Wednesday 9 May 2018

Cleveland Way, Stage 4. Clay Bank to Gribdale Gate

Starting at the car park at Clay bank, today's walk involved a huge loop into the moors in order to remain on the top of the moor edge.  At one point we were actually heading away from our finishing point.  We crossed Round Hill, the highest point of the moors at 1,489 feet (454m) with its trig point standing on top of a Bronze Age burial mound.  We continued along broad land rover tracks until we reached Bloworth Crossing.  Today this is a crossroads for walkers; a junction for the Lyke Wake Walk, Coast to Coast and Cleveland Way long distance footpaths and sits in the middle of featureless moorland.  It is difficult to believe that for 70 years from 1861-1929 it was so busy with travellers on the Rudland Rigg road and rail traffic from the mines in Rosedale carrying ironstone to the Teeside blast furnaces that it warranted level crossing gates and a gatekeeper.

Our route continued along the ancient track-way for a further two and a half miles before descending from Tidy Brown Hill to Kildale where we crossed the Esk Valley railway.  All that remained now was a steep pull up a section of road before climbing gently through woodland to Captain Cook's Monument on Easby Moor.  On the final descent to the car we began to get closer views of Roseberry Topping which for so long had been hanging tantalisingly on the horizon..

By the time the other car had been collected from Clay Bank it was well past beer o'clock so it was a relief to book into the Wainstones hotel where thirsts were quenched.





























No comments:

Post a Comment