7 miles Dry but turning to heavy rain
We approached Wass from the A19 Thirsk turn off, via Coxwold, and parked our cars at the village hall near to the tiny Church of St Thomas.
The church is locked because of the corona virus so we were unable to look around. Tom Scott Burns doesn't mention the building but it once served as the village school and appears to have been built using stone from nearby Byland Abbey.
We walked away from the pub along a road that soon loses its tarmac and becomes little more than a track.
Take the track to the left before the gate in order to see the observatory. The woods are little walked and the paths are a mass of briars but we like to visit the observatory, hoping that one day we will find it unlocked for our inspection and that someone has felled the saplings that obstruct the view.
We retraced our steps through the wood to the gate where we turned left into fields.
According to TSB these fields were the scene of the Battle of Bylands in 1322, when King Edward II was defeated by Sir Robert de Brus of Scotland. The King only escaped by 'the very pity of Christ' leaving behind in his flight the royal treasure and the crown jewels. This would be a great field to search with a metal detector!
He told us that the dry weather had been good for the lambs. Apparently they digest dry grass better than heavy wet grass and they were in fine fettle this year. We asked about the Observatory and he told us he looked after it. It had been broken into in February hence the missing padlock. He told us there are three rooms in the folly but nothing of value although he understood our desire to see the view from the top.
We went on to have quite a long discussion about the hobby of hiking and he told us that he too, had recently taken it up as a pastime.
Saying goodbye we continued through fields to reach Cockerdale wood where we had a tricky and slippery descent through the trees, eventually emerging on a field before Cockerdale Farm.
Passing by Cockerdale House we climbed up a hill where we paused to look back towards Byland Moor. There was no wind here and it made a good spot to stop and enjoy our coffee and scones.
Just as I finished my flask of coffee it started to rain heavily and we quickly changed into waterproofs before setting off towards Mode Hill, where a decision would have to be made whether to turn off our route to walk to the chapel at Scotch Corner.
Reaching Mode Hill the rain became even heavier and we reluctantly turned left away from the chapel. We didn't want to risk climbing to the chapel in heavy rain only to find its grounds locked because of the social distancing rules.
We walked down Mode Hill and joined a tarmac road for a hundred yards before turning left past the impressive building of Oldstead Hall, built by John Wormald who also constructed the Observatory.
We turned right just before the hall and climbed to fields running behind the property. Here we chatted to a lady who was taking down the 'seat protection' we have often laughed about on previous walks. She agreed that it was pointless as a beast could just reach over and help itself to your sandwiches unless it had a very short neck.
We walked through wet fields before turning right onto the tarmac of the Oldstead to Byland Road then left to walk through fields once more and passing by Oldstead Grange Farm and then Cam Heads Farm.
We now crossed a series of linking field tracks to reach the ruins of Byland Abbey.
TSB tells us that the church, in itself 330 feet long, was fringed by chapels and columns, only traces of which remain. When the Abbey was dismantled in 1540 after the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII it housed 25 monks as well as the Abbot. Like everything else at the moment it is closed to the public.
We walked past the Abbey ruins, admiring a Spitfire weather vane at the house opposite, and continued to Abbey House before crossing fields that took us back to Wass and our cars.
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| Today's walk from The Walker's Guide to the Hambleton Hills |
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| Village Hall at Wass |
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| St Thomas' church, rear |
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| St Thomas front |
The church is locked because of the corona virus so we were unable to look around. Tom Scott Burns doesn't mention the building but it once served as the village school and appears to have been built using stone from nearby Byland Abbey.
TSB does tell us, however, that Wass comes from the Middle English wathes, meaning fords, the village having two such crossings.
We walked back down to the crossroads and turned right at the Stapylton Arms. A couple of years ago this was the Wombwell Arms and we would enjoy a pint at the end of our walk, but now renamed and freshly painted, it remains closed because of the epidemic.
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| The Stapylton Arms |
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| Walking through Wass |
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| Keeper's Cottage, Wass |
We walked away from the pub along a road that soon loses its tarmac and becomes little more than a track.
We passed a sign to Cam Farm and Observatory, the only sign that mentions the observatory that we have noticed, then passed through woods with Blind Side Gill to the right and Abbey Bank Noddle to the left. This is a steady climb that suddenly becomes steeper as one follows the path off the track to the ridge of Snever Scar.
