The Lord Stones to Cringle Moor and Clough

6 miles                             Cold with sharp showers

As I am recovering from a heavy cold it seemed sensible to do a shorter walk from Tom Scott Burns' 'The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills'.

For the second time in a week we parked at the Lord Stones cafe and after booting up set off to join the Cleveland Way as it climbs up Cringle Moor.

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

In his walker's guide Tom Scott Burns explains that the Lord Stones Cafe takes its name from the Three Lords' Stones tumulus which is situated immediately behind the cafe.  This modern name for the tumulus derives from the three estate boundaries held by the local land owning lords: Helmsley, Busby and Whorlton, which meet here.  The present owners have placed a few 'faux Lord stones' on the green ridge north of the cafe.

We walked over to look at the Lord Stones and saw that a new stone memorial seat has been placed above Busby Moor, giving a fine view towards Middlesbrough and the Tees.

Clive among the Lord Stones

The Lord Stones and Cringle Moor behind

We walk over to the new memorial seat

View from the seat

Curiosity satisfied we set off on the Cleveland Way once more.

We made our way to the summit of Cringle Moor and reached another stone memorial, often called Falconer's Seat and named after Alec Falconer, who wrote the 'Wayfarer' column in the Saturday Evening Gazette in the 1950s.

There's a great view from this spot and the memorial's plaque points out all the surrounding features.

Climbing Cringle Moor

Looking back towards Lord Stones

The view towards Roseberry Topping from Falconer's Seat

Litter warning on Falconer's Seat

Leaving the memorial we walked on and after about 100 yards looked down onto a rock face where long ago, in more literate times, someone carved 'Tempus exploro omnis negotium'.  TSB says this roughly translates as "I'll try anything once and everything in time."  but Google translates it as "Time solves all problems", which sounds more likely, though not as much fun.

Tempus exploro omnis negotium - Highbrow graffiti

We walked east across the ridge and then negotiated the steep descent from Cringle Moor (from Cranimoor - circular moor) with care on the wet stones. Passing the old stone remains of Donna Cross we reached a new Road Traffic Sign which some idiot department has placed in the most unsightly manner on the moor. Cars cannot reach this place and the type of person who would bring a motorcycle up here is not likely to pay attention to it but now walkers will have their view spoiled by this ugly sign, what are the authorities thinking!

Crossing Cringle Moor

View from Cringle Moor

Descending Cringle Moor

The remains of Donna Cross

What are they thinking?!

Just past this ridiculous sign there is a wooden signpost pointing towards Beak Hills and this is where we turned right, leaving the Cleveland Way.  Initially there is no path but having crossed a field we passed through a gate and joined a farm track that changes from grass to stone as one progresses and eventually becomes tarmac. 

TSB says this was an ancient pannier-man's trod, along which lime, fish, salt, jet and alum were once transported.  It now joins the farms of Beak Hills, Cold Moor Cote and Stone Intake to the Chop Gate to Carlton road.

There were several horses grazing here, one of which decided to investigate us but fortunately after a bit of fuss rejoined his pals.

Bear right

Turn right to Beak Hills

Through the gate...

.. oh Heck!

He just wants a bit of fuss!

Sheep at Beak Hills Farm

Passing Cold Moor Cote Farm we paused to admire their hardy Galloway cattle before continuing along the road to turn off at a stile just before Stone Intake Farm.

The track becomes a tarmac road..

.. and passes Cold Moor Cote Farm

Galloway Cattle

Reaching Stone Intake Farm we turned right into a field at a stile just before the farm buildings, and descended via several fields as we dropped down to Raisdale Beck, soon reaching the Chop Gate to Lords Stone road.  We followed the tarmac lane for a hundred yards or so before turning left into a drive leading to Raisdale Mill.

Leaving the road at Stone Intake

Descend through fields...

