Eskdale, Danby Dale and Westerdale

8 miles                              Fine and dry

Today we decided that instead of choosing a Tom Scott Burns walk we would visit Westerdale, a secluded village that Clive and I have never really looked around. This little walk starts at Castleton then progresses through Eskdale and Danby Dale before branching off to Westerdale.  

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

Today's walk - GPS route available on request

Looking down to Castleton from the car park

Leaving the car we walked straight downhill towards Castleton, after a couple of hundred yards we turned right at the Esk Valley Walk sign, into the farm track for Didderhowe Farm.

Turn right here into the farm track

The farm track passes several houses...

.. one of which had a peacock resting in the garden

If you look closely you'll see the terrier by the gate that was about to give us a shock

Looking back at Didderhowe Farm and the houses of Castleton

This part of the walk is familiar to us from the Seated Man walk but is so pretty that we never tire of walking it. Passing Didderhowe Farm we entered meadows and for the next mile or so walked along the bottom of the Esk Valley, passing several farms, until we reached Stormy Hall.

Well way-marked meadow paths for the first mile

We join a lane and take the Blakey way

Approaching West Green Farm

Dog weather vane at West Green Farm

Dog in West Green Farm

Placid cattle and calves near Plum Tree Farm

Well placed bridge over boggy ground

West Cliff Farm

Reaching the tarmac lane at Stormy Hall we left the Danby Dale path and turned sharp right uphill towards Castleton Rigg, which we had walked parallel to since entering Esk Dale.  

We saw several peacocks running freely amongst the farm buildings

Geese near Blackmires Farm

Blackmires Farm

Peacock weather vane

We reach the road at Stormy Hall...

... and turn right uphill

Superb views of Danby Dale opened up as we climbed and we paused several times to admire the view before reaching and crossing the main road to follow a footpath across Castleton Rigg.

Here we paused again to take in the fine view and pick out our two immediate objectives, Dale Head and Broad Gate Farms.

Looking back towards Danby Head

Danby Dale

Cross the main road and enter the footpath

Looking down towards Dale Head Farm

We descended steeply to Dale Head Farm where we were interested to see a strange stone building which apparently was a Bee House.  This was built in 1832 to house the straw bee hives or 'skeps', as they were called at the time.  We were impressed to see that even as lowly a building as this featured decorative cornices.

Entering Dale Head Farm

Dale Head farm

Bee House

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 get across.

Here we stopped to chat to a farmer who was cutting the grass with a quad towing a small mower.  He told us he was just taking off thistles and would be liming the field tomorrow.  It's interesting to know that liming is still carried out on these high level fields.

Passing the time of day with the farmer

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 admire Christ Church where we found a suitable spot to enjoy our coffee and scones.

Interesting bridge across Tower Beck

Threatening sky near Broad Gate Farm

Weather vane at Broad Gate Farm

Wall ornament at Broad Gate Farm

We cross the 7-step stiles

Westerdale comes into view

Cottages in Westerdale

Following our break we found the church to be unlocked and had a look around.  There were plenty of information leaflets about the old building.  

Christ Church, Westerdale

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

The leaflets informed us that 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.  Drawings preceding 1838 remain of the old church and show that it was not in the Norman design, apparently because the Night Templars who were lords of the manor here in the 13th  Century, had made changes.  This new church is built in the footprint of the old using the original stone when possible.

We enjoyed looking around the church.  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.

Grave slabs probably from graves of Knights Templars

Looking towards the altar

Altar window

Old window

Modern window

Window in bell tower

We left the church and wandered in the graveyard reading epitaphs.  We were particularly saddened to read one where a family lost four adult sons to smallpox over a period of two months. What a tragedy to befall a single family.

Village hall behind

'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'

Shouldering our rucksacks we left the church to follow the road through the village and were impressed by the unusual design of Westerdale Hall, originally a hunting lodge.  Apparently the hall is built on the site of fortifications used by the Knights Templars.  After WWII it became a youth hostel but is now in private hands again.  

Westerdale Hall

Westerdale hall from the rear

We left the road to cross a couple of fields and skirt the side of the village cricket pitch and then walked uphill crossing several rough and unwaymarked pastures.

We soon entered the moor and as we reached John Breckon Road watched a lone farm worker trying to guide some awkward sheep towards another farmer with a tractor and trailer.  When the sheep ran towards us we stepped forward and helped guide the sheep to where they should be.  The farmers shouted their thanks and we continued across the moor, soon meeting another batch of sheep being chased by a farmer on a quad and dogs.  We pressed back against the wall so as not to frighten the sheep as they ran past.

Round up time

Shoo sheep!

We continue over the moor..

Sheep pass us by...

... pursued by man and dog

Soon we left Westerale Moor behind and followed our path above New Road and Dibble Bridge Farm to return to the car park at Rigg End.

A bit of rough walking

Descent near Carr House

Dibble Bridge Farm

The end of the walk

A short drive took us to the Eskdale Hotel in Castleton where we sat in the garden and enjoyed a pint of Black Sheep while discussing today's very enjoyable walk.