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| Blind Side Gill to the right and Abbey Bank Noddle to the left |
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| Alongside Abbey Bank Noddle |
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| We start to climb... |
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| .. to the ridge |
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| ... of Snever Scar |
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| Walking along Snever Scar |
TSB praises the surprise view of the Vale of York from Snever Scar but that has long since been spoiled by quick growing saplings. Indeed it has become much more obstructed in the few years that we have walked here. The path leads along the ridge and then descends until it reaches a track that makes its way left uphill, just before reaching a gate and open fields.
Take the track to the left before the gate in order to see the observatory. The woods are little walked and the paths are a mass of briars but we like to visit the observatory, hoping that one day we will find it unlocked for our inspection and that someone has felled the saplings that obstruct the view.
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| Recent rain has made the bracken shoot up |
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| Turn left off our route |
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| .. and walk through Snever woods |
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| .. to reach the Observatory |
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| "Here hills and waving groves a scene display, And part admit and part exclude the day, See rich industry smiling on the plains, And peace and plenty yell VICTORIA reigns!, Happy the MAN who to these shades retires, Whom nature charms and whom the muse inspires, Who wandering thoughtful in this silent wood, Attends the duties of the wise and good, To observe a mean, be to himself a friend, To follow NATURE and regard his end" |
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| Still locked! |
We noticed that the padlock and hasp had been broken off the door and wondered if it had been left insecure but a check revealed it was still securely locked.
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| John Wormald in the first year of the reign of Queen Victoria caused this observatory to be erected |
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| Rhododendrons make a nice button hole |
We retraced our steps through the wood to the gate where we turned left into fields.
According to TSB these fields were the scene of the Battle of Bylands in 1322, when King Edward II was defeated by Sir Robert de Brus of Scotland. The King only escaped by 'the very pity of Christ' leaving behind in his flight the royal treasure and the crown jewels. This would be a great field to search with a metal detector!
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| Leaving Snever Wood |
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| The site of a great battle |
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| Cam Farm |
We walked alongside the site of the battle and then crossed fields to Cam House Farm where we met the farmer doing his rounds, and were able to have a good chat with him about the area.
We went on to have quite a long discussion about the hobby of hiking and he told us that he too, had recently taken it up as a pastime.
Saying goodbye we continued through fields to reach Cockerdale wood where we had a tricky and slippery descent through the trees, eventually emerging on a field before Cockerdale Farm.
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| Walking through Cockerdale Wood |
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| Steep descent through the woods |
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| Leaving the woods |
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| Cockerdale House |
Passing by Cockerdale House we climbed up a hill where we paused to look back towards Byland Moor. There was no wind here and it made a good spot to stop and enjoy our coffee and scones.
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| Coffee with a view |
Just as I finished my flask of coffee it started to rain heavily and we quickly changed into waterproofs before setting off towards Mode Hill, where a decision would have to be made whether to turn off our route to walk to the chapel at Scotch Corner.
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| "I'm getting wet!" |
Reaching Mode Hill the rain became even heavier and we reluctantly turned left away from the chapel. We didn't want to risk climbing to the chapel in heavy rain only to find its grounds locked because of the social distancing rules.
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| Scotch Corner chapel on a previous visit |
We walked down Mode Hill and joined a tarmac road for a hundred yards before turning left past the impressive building of Oldstead Hall, built by John Wormald who also constructed the Observatory.
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| House in Oldstead |
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| Oldstead Hall |
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| Turn right uphill |
We turned right just before the hall and climbed to fields running behind the property. Here we chatted to a lady who was taking down the 'seat protection' we have often laughed about on previous walks. She agreed that it was pointless as a beast could just reach over and help itself to your sandwiches unless it had a very short neck.
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| Behind Oldstead Hall |
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| The old seat protection is removed |
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| Still not a good place to sit, too damp! |
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| How it looked on our last visit |
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| Near Oldstead Grange Farm |
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| Sheltering from the rain |
We now crossed a series of linking field tracks to reach the ruins of Byland Abbey.
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| Byland Abbey ruins |
TSB tells us that the church, in itself 330 feet long, was fringed by chapels and columns, only traces of which remain. When the Abbey was dismantled in 1540 after the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII it housed 25 monks as well as the Abbot. Like everything else at the moment it is closed to the public.
We walked past the Abbey ruins, admiring a Spitfire weather vane at the house opposite, and continued to Abbey House before crossing fields that took us back to Wass and our cars.
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| One of my favourite weather vanes |
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| We pass the Abbey Tea Rooms - closed! |
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| The front of the Abbey from the road |
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| Approaching Abbey House |
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| Abbey House |
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| Oh 'eck, we have to pass those beasts! It's ok, they aren't interested |
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| The rain proves that it can indeed get heavier |
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| A nice box hedge in Wass |