Looking back to Stone Intake Farm

...to reach the road

Raisdale Beck

The old mill buildings

Here, amongst the mill buildings with some strange old fairy decorations watching us from the trees, we stopped at an old picnic table to enjoy our coffee and scones.

Numerous old decorations at Raisdale Mill

Refreshed we set off from the mill, across the fields alongside Raisdale Beck.  The grass was extremely wet after after recent heavy rain and we splodged along until we reached a conifer plantation and forestry path which made much easier walking.   

We followed the forestry track until it crosses Raisdale Beck and swings sharply left.  At this point we turned right, following a yellow waymark sign into fields and towards the remains of the hamlet of Clough.

The word Clough comes from the Anglo-Saxon for a valley with steep sides and this Clough is a rather sad spot with fairly extensive ruins showing that it was once a thriving community.  

Looking back to Raisdale Mill

Walking by Raisdale Beck

The view as we approach Clough

The ruins of Clough...

... with the beginnings of Barkers Ridge behind

Beyond Clough the path crosses several boggy, reedy fields.  There is no path as such but yellow waymarks indicate the way at every field boundary.  We continued straight ahead until we reached Staindale Farm where we were greeted by noisy dogs.  We passed the hounds and entered the farmyard to be greeted by more noise, this time from two turkeys.

"Hello" we said, "are you getting ready for Christmas?"  

"They are not!" said a voice from behind us, and we stopped to chat to the lady farmer who explained that the birds were 'Rescue Turkeys' that she had grown very fond of. She said that they had loads of character and she had told her husband that they couldn't be eaten until they died of old age!

Mine workings on Wath Hill opposite Staindale Farm

Staindale Farm in the distance

A noisy reception

Sheep weather vane at Staindale farm

Rescue turkeys

Getting a bit of fuss

Saying goodbye to the farmer we left the farmyard and, after stopping again this time to pet a couple of alpacas, we continued following yellow way marks through fields soon reaching Thwaites House, and shortly after, the tarmac road almost adjacent to the Lords Stone Cafe.

Alpacas like a bit of fuss too!

More field walking...

... to reach Thwaite House

Pond and Cringle Moor from Thwaite House

Glamping accommodation at Lord Stones

We were soon seated in the Lord Stones cafe enjoying a pint of Black Sheep and discussing today's walk, which  although short is enjoyable and ideal for a winter's day.

Exploring Scugdale from Carlton Bank

7 miles           Cold and misty

It is 2.5 years since I last blogged this walk.  How time flies and this is a good walk and certainly worth revisiting even though today's weather forecast is poor.

Today was my birthday and for the first time in five years I forgot to pack my camera. I hope this is not a sign of advancing years.  This necessitated that today's photos be taken with my phone so please excuse their quality.

We drove up Carlton Bank to the Lord Stones Cafe and parked in their car park, knowing that we would repay their hospitality on our return.

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

Lord Stones Cafe

We walked back along the Carlton road until we reached a new Cleveland Way sign, and turned left off the road to follow it uphill.  Almost immediately we turned right from the Cleveland Way and followed the wide access road for the old Gliding Club (now demolished) steadily uphill. We should have had views over the Cleveland Hills towards Roseberry Topping but visibility was poor with low cloud and a fine drizzle.

Turn off the Carlton road at this Cleveland Way sign

Turn off the main track at the footpath sign

Passing Stone Ruck

Reaching the moor top we turned left off the access road where a footpath sign indicated our track across the heather.  The first feature one comes to on this path is the rocky outcrop of Stone Ruck.  Tom Scott Burns explains that Ruck is derived from the Old Norse bruga meaning 'to pile or heap up', as in a cairn.  

Bleak moors path

We followed the path for a mile or so across the moor until we came to Brian's Pond which looked dark and uninviting today.  There was no sign of life so we continued on our way climbing steadily over Clough Gill Top, where a signpost indicates a choice of routes. 

Brian's Pond (north end) We'd like to know the origin of the name, nothing found online.

