Distance: 4 miles Time to complete walk: 2 hours
Safety Tips: Part of the walk is on the exposed moor and farm tracks. Wear sun protection if sunny and wrap up if the weather is cold. There is a short climb into the trees and a more steady climb up to Wethercote Farm. Take a walking stick if there has been recent rainfall. Ideally complete the walk after dry weather as the track can get muddy.
A peaceful walk through Bilsdale, from Fangdale Beck, a small village. Most of the walking is through fields following waymarked gates which helps you to get your bearings on the walk. There are fine views of the surrounding countryside all round and the Bilsdale transmitter. There are pubs in Chop Gate, the nearest village if wanting refreshments or food after the walk.
The Bilsdale Walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough, go up Ormesby Bank and follow the A172 to Stokesley. Take the B1257 into Great Broughton and follow it past Chop Gate. Look for a right turning into Fangdale Beck which is where the walk starts. Park near the small wooden bridge.
Map of the Bilsdale Walk
The Walk
From your parked car, cross the small bridge and head towards the converted church.
Converted church
Turn right from the church and follow a lane to Malkin Bower farm.
Follow the lane
Look for a gate as you pass through the farm and go through the gate onto a walled track.
Go through gate at the farm
Follow the lane through several gates until you come to the end of the lane. You will notice a gate where the lane ends with the waymark directing you to the right. Enter the field and follow the field to the right and then left to a gate in its top right corner.
Follow the waymarked gate to the right of the field
Go through gate in the top corner of the field
Follow the path past Helm House Farm and through several fields following the direction of the waymarked gates. There are good views of the moor to your left. (You are at marker 1 on the map)
View of the moors
Follow the track past Helm House Farm
You will come to a fork in the track. Head through the gate on the right following the direction of the waymark.
Go through the gate on the right
Follow the direction of the waymarks until you come to a gate which has the forest ahead. Head in a diagonal direction until you come to a gate in the top right of the field which takes you onto a forest track.
Head diagonally through the field
Gate leading to the forest track
Climb into the pine woods until you come onto the open fields above.
Follow the track through the woods
Continue on the track
Follow the track and you will soon come to a road. Turn right and follow the road into Wethercote Farm. The road is a steady climb. (You are at marker 2 on the map)
Follow the road towards Wethercote Farm
When you come to the first of the farm buildings on your right immediately double back through a gate on the left.
At the farm, double back to go through the gate to your left
Go through the gate on your left
Follow the wall round to the right. At the end of the second field, go through a gate on your right and then through a gate to your left.
In the second field go through the gate on your right
(You are at marker 3 on the map)
Head through the gate on your left
Continue on through more fields and then onto the open moor. Look for a view of the Bilsdale Transmitter to your left.
Go through gate onto the open moor
View of the Bilsdale Transmitter
On the moor, keeping the forest close to you on your right hand side, follow the track until you come to the second gate to the right out of the moor. The second gate is shortly after the first gate.
Follow the moorland track
Go through the second gate on your right
The field which is full of rabbit warrens, is steep and following the safest path you can find, head towards the bottom left of the field onto a track.
Head down the field
Head towards the bottom left hand side of the field
Join the track
Follow the track which falls steeply back to the first farm you passed and turn left back on the road into Fangdale Beck.
Follow the track down to the farm
Turn left onto the road and follow it back to Fangdale Beck
Bilsdale
The dale is divided between two civil parishes and districts. The upper part of the dale comprises the civil parish of Bilsdale Midcable in the district of Hambleton. The lower part of the dale is in the civil parish of Hawnby in the district of Ryedale.
The place-name is derived from an Old Norse personal name Bildr, and so means "Bildr's valley".
In the 12th century the northern part of the dale was granted to Kirkham Priory, and the southern part to Rievaulx Abbey. Bilsdale Rievaulx was itself divided by the River Seph. The part to the west of the river became the township of Bilsdale Westside in the parish of Hawnby. The part to the east became part of the township of Bilsdale Midcable, which also included Bilsdale Kirkham, in the parish of Helmsley. An area above Laskill became a separate township of Helmsley parish, known as Laskill Pasture. At the Dissolution both Bilsdale Kirkham and Bilsdale Rievaulx were granted to Thomas Manners, Earl of Rutland. His successors sold the estate in 1687 to the Duncombe family.
In the 19th century jet was extensively mined in the dale.
The townships of Bilsdale Westside, Bilsdale Midcable and Laskill Pasture became separate civil parishes in 1866. Bilsdale Westside and Laskill Pasture became part of the new Ryedale District in 1974, and were subsequently absorbed into the civil parish of Hawnby.
In 1971 Bilsdale transmitting station was erected above the dale on Bilsdale West Moor.
No comments:
Post a Comment