Boltby to Gormire Lake and Whitestone Cliff

7 miles                  Cold and bright

We thought we would return to Gormire where we recently saw a Golden Pheasant, but on this walk approaching the lake from the opposite direction, Boltby.

We reached Boltby from the A19 Knayton turn off and drove right through the village and up a steep hill to a small designated car park at the side of the road.

We walked back down the road into Boltby where we took the first left into a lane.  Tom Scott Burns explains that Boltby is of great antiquity and is mentioned in the Domesday Book as the property of Hugh, son of Baldric.

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

The Old School House in Boltby

We turn left at the junction

Weather vanes in Boltby

We passed the last of the houses and soon our lane petered out and we went through a gate to follow a faint track over the shoulder of Little Moor, from where we were able to look down on Greendale Farm.

The lane ends at a ford and we cross the bridge...

... through the mud to Little Moor

Horse riders have made the footpath difficult as we approach Cow Pasture Wood

Follow the sign to Tang Hall

Looking down on Greendale Farm

We dropped down to Greendale Farm and continued around the side of a hill to reach Tang Hall Farm where we turned left just before the buildings.

Turn left to walk past Tang Hall Farm

A mixed flock at Tang Hall

We were now walking on the old coach road across Huggon Howl to Southwoods Hall, although it is now just a grassy path.

Reaching the gates of Southwoods Hall we turned onto a forest track into South Woods, which we followed to reach Southwoods Lodge.

Huggon Howl and Southwoods Hall

Large lake in front of Southwoods Hall

We pass by the closed gates to the Hall

Southwoods Lodge

On reaching the lodge we followed the track straight ahead through Garbutt Wood, eventually reaching Gormire Lake.  Despite walking quietly and looking carefully, we saw no sign of last walk's golden pheasant.  We walked round the lake to find a sheltered spot and sat watching a heron work his way along the far bank while we enjoyed our coffee and scones.

We take the track straight on from Southwoods Lodge

Gormire Lake appears ahead

A good spot for coffee

A heron on the far bank

There are two terraces around Gormire and TSB explains that these were once shorelines when the lake was much deeper.  Its is often described as bottomless but is actually about 27 feet deep in the centre and covers about twenty six acres.  Tradition has it that a town stood here which was destroyed in an earthquake, but the lake is actually the result of a glacial overflow channel being blocked by a landslip, hence its position up a hillside.  No streams flow from it and its waters are mainly supplied by rain and diminish with evaporation.  A major landslip happened here on the 25th March 1755 which was described by Rev John Wesley as 'like many cannons or rolling thunder'.

Leaving the lake we climbed straight up through Garbutt Wood to reach Sutton Brow.  This is a steep half mile diagonally up the side of the bank and we were much warmer by the time we reached the top.  

From here there is a fine view back to Gormire Lake and to the left over towards Roulston Scar.  After catching our breath we set off past Whitestone Cliff, still looking down at the lake from various vantage points.

A steep climb

Looking over to Hood Hill

We reach the top and walk alongside the gallops

Gormire now far below

 A couple of walkers enjoy the view even though they don't appear to have scones

Now looking back from Whitestone Cliff

We now had a three mile walk along the ridge, passing the remains of several tumuli to our right and with fine views to our left over Boltby.

Eventually we passed by the remains of an old hill fort and quarry and reached the derelict High Barn where we left the ridge at a sign, turning left to descend towards Boltby.

Tom Scott Burns explains that the fort originally had a D shaped rampart enclosing three acres.  Gold earrings from the early Bronze Age have been unearthed, along with pottery from an earlier culture, probably Neolithic.

The sky darkens but the storm clouds soon blow over

Ignore the path to Boltby and continue on the Cleveland Way

Boltby below

Looking over the quarry and hill fort

Approaching High Barn

Looking back at the workings from High Barn

The wooden sign points us down to Boltby

We followed the path steeply downhill past Hesketh Grange Farm, over a couple of bridges and then steeply uphill, back towards Boltby and our car.

Steep descent

We can see the car parked at the top of the hill

Looking back at Boltby Scar from the car park, that sign looks interesting..

A promise of things to come!  It'll soon be March..

Kilburn White Horse Circular Walk

   5.5 miles               Damp and misty

Tom Scott Burns suggests parking at the pay and display car park at the information centre at the top of Sutton Bank.  Alternatively there is a free car park just below the White Horse on Low Town Bank Road, and this gives a better balance to the walk, with Gormire being reached at the half way point.  That is where we parked, but looking up the White Horse was hidden in mist.

