Arden Great Moor Circular

 

10.5 miles         Cool and grey

 

We decided to do a longer walk from The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills which Tom Scott Burns says can be started either at Arden Hall or Square Corner on the Osmotherley to Hawnby road.

We decided on the latter and set off to climb Black Hambleton in a sudden shower of rain which stopped as suddenly as it began.

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

Setting off, Black Hambleton ahead

This sheep was not in mid-jump but remained balanced on top of the wall as we continued uphill

Looking down towards Kepwick

Once on Black Hambleton we walked along the drovers' road known as Hambleton Street, which we followed for about 2.5 miles from Square Corner until we reached the ruins of an old drovers' inn which was known as Limekiln House.

We have often wondered about the exact location of Limekiln House but that was answered today when we were surprised to see a new, gravestone-like, marker.  Close to the marker we saw that Bert's memorial had been uprooted so Clive replanted it.  We've often wondered whether Bert was man or beast, I don't suppose we'll ever know.

 

Bert's memorial uprooted

New marker stone

Clive restores Bert's memorial

We turned left off Hambleton Street at Limekiln House onto a grassy track, which we followed until we reached a gate where we had a surprise view down into the hidden valley of Thorodale.  A slippery mud path led us steeply down into the valley.

Starting the descent into Thorodale

Thorodale Valley

At the end of the valley I had a 'camera moment' when I discovered that my camera wouldn't take photos.  After several minutes of fiddling and cursing I discovered that I had knocked the setting onto 'effects' and after restoring it looked up to see Clive patiently leaning on a gate.

We followed our track through woods with brief glimpses of Thorodale Lake below.  As the track approached Arden Hall we found ourselves walking through masses of snowdrops which TSB suggests were probably planted by the nuns that occupied this site in the Benedictine nunnery of St Andrew, founded in 1148.  All that's left of the nunnery is an old chimney, now embodied into Arden Hall.

TSB says that the name Arden was probably derived from arn, an eagle, and doen, a deep valley - the valley of the eagle.

As we neared the hall we saw more and more little yellow flowers among the snowdrops.  These are winter aconites which are somewhat poisonous and also known as Wolfsbane.  TSB says these were also planted by the nuns.

Wolfsbane

In a secluded spot overlooking a stream we found a bench which we knew was dedicated to three hikers who were killed driving home from a hike in this area.  It is situated in a lovely sheltered spot and was ideal for our coffee stop.

Hikers R.I.P.

We finished our scones and coffee and walked up to Arden Hall, which would  make a good setting for  period drama, before retracing our steps and turning right into fields leading to Mount Pleasant Farm.

Approaching Arden Hall

The front of Arden Hall

Arden Hall

Fields leading to Mount Pleasant Farm

The sun comes out as we look down on Arden Hall, Dale Town Common behind

Coomb Hill from Mount Pleasant Farm

Mount Pleasant Farm

Cheeky sheep at Mount Pleasant

Walking up from the farm we passed the pretty cottage known as Harker Gates then into the woods of North Moor.  We could hear the sound of logging and soon came to the source of the noise.  We watched as a single machine fitted with hydraulic tools cut down trees, stripped the branches and sliced them into 12 foot lengths, the demolition of each tree taking only about 2 minutes.  Another tractor gathered up the lengths and another man loaded them onto  lorry.  Three men were clearing the forest at an amazing rate.

Harker Gates cottage

It took just a few seconds to cut the tree and trim the branches

Can you spot the Jack Russell terrier?

We walk through debris

Our path took us past two ruined farms, Brewster Hill and Cow Wath and then across fields.  We were amused by a metal fox target, lying low on the hillside and showing signs of many bullets.

Brewster Hill farm ruin

Helpful way-mark as the path has disappeared at this point

Fox target

Cow Wath ruins

Passing the ruins of Far House our path ran parallel with the River Rye a hundred yards below .  We would shortly pass the source of the Rye at Dale Head.

Progress was slow on muddy paths as we passed by Low Locker Farm and over a large bridge at Dale Head.

Bridge at Dale Head

Just past Dale Head we saw our last ruined farm before walking across the heather of Low Locker Moor to join the Osmotherley to Hawnby road where we turned left to walk back down to the car.

Far House ruins

Locker Low Moor

'Cheerio'

We didn't reach the car until mid afternoon but fortunately the Queen Catherine at Osmotheley is open all day and we were soon discussing today's walk in front of a roaring fire.

Coomb Hill and Dale Town from Hawnby

6 miles                         Cold and grey

A very cold day promised for the hills so we decided to do a shorter walk that we haven't done for a couple of years.  Tom Scott Burns suggests parking on the grass verge in front of the church but this carries a risk of getting bogged down so we parked at the village hall and walked down the road, adding a mile to TSB's 5 mile walk description.

We approached Hawnby from the Laskill turn-off and drove through the top village, then down to the village hall in the bottom village.

