Tripsdale to Bransdale and Cockayne from Chop Gate

13.3 miles Warm and muggy

It's over three years since I've done this longer walk from Tom Scott Burns' book The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills. For some reason Tom doesn't include the hamlet of Cockayne in his walk but we decided to visit it today, which would increase our mileage from 12.5 to 13.3.

We parked at the car park in the Village Hall at Chop Gate which has always been a free car park but now has National Trust car park machines and a charge of £5.50.

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

Chop Gate village hall, now a National Trust car park

"Let's go!"

We booted up and headed south along the grass verge of the B1257 to reach the farm track to William Beck Farm. A straight walk along the track brought us to William Beck Farm, which I used to think was the name of the farmer but turns out to be long established according to TSB, who informs us that in 1160 it was named Willelmesbec.

Approaching William Beck Farm

Weather vane at William Beck Farm

Badger

Leaving the farm we climbed steeply to the moor gate. Pressing on we soon dropped down Black Intake into the uninhabited and hidden dale of Tripsdale.

Looking back as we climb to the moor

William Beck Farm and Chop Gate behind

We reach the moor

Early heather starting to flower

Follow a shooter's track

Down into Tripsdale

Crossing Tripsdale Beck

Ahead of us we could see the ugly scar of the shooters' track up the other side of Tripsdale heading towards Bransdale. We crossed the beck and followed the path upwards until reaching the ruins of an old cottage on our right and here we diverted to look at the Ship Stone, so called because the front of the stone looks like the prow of a ship. We passed the ruins and followed a small trail through the bracken for a hundred yards or so to reach the Ship Stone which looks insignificant as one approaches from its rear but is enormous from the other side. On the stone is a Latin inscription which translates as "All things are full of the Creator. John Hart, a man of Bilsdale 1849".

Through the bracken..

.. to reach the Ship Stone

"All things are full of the Creator. John Hart, a man of Bilsdale 1849"

On top of the Ship Stone

We walked back towards the bulldozed shooters' track passing the ruins of a dwelling which TSB explains was the home of an old cobbler who used to sell clogs and shoes outside the Fox and Hounds Inn at Seave Green on Sundays, as the congregation came down from Urra Church.

Cobbler's cottage

Tripsdale is an intriguing place, much loved by Tom Scott Burns who would camp here to see in the New Year and it is here, further along the dale at the Cable Stones, that his memorial plaque is now located.

TSB's memorial plaque at Cable Stones

Clive at Cable Stones on an earlier visit

We climbed out of Tripsdale onto Hagg Moor, a 'hagg' being a wood or coppice grown on broken ground, and then crossed Todd Intake Moor. After walking for about a mile we came to a hut on the right hand side. In the mid-90s I took shelter in this hut in a storm and found Tom Scott Burns had been there before me and left leaflets on the table, advertising his Walker's Guides, intended to be picked up by passing hikers. Carole and I walked down to the hut but found it was now locked and would no longer provide shelter from the storm.

Locked, no more shelter from the storm!

We continued along the moor track for another mile or so and came to the remains of Stump Cross and, almost opposite, the turn off to Bransdale. It is important to note that as soon as you come to Stump Cross you should look to the left for a small, rather insignificant, cairn about 20 yards in. This side path is almost invisible at first but there soon appeared reassuring cairns every hundred yards or so. We soon came to a fine view down into Bransdale.

Room for two more?

Stump Cross

Our path to Bransdale

Bransdale appears ahead

The track led us down into Bransdale, crossing a small road, and to Colt House Farm, which is marked as Bransdale Castle on old maps.

From the farm we followed way marks across several fields and descended to reach an old sun dial above Bransdale Mill. The Mill is close by and we walked down to admire the old building.

"Bransdale Castle"

"Time and Life Move Switly"

Bransdale Mill, W S stands for William Strickland

Over to our left we see Bransdale Lodge and St Nicholas' Church

Bransdale Mill

"Rejoice evermore Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks."

On the front of the building is an inscription which explains that it had been rebuilt in 1842 and the wall ties 'W' and 'S' refer to William Strickland who rebuilt the mill after moving from Farndale. Round the back we saw a Greek inscription which was apparently the work of Strickland's son, who became curate at Ingleby Greenhow and is responsible for a number of inscriptions in the area. TSB says that this one means, "Rejoice evermore Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks."

We joined a track at the rear of the mill and this took us to a tarmac lane leading to Cockayne. A short steep climb brought us to St Nicholas' Church where there was a convenient picnic table for our break.

Old North Riding road sign at Cockayne

Unusual epitaph at St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas' Church, Cockayne

Unusual barrel shaped roof

Thoughtful supplies for the walker

Picnic with a view

We walked back into the dale to turn left at a sign, where, after spending 10 minutes rescuing a sheep with its head stuck through a wire fence, we turned left off the lane to climb to Rudland Ridge.

Cockayne Beck

Turn off the road at the sign

... and climb. Looking back to Cockayne below

Nearly at the top

Rudland Rigg

Rudland Rigg runs from Kirby Moorside to Turkey Nab above Ingleby Greenhow and walking along it we had a fine view down into Bransdale to our left.

We soon came to a large standing stone which TSB says was 'erected by primitive hands'. This is known as the Cammon Stone, derived from the celtic 'cam' meaning 'bank stone'. On the front is a Hebrew inscription which translates as "Hallelujah", and is almost certainly the work of Emmanuel Strickland from Bransdale Mill.

Carole goes to inspect the Cammon Stone, inscribed on the front.

.. and almost split at the rear

"Hallelujah!"

Rudland Rigg took us to the old Rosedale Railway track at Bloworth Crossing and the Cleveland Way. We left the railway shortly after, heading west to Botton Head, the highest point of the North Yorkshire Moors, at 1500 feet.

Rudland Rigg

Old signpost

Bloworth Crossing

Following the old railway track

Turn off at the Cleveland Way sign

Looking for tadpoles

There's lots!

The Face Stone

Carole seemingly pointing the wrong way at the Hand Stone

The Face Stone and the Hand Stone could both do with their lichen patina scrubbing off as they are losing their features.

Just past the Hand Stone we turned left, leaving the Cleveland Way to join a track that would drop us off the edge of Urra Moor past Bilsdale Hall and down into Seave Green.

Bear left

Now heading to Bilsdale

Beginning the descent to Seave Green

Bilsdale Hall

Passing the houses of Seave Green we rejoined the B1257 and walked through Chop Gate to reach the Buck Inn where we paused to enjoy a refreshing pint of beer before walking back to the car.