The Drove Road and Windy Gill Ridge from Boltby

 

7 miles                                 Rain and mist 

 

We drove through Boltby to find a lay-by at the side of the road where we parked.  After booting up we continued walking along the road away from the village, until we turned left at a footpath sign into to a farm track to Lunshaw House Farm.

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

The view from our car park

Turn left off the road here

 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.  

Just before the woods we passed through a field containing three horses, who fortunately didn't spot us until we reached the gate to leave the field, and galloped over to see us.  We were happy to make a fuss of them now we were safely on the other side of the fence.

Cross the stile signed Low Paradise

Field path is at an awkward camber

Sometimes our path disappeared into the bracken

We just got through the gate in time.  Clive digs out a Jakeman's Throat pastel

"Wow!"

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, all the while listening to the sound of furious barking.  As we reached the cottage we saw the culprits, fortunately well secured.

On the 'muscular climb' to Low Paradise

Low Paradise Farm

Well ordered Low Paradise Farm

The dogs at Oak Cottage give us a noisy reception

Pet lambs come running hopefully to greet us

 The track climbed relentlessly upwards until we reached High Paradise Farm where we were delighted to see a sign advertising their tea room.  We stopped here for coffee and cake, a lovely spot with friendly service and excellent coffee.

Hmm, it says 'walker's tea room'....

We decide it's coffee time!

Sign at High Paradise

Sadly the coffee was soon gone and it was time to return outside to the rain and mist.  We walked 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.

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.

We watched this thrush tapping a snail on a stone outside the cafe

Leaving High Paradise towards Sneck Gate

We join the Cleveland Way at Sneck Gate

On the Hambleton Drove Road

The weather deteriorates further as we approach Steeple Cross

We walked through the forestry plantation and emerged at Gallow Hill, where we had a view towards Cowesby village through the mist.

Turn left to a steep downward path

Our path almost disappears in new saplings

Gurtof Wood

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 a view across 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 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 our path making diversions necessary.

At one point Clive grabbed a tree as he slid on the path and it tottered dangerously.  It was obviously rotten and about to fall so he gave it a shove and down it came, where it could do no harm.

Descending through Gurtof Wood

A rotten tree totters dangerously

"Timber!"

 We walked 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 which, after passing by a smallholding with sheep and a horse, led us to Boltby.

Following the path across fields

Green lane to Boltby

Pet sheep

Another horse succumbs to the delights of a Jakeman's Throat and Chest lozenge

That hit the spot!

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 entered for a look around.  The church is in very good repair considering that as TSB says, the church 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.

Boltby

Holy Trinity Church

The gate is obviously the work of Thirlby's wren man, Bob Hunter

Striking roof beams

Looking towards the altar

Altar window

Looking to the rear of the church

One of the 'older' gravestones

We were surprised to see that the churchyard only seemed to contain 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.

A good walk despite poor weather.

Looking at Boltby from Holy Trinity Church

Clive crossing the old pack horse bridge

The old school house, Boltby

Shallow Dale and Ampleforth Country

9 miles                    Hot and fine

For no particular reason that we can think of, this is the only route in Tom Scott Burns's The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills that we have never walked so we decided to correct that.  We set off from Middlesbrough in heavy rain expecting a wet day but as we approached Helmsley the sun came out and it remained fine throughout the day.

We turned off the B1257 south of Helmsley and drove into Ampleforth where there is roadside parking.

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

Primitive Methodist Hall, Ampleforth, dated 1854

TSB says that Ampleforth is mentioned in the Domesday Book and means 'ford where the sorrel grows.'

We followed the road west out of the village and took the second turning on the right, into Westwood Lane.  Passing a working sawmill the road soon becomes a narrow lane which is very pretty and pleasant to walk along, as we enter Shallow Dale.  This is a very quiet dale and there is little trace of the Quaker settlement that was once scattered along the valley, growing flax in terraces and spinning it into yarn. There are heaps of stone where their cottages once stood. 

Bench on the outskirts of Ampleforth

Turn right into Westwood Lane...

The view from Westwood Lane

Pretty Westwood Lane

A long gentle climb brought us to the head of the valley where the path continues past High Woods Farm and then returns alongside Low Wood plantation before entering Burtis Wood.  We walked through the wood for some time descending, sometimes steeply, back towards towards Carr Lane.

First sight of High Woods Farm

The path is diverted away from farm buildings

High Woods Farm.  We mistakenly climbed higher than necessary, the path actually runs alongside the farm

Walking alongside Low Woods plantation

Entering Burtis Wood

Some steep and slippery descents

Leaving the wood we walked across fields parallel to the road, using way marks as our guide, until we reached Carr Lane.   We crossed the road and followed a way-marked path across fields to reach a pond, which TSB describes as delightful but which no longer deserves that moniker.

We turned sharp left and walked back up to the field boundary where we came across a perfectly positioned tree trunk where we stopped for coffee and scones.

Across fields behind Carr Lodge

Walking towards Newstead Pond

Newstead Barn

Newstead Pond

Time for coffee and scones!

Setting off once more we crossed a couple of fields then located a hedgerow stile where we entered a lane which soon joined the Colley Broach road.  These little lanes and roads seem devoid of traffic and are very pleasant to walk along. 

Our track takes us across fields

North Moor Lane

We get the feeling we are being watched....

We passed Old Pilfit Farm and climbed past Low Lion's and then High Lion's lodges, before turning left onto North Moor Lane.  

Across Gilling Moor

The lane through the trees of Gilling Moor

We walked a short distance to the right then turned left across Gilling Moor to reach Higher Fish Ponds.  The track then turned left to sweep past the ponds to reach Lower Fish Pond.  This Lower Fish Pond is a tranquil and pretty spot.

Short cut near Higher Fish Pond

Higher Fish Pond...

... and the larger and more attractive Lower Fish Pond

Just past Lower Fish Pond our route turned north to cross a sheep field.  There were new gates on the field and no way marks, but this was definitely the right of way according to my GPS, and sure enough we came to a stile on the far side.

We crossed this sheep field after passing through an unlocked but 'un-way-marked' gate

Clive checks the ground for pellets. We wondered if this was an owl box?

We crossed the old embankment of the long disused Malton to Coxwold railway.  TSB says that a special train used to convey students from London to Ampleforth College at the start of each term until the line was closed in 1964.

There was a fine view of Ampleforth Abbey and College to our right as we joined and then followed Mill Lane back to Ampleforth.

Ampleforth Abbey and College

Manor House, Ampleforth

High Street, Ampleforth

Although without many interesting features this was a very pretty route along little walked paths and best done with a close eye to the map or GPS.  An ideal walk for a sunny summer's day.