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

From the car park we crossed the road and joined a track that follows the road steeply downhill and was very muddy underfoot.  At the bottom of the hill the track rejoins the road where we crossed over and went through a gate with a footpath sign.

Cross the road to start the descent through trees

Our path runs parallel to the road

Wet and muddy underfoot

We followed this farm track through the charmingly named forestry plantation of Happy Valley but any views up to the cliffs of Roulston Scar on our right were obscured by mist.  

Happy Valley Plantation

We leave Happy Valley Plantation and join fields

Hood Farm appears over the fields

Eventually we came to a stile and way mark on our right.  We left the trees and our path entered fields which were slippery with mud. Progress was tricky as we headed towards Hood Farm, directly ahead.

The buildings of Hood Farm were surrounded by deep mud and here we had a problem getting through, without sinking knee deep. Looking at the large farm building we saw that it appeared unoccupied and a couple of windows have been broken.  There were plenty of animals around however and the farm looked busy.

Hood Farm

The right of way takes us through the mud

The farm appears unoccupied

It was very bad underfoot and we were relieved to reach the tarmac of the farm track which we followed to the A170.

Walking along the farm track we saw a neatly tended grave and memorial stone and next to it a smaller plot, marked with a horseshoe, which we presume must belong to a much missed pet.

Boots essential today!

The A170 was busy as always and we walked along it for a hundred yards or so to the entrance to High Cleaves Farm, but almost immediately turned right into a field track to the little valley of Butter Dale, which TSB says was cut by last the Ice Age.

Entrance to High Cleaves Farm

High Cleaves Farm

Crossing Butter Dale

Suffolk sheep at High Cleaves Farm

Following the footpath over a stile a sharp climb took us to the first lake, at Gormire Rigg.  At the end of this lake we turned right and soon reached the waters of Gormire.

The waters of Gormire Rigg, the first lake

Leaving Butter Dale

Arriving at Gormire Lake

We followed the lake round its southern shore and came to a perfectly placed bench made from railway sleepers, an ideal spot for coffee and scones.  On the far side of the lake were a couple of swans but they soon disappeared from view as the mist came down even further.

Our coffee spot...

The mist comes down

Coffee finished we continued around the lake and suddenly saw a flash of colour in the dense trees to our right.  We moved cautiously closer and were delighted to see a Golden Pheasant.  It was tricky to photograph in the gloom, but what a treat!  There are only about 100 breeding pairs in the country and they are notoriously secretive.  For more about the Golden Pheasant click here:

A flash of colour in the gloom

What's that?!

The pheasant refuses to show his best side

Off he goes...

We now faced the long and very steep climb to the top of Whitestone Cliff.  As we climbed the mist disappeared and within ten minutes we had fine views. After twenty minutes we reached the top and turned right on the path, signposted Sutton Bank.  We now had a ridge walk of about 1.5 miles along the top of the escarpment and in the clear skies were now able to enjoy good views into the Vale of Mowbray. 

The mist rises...

... and so do we.  The steep climb of Whitestone Cliff

Nearly at the top, Hood Hill to the right

TSB explains in The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills that during the last Ice Age glacial sheets, unable to override the Cleveland Hills, swept round both sides of the moors carving out the great cliffs at Gormire and Roulston Scar.   

Opposite us we could see the cone shaped summit of Hood Hill where a number of barrows and earthworks are located around the summit.

On top at last

National Trust land so lots of 'information'

Gormire below

We passed by the Information Centre and crossed the A170 again, continuing along the path which apparently was known as Thieves' Highway in olden days.  This was because it was supposed to be a getaway route for robbers who had plundered travellers on the Hambleton road.

The Thieves Highway -  ridge walk

Memorial stone just below the ridge

Gliders

Yorkshire Gliding Club

Hood Farm from the ridge

We walked past the Yorkshire Gliding Club and then past Roulston Scar to reach the top of the White Horse.  Our car lay below and we descended steps alongside the Horse to reach it.  The White Horse no longer appears white and looks sadly in need of renovation.

Grey stones of the Horse's head from the ridge path, our car park below

Starting our descent

The horse from the car park, could do with a lick of whitewash

A short drive took us to the Forresters Arms in Kilburn, which is open all day, and we sat by a welcoming log fire to enjoy our post-walk pint.