The Drove Road and Windy Gill Ridge from Boltby
7 miles Damp and misty
After what seems weeks of rain it is becoming difficult to find walks that are not too bad underfoot. This one, we hoped, should be OK with a few stretches on moorland paths.
We drove through Boltby and parked at a hard shoulder on the right hand side of the road. After booting up we continued walking uphill along the same road away from the village, until we turned left at a footpath sign into to a farm track to Lunshaw House Farm.
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| Today's walk from The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills |
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| We ignore the stile at our car park.... |
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| ... but are interested in the sign. We'll be passing High Paradise! |
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| Turn left from the road into Lunshaw Farm Lane |
Before reaching the farm we crossed a stile on the right to follow a field path signposted Low Paradise. Our path followed the camber of the hill for some time, meaning we were walking at an awkward 45 degree angle, until it dropped down into woods before Lunshaw Beck.
Crossing the beck we started a mile ascent which TSB describes as a 'muscular climb'. We passed by the always well ordered Low Paradise Farm and continued to climb to reach Oak Cottage.
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| We leave Lunshaw Farm Lane.. |
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| .. and cross fields |
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| A long stretch at an awkward angle |
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| Lots of muddy tracks today |
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| Dropping down to Lunshaw Beck, Low Paradise appears in the mist |
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| Slippery crossing point |
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| The 'muscular climb' to Low Paradise |
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| Low Paradise Farm |
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| Weather vane at Low Paradise |
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| More muscular climbing to Oak Cottage |
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| Oak Cottage |
The track continued to climb relentlessly upwards until we reached High Paradise Farm where we were delighted to find the tea room open.
Our coffee and scones were interrupted by a film crew entering the cafe to speak to our hostess. They said 'Peter' had arrived and was ready to film with the lambs. The cameraman said it would be filmed as if the vet had just popped in on his way from another call. "And there just happened to be cameras and a film crew here" said our hostess cynically.
We finished our coffee and wandered back to the track, passing Peter Wright, the Yorkshire Vet as we did so. I asked him if I could take a fan photo. "Certainly!" he said. I explained that I enjoy his show. "You're very kind" he beamed.
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| Still climbing... |
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| We finally arrive at High Paradise |
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| The tea room is open |
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| Scone reverie |
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| Peter Wright, the Yorkshire Vet and producer |
We walked through the mist away from the farm, towards Sneck Gate and the moor. Passing through the gate we were now on the Hambleton Drove Road, which we followed left, soon reaching forest.
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| Walking towards Sneck Gate and the Drove Road |
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| On the Hambleton Drove Road |
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| The main track is very muddy |
We walked on through the trees for some time and then, just before reaching the ruins of Steeple Cross (first mentioned in 1246 but no longer a cross, now just a 2 feet high piece of stone) turned left to enter the plantation's trees.
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| The remains of Steeple Cross |
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| We turn left off the Drove Road into trees |
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We walked through the forestry plantation and emerged at Gallow Hill, where we should have had a view towards Cowesby village, but that was impossible today through the mist.
We turned left at Gallow Hill and followed the broad path to Windygill Ridge. To the left of our path was a forestry plantation and ahead through the mist was the Vale of Mowbray and to the right Black Hambleton and the hummock of Seta Pike.
Just after passing Seta Pike our path turned left into a steep forestry path. The track was rather faint and also very boggy; the steep descents proved very slippery and progress was slow. The path eventually levelled out and we picked our way through Gurtof Wood, looking down on Gurtof Beck which ran below us. Quite a lot of trees had been blown down and a few had fallen awkwardly across the path making diversions necessary.
We descended through the woods for about a mile until we reached a gate leading into fields.
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| "Cowesby should be over to the right" |
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| On Windygill Ridge |
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| How I hate these unneccessary signs! |
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| Gurtof Wood |
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| Tricky descent |
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| Descending through Gurtof Wood |
We descended through the woods for about a mile until we reached a gate leading into fields.
We then walked through fields using way-marks as guides until we joined a wide track. We followed this to a green lane that, after passing by a smallholding with sheep and a horse, led us to Boltby.
Our path exited at the west end of Boltby village and we turned left to walk along the road. Set back from the road is Holy Trinity Church and finding it unlocked we went for a look around. The church is in very good repair considering that, as TSB points out, it was first erected in 1409 and rebuilt in 1859. We were very impressed by the timber cross sections in the roof which were striking to look at.
Our path exited at the west end of Boltby village and we turned left to walk along the road. Set back from the road is Holy Trinity Church and finding it unlocked we went for a look around. The church is in very good repair considering that, as TSB points out, it was first erected in 1409 and rebuilt in 1859. We were very impressed by the timber cross sections in the roof which were striking to look at.
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| Leaving Gurtof Wood at last |
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| Way marks guided us through fields |
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| Arriving at Boltby |
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| Holy Trinity Church |
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| Looking towards the altar |
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| Altar window |
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| Looking towards the rear of the church |
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| 10 Commandments by the altar |
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| Window |
The churchyard seemed to contain only fairly recent graves. A further look at our guidebook 'The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills' explained why: apparently it was the custom until Victorian times to carry the dead from Boltby for burial at Felixkirk, "swathed in linen and uncoffined." Unfortunately the book does not say why this happened when they had a perfectly good church in Boltby.
We continued through the village and then up the steep climb back to our car.
We decided to call at Osmotherley on the way home for a pint at the Queen Catherine Hotel. Arriving at Osmotherley we saw a crowd by the memorial in the square and among them was the unmistakable figure of the Archbishop of York. The service was just ending as we entered the pub. While we were collecting our pints the Archbishop entered the pub wishing us good afternoon. The Landlady explained that he always calls in when visiting the village.
Our other reason for calling at the pub was to see the murals that were being painted by Katie Bird. (www.katiebird.co.uk) When we called in a few weeks ago Katie was painting a scene of Roseberry Topping on one wall and told us that she had been asked to paint a mural of the Coast to Coast Walk across the other three walls but that she knew very little about the walk. I showed Katie my website for the walk on her laptop, to give her an idea of what the the C2C involves and we subsequently kept in email touch to sort out distances and landmarks on the walk.
Coincidentally, Katie was at the pub today so it was nice to chat about the finished murals.
An interesting day overall despite the misty weather.
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| Weather vane in Boltby |
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| Village sheep.. |
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| ... and geese |
We decided to call at Osmotherley on the way home for a pint at the Queen Catherine Hotel. Arriving at Osmotherley we saw a crowd by the memorial in the square and among them was the unmistakable figure of the Archbishop of York. The service was just ending as we entered the pub. While we were collecting our pints the Archbishop entered the pub wishing us good afternoon. The Landlady explained that he always calls in when visiting the village.
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| Is it a flash-mob?? The Archbishop is in the red coat. |
Our other reason for calling at the pub was to see the murals that were being painted by Katie Bird. (www.katiebird.co.uk) When we called in a few weeks ago Katie was painting a scene of Roseberry Topping on one wall and told us that she had been asked to paint a mural of the Coast to Coast Walk across the other three walls but that she knew very little about the walk. I showed Katie my website for the walk on her laptop, to give her an idea of what the the C2C involves and we subsequently kept in email touch to sort out distances and landmarks on the walk.
Coincidentally, Katie was at the pub today so it was nice to chat about the finished murals.
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| Beer reverie |
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| Roseberry mural (photos from my phone so of poor quality) |
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| A bit of the Coast to Coast mural |
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| A bit more - get rid of that telly! |
An interesting day overall despite the misty weather.
