6 miles Sunny and warm
We approached Osmotherley from the A19 and parked at the side of the road near to The Golden Lion.
In the Domesday Book Osmotherley is known as Asmundrelac, which means 'Asmund's clearing'.
Today's walk from The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills
Osmotherley
We booted up and set off, turning left into Quarry Lane at the Market Cross.
Tom Scott Burns notes that the village was ravaged by William the Conqueror in 1069 and was still described as waste land in its entry in the Domesday Book in 1085.
Tom Scott Burns notes that the village was ravaged by William the Conqueror in 1069 and was still described as waste land in its entry in the Domesday Book in 1085.
He also relates that the village was raided by the Scots on several occasions and a raid in 1315 was so severe that the village was excused all taxation because of the distress it had suffered. A few years later, in 1348, the Black Death carried off nearly half the population of Osmotherley.
We passed by a pinfold on our left before reaching Rueberry Lane.
We passed by a pinfold on our left before reaching Rueberry Lane.
We quickly gained height until we looked back down on Osmotherley. A little further, when the lane becomes a track, is the Lady Chapel founded by Queen Catherine of Aragon in 1515. It is still a religious retreat and we followed the twelve stations of the cross as we approached it.
First Station of the Cross
Passing the Stations of the Cross
The Lady Chapel
Passing by the chapel we dropped down to a field path which we followed, now on the Cleveland Way.
Looking down to the A19 below
Turn right at the gate ahead to join the Cleveland Way
We walked uphill through the birch trees of South Wood to reach transmitter masts. When we walked past this transmitter station in 2014 we noticed a nice sign on the old gate which is mentioned by Wainwright in his 1973 Coast To Coast Guide. Unfortunately the gates have been replaced in the last couple of years and the sign thrown away with the old post.
The old sign at Transmitter Station in 2014
Our track continued straight past the transmitter masts at Beacon Hill and directly onwards until we reached the gate to Scarth Wood Moor. We followed the Cleveland Way path across Scarth Wood Moor, all the time enjoying a fine prospect towards the Cleveland Hills, and in the foreground Whorl Hill.
The Transmitter Station with its new gate
Tree clearance near Scarth Gate
Whorl Hill and Roseberry Topping in the distance
On Scarth Wood Moor
Arriving at Scarth Nick we turn right
Lyke Wake Walk sign at Scarth Nick
Alongside the Swainby to Sheepwash road
TSB explains that during the Ice Age of approximately 20,000 years ago, a glacier from the north enveloped an area 20 - 30 miles wide and 1,000 or more feet thick. It failed to cover the moors but crept into Scugdale depositing materials from Scotland, Cumbria and Durham. Sand, gravel and stones left by meltwater formed the conspicuous mound of Round Hill, the present car park at Sheepwash.
Reaching the water splash at Sheepwash we crossed the bridge and sat on Crabdale beck's stony bank to enjoy our coffee and scones.
Coffee in the sun
After enjoying a break we crossed the beck and climbed up Pamperdale Moor, our path running alongside the woods that drop down to the reservoir. This path is known as High Lane and is the old Drovers' Road. TSB suggests that it was probably used by prehistoric man, the Romans and, before the present day road was made, as a corridor through the Cleveland Hills.
As we walked along High Lane we saw an unusual brick building across the field to our left and as we had plenty of time decided to investigate it further.
Walking along the Drove Road
We cross on to the open moor...
... and walk to the mysterious brick building
This entrance leads to s locked steel door
Clive examines an artificial house martin nest, fallen from the old structure screwed on to the wall
The rear of the building
A previous Google search had revealed it to be one of five 'Starfish' sites built during the last war to protect industry at Teesside by the following means:
A series of iron tanks, raised on gantries, would be set out. These tanks held inflammable liquid that could be ignited and quenched on demand. The fires were lit as soon as German bombers began an attack. When they were quenched, the resulting steam looked like the smoke of a burning city, and enemy pilots would drop their bombs harmlessly on the moors instead. Such decoys were officially known as ‘SF’ or ‘Special Fire’ locations, but were generally called ‘Starfish’ sites.
Looking at the steel entrance we noticed that the door does not quite fit and a narrow mesh covers the top couple of inches. I reached up and using the flash on my camera we were able to see the inside of the Starfish site and were surprised to see it is still in use, although for a different purpose. The facing wall appeared to be covered in astronomical charts and leaflets! I guess this would be a very dark spot at night for star watching although the roof is solid.
We notice a mesh covered opening above the door
The far wall of the Starfish
Right wall and table top
The papers appear to be headed 'Near Earth Asteroids'
We wondered who was spending their nights searching the heavens at this lonely spot?
Curiosity only half satisfied we made our way back over the moor to the Drove Road and continued on our way. As we reached the tarmac road from Osmotherley we saw the ruins of Solomon's Temple, which was built by the eccentric Solomon Metcalf in 1812 and had images of the sun, moon and stars on its walls. Now only fallen stones mark the spot.
Shortly afterwards we reached Chequers Farm. This interesting building was an old inn and held a licence for 300 years until 1945. When it was a hostelry it was famous for keeping an old peat fire alight for 150 years! The sign of the Inn was a chequers board and TSB says this was derived from the chequers that were handed to the drovers to be exchanged for refreshment at the inn. The sign was the cryptic message "Be not in haste, Step in and taste, Ale tomorrow for nothing.' Of course as we all know tomorrow never comes. The old sign has been mounted behind glass on the farm wall.
Chequers Farm
Chequers Inn from Round and About the North York Moors by Tom Scott Burns
The original pub sign, now behind glass
Looking back at the empty Inn sign
TSB notes that drovers used to bring vast herds of cattle from the Highlands of Scotland across the Hambleton Hills on their way to the markets of East Anglia, the Midlands and London. Their average pace was just 2 miles per hour.
We turned right at Chequers Farm where the path heads gently downhill to the two small reservoirs at Oakdale, where we crossed the beck by an old packhorse bridge.
Walking away from Chequers
Passing the entrance to Oakdale reservoir
Attractive conifer garden near Green Lane
Weathervane at Green Lane
Turn right here into Green Lane
Our path descended past White House Farm and then continued across a small bridge over a stream and steeply uphill to where the path crosses a field and into Osmotherley.
Green Lane
Pinch Stiles are common in this region
White House Farm
Bridge over Cote Ghyll
Entering the village along narrow alleyways we noticed an old chapel in the terraced row of cottages, obviously still in use. Tom Scott Burns tells us that John Wesley preached in Osmotherley in 1745 and the chapel was built nine years later. Wesley returned to preach again at Osmotherley in June 1761, and probably used this chapel.
Osmotherley ahead
Alleyway to the High Street contains a Wesleyan Chapel
Wesleyan Chapel entrance
Passing the chapel we entered the busy high street and seized an empty table outside the Three Tuns Inn where we enjoyed a welcome pint and speculated on what the old Starfish was being used for.
Into Osmotherley
To stargazing!
