the gate

The buildings of Fog Close Farm

As we leave the farm buildings we finally spot a waymark

The next half mile turned out to be difficult to walk at this time of year because of high bracken covering the narrow paths. No-one appears to have been along this way before us and we had to fight our way through, gradually climbing back out of Scugdale alongside the charmingly named Snotterdale and eventually back onto Live Moor.

Follow the tree line as we climb out of Fog Close Farm

Oh 'Eck! Our track disappears into bracken on the other side of the gate

Half a mile of this before we emerge onto Live Moor

 

How the path normally looks at the same spot

Reaching Live Moor we continued to follow the path through bracken along the ridge while looking down into the charmingly named and little known valley of Snotterdale, to which there is no road or path access. 

Snotterdale

Opposite a conifer plantation our path finally left the bracken,  turning left across Carlton Moor where we were soon walking on the old gliding station runway before crossing to join the Coast to Coast and Cleveland Way walks, which follow the ridge with spectacular views all the way to a trig point at 1338 feet.

Turn left at the gate into the forestry plantation

... and leave the bracken to climb on to Live Moor

Looking back to Scugdale

A stiff breeze filled the air with heather pollen 

This was once the glider runway

Whorl Hill and Potto from Carlton Moor

We follow the Cleveland Way along the ridge

Carlton below

Trig Point at 1338', Roseberry Topping in the distance

From the trig point we descended steeply to return to Lords Stone car park and the end of our walk.  A short drive back down Alum House Lane took us to Carlton Village and the Blackwell Ox.  This is a good walk and much recommended, especially outside of bracken season.

'To Brian - and his Pond!'

 

Exploring Scugdale from Carlton Bank

7 miles           Cold and fine

We drove up the steep hill on Alum House Lane, the Carlton to Chop Gate road, and parked at Lords Stone Cafe where parking is permitted during cafe hours.

Leaving the car park we walked back along the Carlton road for a few yards until we reached a Cleveland Way sign. Here we turned left off the road and almost immediately turned right off the Cleveland Way to follow the wide access road for the old Gliding Club (now demolished) steadily uphill.

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

Leave the road at the Cleveland Way signpost

... and follow the path uphill to Bilsdale West Moor

Pop-up shrines seem to be on the increase nowadays

Looking back towards Lord Stones, Roseberry in the distance

Raisdale to the left as we climb

Reaching the moor top we turned left off the access road where a footpath sign indicated our track across the heather.  The first feature one comes to on this path is the rocky outcrop of Stone Ruck.  Tom Scott Burns explains that Ruck is derived from the Old Norse bruga meaning 'to pile or heap up', as in a cairn.  

Bear left at the sign

On Bilsdale West Moor

Stone Ruck

We followed the path for a mile or so across the moor until we came to Brian's Pond and pondered on its unusual name. Did Brian drown there or did he once own it?  The name's origin seems lost in time and my previous efforts with books and Google have come to nought.

Reaching Brian's Pond

This has apparently become a popular spot for wild swimming

No one in the water today

Leaving Brian's Pond we climbed steadily over Clough Gill Top, where a signpost indicates a choice of routes. We took the right fork that ascends steadily to the moor rim where we suddenly came upon the valley of Scugdale.   To one's right are the rocks of Barker's Crags and below are the buildings of Scugdale Hall.  This spot gives one of my favourite views in North Yorkshire.

Bear right at the sign

... and reach the lovely valley of Scugdale

We see High House in the distance

TSB refers to Scugdale as 'the sheltered dale' from the Danish skygger - to overshadow.  

We descended across a couple of fields to reach the dale road where we turned left to walk towards the top of the valley and High House.  Cattle have been turned out to graze freely in the north of the dale and the dales road has suffered consequently, as have all parts of the valley down to Scugdale Beck which has formed a barrier to them.

Scugdale Hall

Barker's Crags

Looking across Scugdale

Go right through the new gate..

... and follow the track to reach..

