The Hanging Stone and High Cliff from Gribdale Gate

 

8 miles                          Fine and still

We parked at Gribdale Gate which was already busy with the arrival of a large walking group.  We booted up and headed straight up Great Ayton Moor before they set off.

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

In The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills, Tom Scott Burns relates a curious belief from a 19th century book called 'Customs of North Riding' which states, 'Anyone who dares to stand near Gribdale Gate at midnight on New Year's Eve will see an old man pass through the gate and vanish'.  No such ghosties for us today and our fast pace made sure we left the walking group behind.

Walking over Great Ayton Moor

Fine views of Roseberry Topping to our left

Lovely bright conditions for photography today which is just as well as I had to take today's photos with my phone.  In my haste to pack my bag I had forgotten my camera.

After reaching the moor the footpath follows a dry stone wall where there are views over to Roseberry Topping.  We came to a gate at Newton Moor but turned right just before it. Tom Scott Burns mentions that this is the site of a chambered cairn, part of a complex Neolithic burial site dating from the Bronze Age, roughly 2300 - 800BC, a time when these moors were covered with mixed forest and woodland clearance was just beginning to take place. By the Iron Age the site was treeless and cultivation was in progress.  Following that period heather spread across the moor replacing farmland, so the moors have in fact looked much as they do now since the Iron Age.

Early walkers are already on the summit of Roseberry

We take a moment to spot landmarks

Walking towards the coast and wind farm

We followed the distinct path through the remains of a conifer wood which TSB describes as 'a corridor of trees rinsed with the scent of pine.'  No more, I'm afraid, as those trees have gone to the Biomass power station.  However, new growth in the form of mixed woodland is springing up around our path and is quite dense.  In fact it would now be very easy to miss the turn which leads to a surprise view of Hanging Stone and Guisborough below.

New woodland springing up around our path

TSB believes the massive block of sandstone which is Hanging Stone may have been part of an ancient quarry.  We descended the short distance to stand on the rock with its exhilarating view.

The surprise view ...

... of Hanging Stone and Guisborough

We are disappointed to find no interesting old graffiti

I step out for a better look, so far and no further!

The track falls steeply from the Hanging Stone and is always slippery, so we took our time descending through the trees to briefly join a connecting track through Hutton Lowcross Woods, then turning left, to again descend to reach Hutton village road.  Turning right along the road we entered Hutton village, which was built as a model village during ironstone mining of the 1850s.  At the end of the village the track climbs towards Bold Venture Gill.

The path drops below the stone..

.. and the descent is always slippery and wet

Hutton Lowcross Woods

The path to the road at Hutton Village

The Rover V8

We do this walk every couple of years and are always pleased to see a magnificent old Rover V8, still roadworthy, in Hutton Village.  We looked for it today and there it was!

The village road leads to Bold Venture Gill and a steep concrete track into forestry land.  We stayed on this track ignoring all turn-offs and noted much recent forestry work.  No longer are there 'endless rows of conifers' as described in 'The Walker's Guide to the Cleveland Hills'.  A convenient bench near to the nab made an ideal coffee stop and we ate our scones with a fine view.

Through the gate, Bold Venture Gill on the right

A steep climb towards Highcliffe Nab

Highcliffe Nab from our coffee stop

Refreshment break with a fine vista

Leaving our bench we left the main track to walk beneath Highcliffe Nab.  Now on Guisborough Moor we looked down on Highcliffe Farm and strode out across Codhill Heights.  'Cod' being derived from the Viking word 'Keld', which means 'spring'. On the far side of Sleddale men were setting fires for controlled burning of the moor.

A last look at Highcliffe Nab

Through the gate to Guisbrough Moor

Highcliffe Farm

Codhill Heights

Sleddale below

Controlled burning on the far side of Sleddale

Sleddale is apparently derived from the old English 'slaed', a wide flat valley.  Soon isolated Sleddale Farm came into view and here we turned right, away from the farm.

Sleddale Farm

At the farm gate we turn right...

... and follow the farm track across the moor

We joined a road that serves as the access road to Sleddale Farm.  After a while we came to a T junction with Percy Cross Rigg Road and turned right into it, enjoying the views in all directions.

We  followed Percy Cross Road until we came to a small fenced area which is the site of several Iron Age huts that were excavated in the 1960s.  On our last visit the heather had been cut back to reveal the shape of the huts but this has now re-grown.

Clive at the junction with Percy Rigg Road

A walk on tarmac

Iron Age Huts Site

Iron Age Hut remains

We walked along Percy Cross Rigg, once a prehistoric track connecting settlements at Eston Moor, Great Ayton Moor and the Crown End Settlement in Westerdale, until we reached a gate and information board at Percy Cross Rigg.   Here there is a meeting of paths that is actually the junction of four parishes, Guisborough, Kildale, Great Ayton and Hutton Lowcross, although there is no sign to that effect. 

This junction is where we turned left from Percy Cross Rigg to cut across the moor on a green path with Lonsdale Bowl to our left.   Looking at the map of the walk (above), you will see that this took us alongside Lonsdale Plantation.   The trees shown on the map have now been felled, but in this case with the advantage that there is now a good view of Lonsdale Bowl.  

North York Moors Graffiti

Lonsdale Bowl

On Great Ayton Moor

We followed our path across Great Ayton Moor for the final leg of our walk, dropping down from the moor to retun to the car at Gribdale Gate.  A short drive took us to the Royal Oak at Great Ayton where we discussed today's walk over a pint.

Captain Cook's Monument appears on the horizon

A steep descent to Gribdale

Looking along Gribdale

Two Days in the Lakes

 

No TSB blog this week as I was walking in the Lakes with my old pal Roger!

Skiddaw Little Man

Day 1               A walk round Blencathra, Skiddaw and Latrigg

Day 2                A low level walk in the Langdales

Maps and some photos here

The Lord Stones to Cringle Moor and Clough

 

6 miles                             Windy and dry

We decided on one of Tom Scott Burns' shorter walks today and parked at the Lord Stones Cafe knowing that we would repay this hospitality later.

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

The Lord Stones Cafe

In his walkers' 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.

The cafe is a Hobbit-like building built into the side of the hill and we walked beside it it to start our walk, passing a dedication to Alec Falconer, who as 'Rambler' wrote a walking column in the Evening Gazette in the 1950s and 60s.

Faux Lord Stones

'Wayfarer'

We set off to climb Cringle Moor, walking on the Cleveland Way, and on reaching its summit admired another tribute to Alec Falconer, this time a memorial seat and viewpoint overlooking the Tees Valley.

Looking back down Cringle Moor towards Lord Stones

Clive at Falconer's Seat

Poem on the seat

The view, how many can you see on a clear day?

As well as writing a walking column Alec Falconer was a founding member of Middlesbrough Rambling Club in 1912 and was a campaigner for walkers' rights.  He was much involved in the planning of the Cleveland Way which passes this spot, but sadly died a year before it was opened.

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.

Amazing view from Falconer's Seat

Cringle Moor ridge walk

Tempus exploro omnis negotium - Highbrow graffiti

You have to look hard to make out the letters and Clive resolved to bring his wire brush next time we walk here, to make it more visible to passing walkers.

After following the ridge path we negotiated the steep descent from Cringle Moor (from 'Cranimoor' - circular moor) with care on the damp stones. Passing by the old stone remains of Donna Cross we came to a wooden signpost pointing towards Beak Hills and this is where we turned right, leaving the Cleveland Way.  

Starting to descend from Cringle Moor

Donna Cross

Donna Cross is an ancient wayside cross and is believed to mark the descent from the moor to Kirby. The letter E is engraved on the north face of the stone and F on the south, representing the landowners Emmerson and Feversham, indicating that it was also used as a boundary stone.

Turning right at the Beak Hills signpost there is initially no path but having crossed a field and passed through a gate we joined a farm track that changes from grass to grit to stone as it 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 connects the farms of Beak Hills, Cold Moor Cote and Stone Intake to the Chop Gate to Carlton road.

Beak Hills sheep have had their tails trimmed ready for the tup

Pannier-man's trod

We reach Beak Hills Farm

Beak Hills pheasant

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.

Cold Moor Cote Farm

Galloways at Cold Moor Cote Farm

Leave the tarmac at Stone Intake Farm

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.

Descending through fields at Stone Intake

Stone Intake Farm

Turning in to Raisdale Mill

Reaching the mill buildings we chatted to the owners about the history of the buildings and they told us we were welcome to use their picnic table for our coffee break, which we did.

Raisdale Mill buildings

A gargoyle at Raisdale

Two more, enjoying their coffee break

Our picnic table among the mill buildings

Refreshed we set off from the mill, across the fields alongside Raisdale Beck.  We soon 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.  

Walking alongside Raisdale Beck

Autumn colours

We join a forestry track

Turn off towards Clough

Ruins at Clough

Walking through Clough

Beyond Clough the path crosses several boggy, reedy fields.  Actually 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 and a couple of quieter alpacas.

Mine workings on Wath Hill on the opposite side of the valley

Staindale Farm appears in the distance

The horse showed little interest in hikers

Staindale Farm

Alpacas

After Staindale Farm we continued following yellow way marks through fields, soon reaching Thwaites House and shortly after, the tarmac road almost adjacent to the Lord Stones Cafe.

"We're prettier than alpacas"

Thwaites House

Thwaites House

Pond at Thwaites House

Glamping pod at Lord Stones

We returned to the car park and after changing out of boots, sat outside the cafe in a sheltered spot to enjoy our beer and discuss the day's short but pleasant walk.