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

Did we or didn't we, and if so how much?

Hawnby bottom village

We walked along the tarmac road to reach All Saints Church which is practically invisible among trees until you are almost on top of it.

TSB explains that the church is basically a Norman structure, rebuilt in the late 14th century and restored in 1876 at a cost of £600, raised by subscription.   It was unlocked so Clive and I went in for a look around and found it to be surprisingly free of damp, considering its location.  

All Saints Church, Hawnby

A fine display of snowdrops

Affliction sore long time I bore, physicians skill were vain, I dying left my husband dear, for God to be his guide

We were interested to see a newspaper cutting from 1924 showing the dedication of the war memorial window and another indicating the shocking number of men from Hawnby parish who were killed in WW1.

There is also a wreath to four German airmen who were killed in 1942 when their plane crashed on nearby Pepper Hill.

Side window at All Saints

Altar window

Looking from the altar towards the memorial window

45 men from Hawnby

The memorial window

We left the church and walked down to Church Bridge where we turned sharp left, then right at an Inn Way sign and started our climb to Coomb Hill.

As we approached the hill we saw the first of the three fallen sheep we passed today, perhaps victims of recent bitter cold nights.

Having gained height we circumnavigated the hill, passing the ruins of two old buildings and dropping down to rejoin the tarmac road we left at Church Bridge.

Walking to the bridge from All Saints Church

Follow the Inn Way sign to Arden Hall

Climbing Coomb Hill

A sad sight on the hill

Entering the trees at Coomb Hill

Leaving the trees in a snow shower

We reach the tarmac and turn left

We walked along the road to reach Arden Hall, passing what TSB describes as 'the small but eerie ravine of Stoney Gill Hole'.  

After the entrance to the hall the tarmac peters out and our road became a track which climbed steeply for three quarters of a mile until reaching a disused quarry overlooking Thorodale Lake.
As we would soon be climbing onto Dale Town Common where there would be no shelter we decided to stop at this quarry.  We sat on the bank with a fine view down to Thorodale Lake and to the right Hawnby Hill, and enjoyed our coffee and scones.

Stoney Gill Hole

The rooftops of Arden Hall

Old North Riding sign, the road to Kepwick is not really passable

Passing the front of Arden Hall

A steep climb to.....

.....our coffee spot.  Hawnby Hill and Easterside Hill beyond

Below us Thorodale Lake, it's time those saplings were cut down!

TSB describes the view of the lake at 'splendid' but as has so often been the case when following in his footsteps, saplings have grown to partly obscure the view in the years since the book was written.

Our path now veered left from the road and across Dale Town Common which takes its name from the medieval lost village to the South East.

At the first gate we came to a dyke that follows the line of a dry stone wall to the right, and we followed this wall.  Apparently the dyke dates from the late Bronze Age, 900 - 600BC, and it is thought that it and other similar dykes were constructed to define the limits of farming settlements.

We arouse some interest on Dale Town Common

We pass an old water tank

Turn left through the gate before the copse of trees

Frozen water tank

Shortly after passing an old water tank we turned through a gate and walked across fields for a mile or so until we reached an old barn where cattle were over-wintering.  We stopped to pass the time of day with a fine bull who was happy to have his head scratched.

Suffolk Rams near the Old Barn

Old Barn

"Good day"

Chewing the fat

"What about us?"

Clive chats to the girls

Just past the old barn our path went through an area of tumuli and TSB explains that before the moorland was enclosed there was a group of about 20 tumuli here, only about 7 or 8 now remain. During the 1850s some excavation work was carried out and in one large mound, 40 - 50 feet diameter and 4 feet high, the skeleton of an Anglo Saxon lady of rank was found preserved in the limestone.  At her head was a bronze bowl with three handles, round her waist a leather girdle inlaid with garnets and her hair was secured with gold and silver.

Remains of tumuli near Old Barn

We start to drop down, Hawnby Hill ahead

Our route now headed towards the perimeter of North Bank Wood before turning sharp left downhill at a sign just before Sunnybank Farm.   There was now a steep and occasionally tricky descent back down to the River Rye.

Farm track to Sunnybank Farm

Lower Hawnby in the distance

Turn left at the sign just before Sunnybank Frm

Steep descent down to the River Rye

Another fallen sheep

As we entered a field with Dalicar Bridge over the river ahead of us we noticed an old shed containing two elderly tractors which we have seen slowly deteriorate over the years.  We stopped to admire them and then crossed the bridge to reach the tarmac road back to Hawnby.  

Last stile of the day

Dalicar Bridge

Vintage tractors

Fordson Tractor badge

As we walked uphill we were surprised by a low flying helicopter.  We could see the words Defence Helicopter Flying School on the side so the pilot was probably learning how to buzz old hikers.

A quick change of footwear and we were ensconced in the Inn at Hawnby to discuss today's walk over a pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord.