Limekiln House and the Drove Road from Kepwick

5.5 miles                          Cool with grey skies

Tom Scott Burns suggests that Kepwick is derived from the Scandinavian Kaeppi and Vik, producing Kaeppivik which means 'a nook in the hills'.  In Victorian times it was noted for its lime and sandstone quarries and a railway ran from Kepwick to kilns on the Yarm to Thirsk turnpike road.  We approached Kepwick from the A19 and intended to park in the church car park as TSB suggests, but there were agricultural vehicles were parked there.  Instead we left the car at the roadside further into the village.

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

We walked through Kepwick coming immediately to the gates of Kepwick Hall where we turned left, following the tarmac road across the remains of the old railway line and then climbing slowly past French Hill Wood to isolated Nab Farm.  

Bear left here away from Kepwick Hall

Normally a small brook, lots of water today

'Take me with you'  Friendly collie at Kepwick

French Hill Wood to our right and The Nab on the left

Pretty colours at French Hill Wood

We walked through Nab Farm pausing to look at the cattle who are all in sheds for winter.  The path keeps to the outskirts of the buildings but was running with deep, thin, mud which we squelched through, admiring the restraint pen with its old clippers on our left.

Restrain pen at Nab Farm

Leaving Nab Farm behind, our path improved slightly and we looked down across the valley, over Bridge Beck towards Whitestone Scar and Kepwick Moor on the horizon.  We could see our path all the way to the high moor.

Leaving Nab Farm and descending to Bridge Beck

We came to the ruins of an old lime kiln and our path climbed quickly away from it, following a nice green path alongside a dry stone wall.  We noticed that the wall was providing a break from the brisk wind so we decided to hunker down behind it to enjoy our coffee and scones.

Old lime kiln

Lime kiln chimney

Looking across at Kepwick Quarry

Preparing our picnic spot

We sat and watched a kestrel hovering for nearly ten minutes as we ate our scones.  Across the heather a grouse moved slowly closer as did a couple of sheep farther down the path, no doubt all drawn by curiosity and the sight of our scones.

We are watched as we enjoy our break

Another ten minutes and they would have been sitting with us

Before they could join us we set off again, briskly uphill, to pass through a gate and join the old drovers' road.  TSB says that at this point we can see the remains of Limekiln House but today all that can be seen is a few stony outcrops and, in the middle of them, a cross with the words 'Bert 7.6.05  RIP'.  Presumably a memorial and not Bert's grave.

The Old Drovers' Road

We turned right and walked along the old drovers' road, pausing occasionally to admire some of the many signs that the authorities have seen fit to erect along this short stretch.  

Cleveland Way Sign

Is this sign really necessary?

A plethora of signs

We followed the drovers' road for nearly two miles, until we reached the remains of Steeple Cross.  TSB tells us that Steeple Cross was referred to as Stepingecross in documents dated 1290 and was probably derived from the old English 'steapinga' - 'dweller on the slope', hence 'crossroads of the hill-dwellers'.  All round this area are Bronze Age earthworks.  We turned right here, into a forestry plantation and began a slow descent along a very wet track which ended at the top of Gallow Hill.  Here the path had been blocked by a fence which is easily climbed, to continue steeply down.  This area is known as Black Hill and there was a nice view across to Kepwick Hall below us.

Along the drovers' road towards the forestry plantation

The remains of Steeple Cross

Turn right through the gate

A choice of paths, we took the upper one

The path is blocked by a fence which must be crossed

Kepwick Hall below Black Hill

Our path became a sunken hollow as it crossed the flat plain of Pen Hill, then as we started to descend Atlay Bank rhododendrons grew thickly on either side for several hundred yards until the track levels into a field. 

 

Slippery path downhill

We have to divert into the woods!

Horse jump built into a stone wall

Down Pen Hill

Atlay Bank

Hollow Lane down Atlay Bank

Here we saw an old stone shed  with water pipes inside it.  TSB explains that in 1873 the Warner family erected Kepwick Hall and made extensive improvements to the estate including the construction of two reservoirs on the moors above, one to supply the house with water and the other for the gardens and terraces.  This building is obviously from that period. 

