Distance 14.3 miles
Climbing 1055 ft
Weather Fine & Sunny
Difficulty Easy to moderate
Please click on image to expand.
Climbing 1055 ft
Weather Fine & Sunny
Difficulty Easy to moderate
Please click on image to expand.
Before today’s walk we had to decide whether to take two days or three to finish the walk. After some discussion we settled on three days which suited me because this meant the walk would last a little longer. Once the decision was made we left Cote Ghyll for the last time leaving our gear for John to collect later and set off for Clay Bank Top.
When we arrived we noticed a group of young people resting beside the road with two older people nearby, we later found out that they were police cadets on a sponsored Lyke Wake Walk. In recent years the LWW has lost much of its appeal to walkers. There was a time that if I was out walking on or near the route, on most days it would be possible to see two or three groups making the crossing at any one time. In recent years I rarely met anyone on the path, perhaps this is a good thing because the moor was becoming badly eroded but now it is starting to recover.
When we left Clay Bank we had about the only significant hill of the day to climb until we reached Urra Moor by way of Carr Ridge. After a little more than a mile we reached Round Hill which at 1,454 ft above sea level is the highest point of the North York Moors, unfortunately our arrival here coincided with a bit of low cloud which reduced visibility by just enough to obscure the view. The walking was now very easy and almost level as we continued to the old ironstone railway at Bloworth Crossing where what mist there was cleared away and we could now enjoy the views along Farndale as we walked. When we reached the Lion Inn at Blakey we were not ready for a break so we carried on to Fat Betty (aka White Cross) and had our sandwich there. As we ate the police cadets that we had seen earlier passed by looking very energetic as they strode along. This was about the half way point for them and they had started at about 4.00 am so it was going to be a long day.
After lunch we stayed on the road as far as the rough lane to Trough House, round the head of Fryupdale and then along the edge of Glaisdale moor until we arrived at the gate near Glaisdale Head where we had decided to terminate the days walking. We had a short wait while we waited for John to pick us up and take to our latest campsite of the trip at Hawsker. This seemed strange because Hawsker is only about three miles from our homes.
When we arrived we noticed a group of young people resting beside the road with two older people nearby, we later found out that they were police cadets on a sponsored Lyke Wake Walk. In recent years the LWW has lost much of its appeal to walkers. There was a time that if I was out walking on or near the route, on most days it would be possible to see two or three groups making the crossing at any one time. In recent years I rarely met anyone on the path, perhaps this is a good thing because the moor was becoming badly eroded but now it is starting to recover.
When we left Clay Bank we had about the only significant hill of the day to climb until we reached Urra Moor by way of Carr Ridge. After a little more than a mile we reached Round Hill which at 1,454 ft above sea level is the highest point of the North York Moors, unfortunately our arrival here coincided with a bit of low cloud which reduced visibility by just enough to obscure the view. The walking was now very easy and almost level as we continued to the old ironstone railway at Bloworth Crossing where what mist there was cleared away and we could now enjoy the views along Farndale as we walked. When we reached the Lion Inn at Blakey we were not ready for a break so we carried on to Fat Betty (aka White Cross) and had our sandwich there. As we ate the police cadets that we had seen earlier passed by looking very energetic as they strode along. This was about the half way point for them and they had started at about 4.00 am so it was going to be a long day.
After lunch we stayed on the road as far as the rough lane to Trough House, round the head of Fryupdale and then along the edge of Glaisdale moor until we arrived at the gate near Glaisdale Head where we had decided to terminate the days walking. We had a short wait while we waited for John to pick us up and take to our latest campsite of the trip at Hawsker. This seemed strange because Hawsker is only about three miles from our homes.