Brian's Pond (south end)

Turn right

We took the right fork that ascends steadily to the moor rim where we suddenly came upon the valley of Scugdale.   To our right were the rocks of Barker's Crags and below us the buildings of Scugdale Hall.

Scugdale comes into view

Barker's Crags

Looking down into Scugdale

TSB refers to Scugdale as 'the sheltered dale' from the Danish skygger - to overshadow.  

We descended across a couple of fields to reach the dale road where we turned left to walk towards the top of the valley and High House.   Over the years the dales road has been strengthened with stones, tarmac,  pottery and bricks and we found several old bricks embedded in the lane bearing the name Old Linthorpe.  A google search shows that these bricks were manufactured by a George Grubb Dalton, Brick Manufacturer, Builder & Contractor, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, who is recorded in the London Gazette as giving Notice of Intended Dividends on the 13th November 1888.

Walking down to the Dales road

Old Linthorpe brick

We followed the dales road south to reach High House. TSB records that in this old farmhouse lived Harry Cooper who was reputed to be the tallest man in the world, standing at 8'6".  He left Scugdale to join Barnum's Circus in America and died in 1898 at the age of 41.

The house is currently unoccupied and its outbuildings falling into ruin.  Just beyond the house we turned right off the lane into fields at a dilapidated stile.  This part of the walk appears untrodden but there are guiding way-marks at field boundaries and we descended to reach and cross Scugdale Beck where we found (as on our previous visit) the old bridge that continues to serve no useful purpose, having been displaced by winter storms some years ago.  

High House

Dilapidated stile

Head down towards the trees and beck

Scugdale Beck

Unfortunately you have to cross the stream to reach the bridge!

We crossed the beck and climbed up a steep bank to join the faint path that took us down the valley, walking under old alum workings. When we reached some grassy banks just before Holiday House we stopped and enjoyed our coffee and scones looking across at Scugdale Hall.

Approaching Holiday House

Scugdale Hall through the mist.  From our coffee stop

After enjoying our coffee and scones we set off once more and almost immediately came upon a young black sheep, pressed against the fence and looking very sorry for itself.  It was covered in brambles which had wrapped around its haunches and back end so that any movement must have been very painful.  Clive spent ten minutes carefully removing the thorns and then as an treat, gave the grateful sheep an apple which it ate very gingerly, apparently having made its mouth sore pulling at the brambles.

Clive starts at the top..

.. and works his way along the sheep

The brambles had penetrated its wool

Ooh that's better..!

Enjoying an apple and looking much happier

Passing Holiday House we followed its long access track to the dale road, where we turned left and walked for a mile or so to reach the farm buildings of Fog Close.  Here we turned right into the farm's track at a footpath sign, and then right again before reaching the farm buildings, before turning left and walking up the side of the farm towards Live Moor.

Holiday House

Sheepdogs at Holiday House

Crow or magpie totem at Holiday House near game feeders

Back on the dale road..

... to reach Fog House Farm

After a steep climb to reach Live Moor we followed the escarpment with a misty view down into the charmingly named and little known valley of Snotterdale, to which there is no road or path access. 

Along the ridge of Live Moor

Snotterdale

Looking back to Scugdale

Opposite a conifer plantation the path turns left across Carlton Moor where we were soon walking on the old gliding station runway, before crossing to join the Cleveland Way/Coast to Coast walk that follows the ridge with spectacular views all the way to a trig point at 1338 feet.  

The mist comes down and the rain starts on the old glider runway

Passing a weather station on the Cleveland Way footpath

No views today but this was our view last time, from the Cleveland Way

We reach the trig point and a standing stone on Carlton Moor

Starting to descend...

.. and visibility improves slightly as we approach Lord Stones Cafe

From here we took the steep and stony path down to the road and then to the Lord Stones Cafe where we cheerfully repaid our parking debt by purchasing a couple of pints of Black Sheep Ale.

'It doesn't have to be fun to be fun!'