Day 3

Levisham to Egton Bridge

16.4 miles

We walked out of Levisham along Braygate Lane which turns into a rough track after about half a mile. After a gate we were walking across open moor and our path led us to the folly known as Skelton Tower. This tower has a terrific situation overlooking Newton Dale Gorge and in his 'Inn Way' book Mark Reid explains that it was built in 1850 by the Rector of Levisham. This eccentric vicar built the folly as a place he could escape to, to clear his mind and, it is rumoured, enjoy a quiet drink.

Leaving the Horseshoe Inn

On Levisham Moor

Skelton Tower

"Let down your hair.."

The view from Skelton Tower

We followed the moor top along Newton Dale, sometimes in head high bracken, but always rewarded with amazing views, until we descended to Havern Beck. Here we paused to drink our coffee and as we did so a steam train passed by.

Newton Dale

Descending to Havern Beck

Pifelhead Wood

A train passing as we have coffee

We crossed the railway line and began to climb out of the valley to Needle Point and a long walk through woods at Killing Nab Scar.

Viewpoint at Killing Nab Scar

We then spent some time following forest tracks until we eventually reached a small gate next to a ruined building and the open moor ahead.

Next was a long moor crossing to Simon Howe and then The Two Howes, and the track to Goathland seemed a long walk in from the moor but it was well worth the effort when we reached the Tea Room.

We think this is a Meadow Pipit

We know this is a curlew!

Goathland puts a spring in the step..

A rest in the tea garden

We left the tea room and crossed the road at Goathland Station after which a short walk took us to the very pretty hamlets of Darnholm in the valley of Eller Beck, where we passed the tiny pub called The Birch Hall Inn at Beck Hole.

Goathland Station

Descending to Darnholm

Stepping stones not really required today

Toy sheep and real sheep at Darnholm

The Birch Hall Inn at Beck Hole

Easier paths followed Beck Hole and we walked along the bed of a disused railway which Mark Reid explains is the site of Stephenson's original railway.

The final descent through woodland is tricky to follow and Egton Bridge and the Horseshoe Inn were a welcome sight. There was an outdoor bar in the pub garden where drinks could be purchased and we sat in the sun with a refreshing pint.

The beer is Red Dust Bitter from Consett Ale Works - very good!

To Day 4

Day 4

Egton Bridge to Rosedale Abbey

15.6 miles

Our fellow guests at breakfast were a group doing the Coast to Coast Walk. They told us they had walked for 5 days, reaching Keld before one of them was pinged and they all had to isolate for 6 days. They had gone home and isolated and now returned to the walk for the last three days.

Leaving the pub we soon left the tarmac at an Inn Way sign for Delves and as usual, spent some time crossing fields and stiles until we re-joined the road at the village of Delves. We walked through the village and then took a track into Arncliffe Wood.

Some stiles are worse than others...

Some sections in Arncliffe Wood were paved 'trods,' an old pannier-man's way which made the going easy. We came to a large stone known as the Wishing Stone. Our Inn Way book explained that it was believed that if you circumnavigated the stone three times your wish would come true.

Pannier Man's Trod

Wishing Stone

The River Esk

Blast Furnace??

The old mill

We continued by the river and crossing fields to reach the village of Lealholm where we were sorry to see the cafe we have previously visited has closed, however we were pointed towards another, further into the village and here we paused for cream scones and coffee.

House in Lealholm

Jam first, I always say...

Leaving Lealholm we now walked for a couple of miles on the road until we reached a sign marked 'Glaisdale Rigg', onto the moors and on to some narrow paths which would be difficult to navigate in bad weather. Some sections were boggy and the moor seems vast and bleak until a clearer path is gained along Glaisdale Rigg. A rigg implies a ridge and our path followed this long curving feature for some distance across the top of the moor.

Leaving Lealhom

A long stretch of road leads to the open moor

Looking back towards Lealholm

Early flowering heather

Eventually there were fine views into Great Fryup Dale on our right and our notes said to look out for a large cairn at the head of the valley, which we located easily.

Leaving the rigg path and entering the rough moor again would have been a boggy experience in wet weather but was still made tricky by boot-wide paths and we were grateful when we came to the 'George Gap Causeway'. This is another stone trod which seems to appear and disappear; one suspects some sections have simply sunk beneath the moor. We were pleased to walk on the causeway when we could, both for the firm surface and as a directional aid.

On Glaisdale Rigg

Great Fryup Dale

Fryup Dale Head

Looking down Fryup Dale

It says "look for a bridge..."

George Gapp Causeway

Among the thistles

Fast progress on the causeway

Eventually we dropped down past Dale Head Farm into Rosedale but we still had a long walk through the dale, along a path that necessitated much gate opening and closing. We reached the hamlet of Thorgill and then dropped down to Rosedale Abbey. Our problem now was finding our accommodation for the night and we wandered round the village for half an hour before discovering it was situated three quarters of a mile out of the village up a steep road. My GPS said we had walked 18.2 miles and my legs were tired when we finally arrived at Sevenford House.

Both pubs in the village had been closed after staff had been pinged so our generous host drove us to the Blacksmiths Arms at Lastingham where we could enjoy an evening meal, and then collected us when we had finished.