Hazel Head to Arnsgill and Cow Ridge

  

 7 miles                       Hot and sunny

For reasons that will soon be apparent we think of this walk as The Lime Kiln Way.   We approached Hazel Head Car Park via a 7 mile drive along the unclassified road from Osmotherley.  We drove past Square Corner and after driving past the ford at Blow Gill ('ravine with the dark ford') parked at Hazel Head car park, some distance uphill.

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

Waterfall at Blow Gill

After donning our boots we returned down the road, back to Blow Gill, where we admired the waterfall and an old lime kiln at the side of the road before climbing back up the road to the entrance to Street Gate Farm.

Lime Kiln at Blow Gill

Close cousins

Turn left here

Tom Scott Burns explains that a number of farmers in the region had their own lime kilns for burning lime, which was then used for lime washing walls and also dressing the land, a custom going back to Roman times. The lime neutralises the acid in the moorland soil allowing more varied crops to be grown.  Three tons of lime were spread per acre.  These high farms would have used the lime to reclaim moorland.

We turned in to the farm track for Street Gate Farm and walked alongside the trees of South Wood.  This track, which joins Street Gate, Hagg House and Birk Wood Farms is usually very wet and difficult to negotiate but the long spell of dry weather we have enjoyed made made today's walk a pleasure.

This is an old lane and TSB tells how these lanes were used by tinkers and pedlars who became very numerous in the Middle Ages.  These travelling salesmen not only sold their goods but also played a big part in circulating news and delivering letters between settlements.

Looking over at Great Arden Moor

Back towards Hawnby Hill

Passing South Wood

Who killed cock robin?

As we walked through South Wood we saw a dead robin on the path.  It was still warm and still had a sheen in its eye so must have just died, but what had killed it?  Old age or fighting with a rival?

Street Gate Farm

Hagg House Farm

Traps laying about at Hagg House Farm

Passing by Hagg House Farm we paused to inspect a large display of traps for mammals and Larson traps for magpies and crows.

Our track now leads towards Birk Wood Farm

Birk Wood, we turn right before the gate

We continued along the green lane until we reached Birk Wood Farm where we turned right and climbed a field to cross a beck and reach a tarmac lane.  Here we turned right and climbed to reach Hall Lane where we paused to examine another lime kiln, dating from around 1800 and restored to its former glory.

Hall Lane and another lime kiln

Weather vane in Hall Lane

We left the Lane at a new gate to start another steep climb to reach the moor.  Here we walked along the edge of the moor, looking over to the grand building of Snilesworth Lodge.  Eventually our path drops from the moor to reach Arnsgill Beck which is crossed by a footbridge.

Approaching the moor gate

Female grouse

Oyster catcher feeling the heat

Leave the path opposite Hill End Farm

Follow an old hollow lane towards Hill End Farm

Drop down to cross Arnsgill Beck

After crossing the beck we climbed steeply once again, this time to Hill End Farm.  On our left we saw yet another lime kiln in good repair.  

Climbing steeply past Hill End Farm

Hill End Farm

Lime kiln at Hill End Farm

Snilesworth Lodge through the trees opposite

Reaching Snilesworth Moor

Our climb took us to the top of Arnsgill Ridge and we followed a shooters' track through the moor gate and past a small plantation of conifers.  We followed this track all along the ridge and, just as it turned down towards Head House, we decided to stop for a coffee.

Lawrence and I stop for coffee and scones

We resumed our walk and turned right to drop down to Head House, an abandoned farm which is now used by the keepers for storage of bird food and the like.  A familiar building as a couple of our walks converge on Head House, which is always unlocked and a good shelter if the weather is poor.

Descending to Head House

The inside is falling into disrepair

Leaving Head House we dropped down to re-cross Arns Gill and then climbed towards Cow Ridge.   Here we came on a lamb which was in a poor way in the heat.  It had flies buzzing around it and was not inclined to move our of our way.  Its mother was nearby bleating and so we prodded it reluctantly onto its feet and it ran to join Mama.  We didn't know whether or not this was the right thing to do but it didn't seem right to let it lie.  Debating our problem lamb we strode out along the moor path for a couple of miles, at one point passing fairly near to the temporary replacements for Bilsdale Mast.

Down to Arns Gill

"This doesn't look good."

A sad lamb

"Gee-up"  It goes to join its mother

Looking back at Head House

Walking along Cow Ridge

Temporary masts, the third is out of sight

We came to a cairn which marks the location of Iron Howe.  TSB points out that all along this stretch are well preserved field boundaries and over 3,000 cairns dating from 2,300 to 800 BC.  Although they don't show well in the photographs they are in fact very noticeable as you walk along this stretch of the path.

We were pleased to see a Golden Plover, which, as it didn't fly away, we suspect was distracting us from its brood somewhere in the heather.

"You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din."  The heat starts to get to Clive.

Golden Plover

Cow Ridge

Iron Howe

Stone remains of Bronze Age dwellings

After Iron Howe we descended gradually back towards Blow Gill.
On our left we spotted the old Wesleyan chapel ruins, where we have stopped to rest on TSB's Hawnby to Hazel Head walk.  Below us we saw the unusually named Scotland Farm, and now on tarmac we dropped back to Blow Gill.  A short drive later and we were discussing the day's sights over a pint in Osmotherley.  This is a nice walk, especially recommended for a fine summer's day.

Scotland Farm

Blue Faced Leicesters in shade at Scotland Farm

The old Wesleyan Chapel