"There must be dales in Paradise
Which you and I will find.."
Showing posts with label Westerdale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Westerdale. Show all posts

Saturday 3 July 2021

Eskdale, Danby Dale and Westerdale

 


Eskdale, Danby Dale and Westerdale


8 miles                              Fine and dry



This moorland walk that visits the secluded village of Westerdale is not a Tom Scott Burns walk but is across an area he will have known well.

We approached Castleton from the Whitby Moors road and parked our cars at a designated parking spot just outside the village as shown on the map below.


Today's walk from Castelton

Looking down from the car park


Castleton takes its name from the castle which stood on Castle Hill from 1089 to the 15th century, and is situated along the end of Castleton Rigg, an outcrop of Danby Moor.  

Leaving the car we walked straight downhill towards Castleton, after a couple of hundred yards we turned right, shortly after passing a small Quaker graveyard, at a sign for Didderhowe Farm.  

We walked down the farm track, past the farmhouse and into open fields.


Turn right to walk towards Didderhowe Farm

Not just Dunroaming but Dunriding too!

The hedge was full of honeysuckle and bees

We've seen this unusual vehicle all over the moors as it was (is?) owned by a stone-waller

Passing Didderhowe Farm

Didderhowe Farm

Follow the fish symbol of the Esk Valley Walk



We were now following the Esk Valley Walk through Danby Dale, its clear way-marks always bearing the image of a fish. 

After Didderhowe Farm we entered meadows and for the next mile or so walked along the bottom of the dale, alongside Danby Beck, passing several farms.


The Esk Valley Walk

Lots of cattle in today's walk but always fenced in


We could see St Hilda's Church on the other side of Danby Beck but as we were uncertain whether it would be open to visitors we thought it might not be worth the effort required to reach it.


St Hilda's Church, Danby

  
The walk through meadows was very pleasant and we passed by West Green Farm, Plum Tree Farm and then West Cliff Farm where we were disappointed not to see peacocks as we have in the past. As we left the farm, however, we saw distant peacocks in the fields so perhaps they are simply roaming further afield.  After West Cliff Farm we passed tidy Blackmires Farm and then arrived at Stormy Hall Farm.


West Green Farm

Dog weather-vane at West Green Farm


Plum Tree Farm

Walking between the farms

Triplets?

A couple of interesting characters await us

We can't resist the temptation to scratch his head

"You're not scratching mine!"

West Cliff Farm


Blackmires Farm

We spot peacocks in the field

On reaching Stormy Hall Farm we turned right onto a steep farm track leading us up to the top of Castelton Rigg.  We paused occasionally to catch our breath and look back at superb views of Danby Dale.


Looking back at Blackmires Farm

Stormy Hall Farm


A long steep climb to the top of Castleton Rigg

Looking back into Danby Dale

Just before reaching the top of our climb we stopped for coffee and scones at a disused quarry, giving us shelter from the breeze and a fine view back down Danby Dale.

An old quarry makes a good rest stop

Our view to the top of Danby Dale as we enjoy our coffee and scones


After finishing our coffee we left the old quarry to cross the main road and join a footpath across Castleton Rigg.  Here we paused again to take in the fine view into a new valley and to pick out our two immediate objectives, Dale Head and Broad Gate Farms.


Dale Head and Broad Gate Farms in the distance


Dale Head Farm is beautifully kept and home to an unusual feature built in 1832, a stone shelter for bee skeps.  In the old days bees were kept in a straw skep and by placing them in the stone shelter they would stay dry in bad weather.


Entering Dale Head Farm yard

Dale Head Farm

We wondered what this old building was intended for, a buttery perhaps?

Young swallows at Dale Head Farm

Even younger swallows peep out of their nest

Bee House for bee skeps



We turned right just beyond the Bee House and walked across several more fields to Broad Gate Farm.  We followed the farm track and passed through a tiny stile set in the wall, crossing a field to reach a seven step stone stile which required concentration to negotiate.


Broad Gate Farm in the distance


Weather-vane at Broad Gate Farm

Broad Gate Farm

This type of stile is more common in the Yorkshire Dales 

The gates prevent sheep using the stile

Across a field and over another step stile and we were entering the tiny village of Westerdale.   We walked along the street and stopped to look around Christ Church.


Entering Westerdale

This house is called Pinfold and we wondered if there had once been a pinfold on this site

Houses in Westerdale


Christ Church, Westerdale

A family tragedy  'In memory of the four following sons of John and Elizabeth Barker. They died in the Small Pox.  John died the 15th December 1784, aged 29 years. George died the 30th January 1785 aged 20 years. William died the 31st January 1785 aged 26 years.  Thomas died the 7th of February 1785 aged 16 years'


Christ Church

Grave Slabs, possibly from Knight Templars


Altar window

Bell tower window


Christ Church at Westerdale was built in 1838 but the decorative stone over-arching the date stone is from the 12th century and the chevrons date it to the late 1100s. Changes to the original building had been made by the Knights Templars who were lords of the manor here in the 13th Century.  The older windows are from the 14th century and were placed by the Knights Hospitaller who became lords of the manor following the demise of the Knights Templar.


The arch stone above the date is from the 12th century


Leaving the village we followed the road down to the River Esk where we stopped to look at its ancient bridge, Hunter's Sty Bridge, restored in the 1800s.


This bridge is a single span medieval bridge which was restored by the Duncombe family in 1874.  It dates from the 13th century and Hunter's Sty means Hunter's Steep Path, and it was built to provide access to the Royal Forest of Pickering.


Hunter's Sty Bridge



Hunter's Sty Bridge


We crossed the village cricket field and climbed through several rough and un-waymarked pastures to reach the moor where we rejoined the Esk Valley Walk. 

As we crossed Westerdale Moor we saw a colourful painted sign for Crown End.  Although we're not sure who put the sign here or why, it identifies the beginning of a 'stone row', a Megalithic arrangement of standing stones probably for religious reasons or perhaps marking a processional route.  Many of the stones are barely visible in the heather at this time of year.  See here for more details 



The first of 21 standing stones can be seen behind


We followed our path above New Road and Dibble Bridge Farm and dropped down from Westerdale Moor to cross an un-named spring near Carr House.  We crossed New Road and climbed back up to the car park on the Westerdale road and the end of our walk.





Crossing the bridge...

Climbing back to the car park


We were soon sitting outside the Eskdale Hotel in Castleton enjoying a pint which we agreed was a fitting end to a good walk.


To Eskdale!