Clive approaches the old water shed

Inside the shed

We soon reached the road and turned left to walk through Kepwick, past the church which was locked and unwelcoming as on previous visits, and back to our car.

Kepwick Church

Kepwick

Limekiln House and the Drove Road from Kepwick

5.5 miles                               Fair and calm

Tom Scott Burns suggests that Kepwick is derived from the Scandinavian Kaeppi and Vik, so Kaeppivik which means a nook in the hills.  In Victorian times it was noted for its lime and sandstone quarries and a railway ran from Kepwick to kilns on the Yarm to Thirsk turnpike road.  We intended to park in the car park at the front of the Church Hall but we found it to be full, (more hikers?) so we parked at the roadside a little further into the village.

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

We walked through Kepwick coming immediately to the gates of Kepwick Hall where we turned left, following the tarmac road across the remains of the old railway line and then climbing slowly past French Hill Wood to isolated Nab Farm.

Gates to Kepwick Hall

French Hill Wood on right and The Nab ahead on left

Hmm, looks like another of those walks...

Cattle restraint pen at Nab Farm

Leaving Nab Farm we left tarmac behind and could see our footpath crossing through a large field of cattle before heading up towards Kepwick Moor.  Despite the threatening signs we had passed the cattle were totally indifferent to us and we crossed a beck and came quickly to the ruins of an old limekiln.

Our path crosses the field and through the gap in the wall

Our passing is noted

Approaching old limekiln

Old limekiln chimney

We now followed a green path alongside a drystone wall with fine views all round.  We could see the old workings of Kepwick Quarry across to our right.  As we climbed we came upon a group of about 20 ramblers walking down towards us, no doubt the owners of the cars seen at Kepwick Church Hall.  A steady climb  brought us to the moor gate and the ruins of an old drovers' inn, Limekiln House, where we decided to enjoy our coffee and scones in the sun.  In The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills is a photograph of Limekiln House showing ruined walls, but these have now disappeared.

Heather was at its best today

Green path on Kepwick Moor

Old workings of Kepwick Quarry

"Has it taken?" " Give it another few seconds..."

We were now on the old Hambleton Drove Road which TSB tells us was referred to as the 'regalis via' or King's Way' in a medieval document at Rievaulx, and which has probably been in use since prehistoric times.  We walked south along the Drove Road across Little Moor, steadily climbing to a height of 1200 feet. 

Hambleton Drove Road

Man or dog?  Memorial near Limekiln House

Looking back along the Drove Road

Eventually we reached the conifer plantation at Steeple Cross where we were going to turn right, leaving the Drove Road and heading onto a forestry path.  TSB tells us that Steeple Cross was referred to as Stepingecross in documents dated 1290 and was probably derived from the old English 'steapinga' - 'dweller on the slope', hence 'crossroads of the hill-dwellers'.  All round this area are Bronze Age earthworks.

Camouflage

Approaching Steeple Cross

Our path skirted a forestry plantation alongside Black Hill and then came to a fence which we had to cross to continue.  The last time we walked this route the fence had been made difficult to pass with barbed wire but we were pleased to see that the wire had been cut back to allow an easy passage.  Someone else must have been annoyed at this attempt to block a right of way!

Forestry path

Beautiful display of heather seen from forestry path

Wire cut back from our fence crossing

Our path became a sunken hollow as it crossed the flat plain of Pen Hill, then as we started to descend Atlay Bank rhododendrons grew thickly on either side for several hundreds of yards until the track levelled into a field where a gate took us onto Kepwick Village road.  We stopped to look at the church which was closely fenced all round and locked.  No room for a graveyard, we wondered if it was still used for services.  We passed the Church Hall with its now empty car park and arrived back at our car. A nice walk made even better by the scent and sight of masses of purple heather.

Looking down on Kepwick Hall

Sunken path

Rhododendrons on Atlay Bank

Kepwick Church