.. the dale road

Hardy cattle have free rein in Scugdale

The remains of jet mining

As we walked towards High House we looked at the hillside to our right and saw the light snow had emphasised the spoil remains of jet mining.  After jet jewellery became fashionable in Victorian times Bilsdale, Raisdale and Scugdale were mined heavily.  Mining was a simple affair, the miners tunnelled into the hillside and the shale was brought out and examined for jet.  The spoil was then tipped down the hillside leaving the long piles of rubble seen above.  An interesting article here provides more information about mining in the area.

We followed the dales road south to reach High House.  TSB records that in this old farmhouse lived Harry Cooper who was reputed to be the tallest man in the world, standing at 8'6".  He left Scugdale to join Barnum's Circus in America and died in 1898 at the age of 41.

The house is currently unoccupied and its outbuildings are falling into ruin.

Approaching High House

A sad sight

High House

The outbuildings are in a perilous state

Just beyond the house we turned right off the lane into fields at a dilapidated stile.  This part of the walk appears untrodden but there a are a few guiding way marks at field boundaries and we descended to reach and cross Scugdale Beck where we found (as on our previous visits) the old bridge continues to serve no useful purpose, having been displaced by winter storms some years ago.  

Cross with care!

Scugdale from High House

Approaching Scugdale Beck

No paths so aim for the trees and look for signs

This one's no use

We spot the old bridge through the trees

But you must cross the beck to reach the bridge!

Beached for many years now

After crossing the beck we climbed up the steep bank to join a faint path that takes one north along Scugdale, walking under the old jet and alum workings.

As we approached Holiday House we stopped in a sheltered spot to enjoy our coffee and scones with a fine view across Scugdale.  As we did so a stoat with white winter coat ran down the hill less than twenty feet away.  My fumbles for my camera were in vain.

Climbing up from Scugdale Beck

Follow the sign straight down Scugdale

Barker's Crags, Scugdale Hall and its outbuildings across the valley

Stiles and two bridges before Holiday House are very slippery

A sheltered spot

After our break we walked past Holiday House and met a hiker coming our way.  "I've just seen a white stoat!" he said, and we wondered if it was the same one we had seen ten minutes earlier.

This jury rigged stile rocks alarmlingly when crossed

Scugdale Hall

Approaching Holiday House

Holiday House

Holiday House is a strange name and the farm was so named on a 1940s map that I have seen.  I would be interested to know the origin of its name.

We followed the farm track down and on reaching the dale lane turned left and walked north for a mile or so, until we reached the buildings of Fog Close Farm.

This is the most difficult part of the walk as there are no waymarks until you have actually passed the farm.  So, from the dale lane go through the farm gate for Fog Close, then right again to walk past the farm buildings.  Just past the farm take a left and head up towards the fence line where finally there is a waymark to be seen on a gate.  This area is all freely grazed by cattle and the right of way is very difficult in places with deep slurry.

Walking north along the dale lane

Through the farm gate

Hardy cattle at Fog Close Farm

Snotterdale from Fog Close Farm

Through the unmarked gate and right in front of farm buildings

Then left through the gate

A waymark at last

We walked up to a path running under Live Moor, which we followed with fine views into charmingly named Snotterdale, a quiet and uninhabited valley.

Snotterdale ahead and Scugdale to the right

Our path under Live Moor

Opposite a conifer plantation the path turns left across Carlton Moor at a rocky outcrop.  We passed over the old glider station runway and reached the Cleveland Way/Coast to Coast path that follows the ridge  with spectacular views all the way to a trig point at 1338 feet.

Our path across the stile to Gold Hill

A last look back to Snotterdale and distant Scugdale

The old glider runway

We reach the Cleveland Way

Whorl Hill and Faceby below

A bracing ridge walk in today's cold wind

We can see the sea

Storm damage

Trig Point on Carlton Moor

Carlton village below

We start the steep descent

Immediately after the trig point we started the steep descent to the road and the car park at the Lord Stones Cafe.

Carlton and the Blackwell Ox pub were just down the road and we were soon discussing this interesting walk that takes in one of our favourite dales over a well-earned pint.

"Whose round is it again..?"