Category: Guisborough
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Highcliff Nab
From Bousdale Wood, near Pinchinthorp. A sandstone crag overlooking the town of Guisborough. On the northern edge of the North York Moors and a popular climbing venue, first ‘discovered’ for climbing in the 1930s. There is a Mesolithic site just beyond the summit. The Nab must have made a fine lookout for the hunters over…
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Quakers' Causeway
One of the best preserved pannierways on the North York Moors. It crosses Commondale Moor in a south westerly direction to White Cross. Its true purpose is not known. And difficult to date with any degree of confidence. Perhaps it is one of the pannierways mentioned in the foundation document of Guisborough Priory in the 12th…
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Spawood Mine Powder House
Even in the bright summer sunshine it’s dark beneath the tree canopy of Spawood near Slapewath. The powder house stored black powder, the explosive used in the ironstone mines. To minimise potential damage in the advent of an explosion, the building was substantially made with thick walls buried within the hillside some distance from the mine buildings. Spawood Mine was leased by the Weardale, Coal…
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Rhododendron ponticum
It is generally accepted that Rhododendrons are native to the shores around the Black Sea and were introduced to Britain in the mid 18th century for its a blaze of colour during early summer but the shrub was actually part of the British flora before the last ice year. In my posting a few days ago about…
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Belmont Ironstone Mine
Why is it that runners always think of biking as an easy option? An active rest day. My own bike ride today enabled me to get into Guisborough Woods which looked green and lush with vicious nettles on the floor and the sycamores not yet dense enough to keep out the light. I was surprised to…
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The Six Stoups
Inspired by the Tour de Yorkshire (see Friday’s post) I took the road bike out for spin. Fourth time this year, am I turning into a cyclist? After climbing Birk Brow (which must be about the worst road surface in the North of England I spotted these stones on the freewheel down to Lockwood Beck. One had…
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Guisborough Forest & Walkway Visitors Centre
A bit of a mouth full, locals know it as just Pinchinthorpe. A very popular base for walking and mountain biking in the forestry of Guisborough and Hutton Lowcross. The photo is looking down on the visitor centre, which is just left of centre, with the Eston Hills as a backdrop. Right of centre is…
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Guisborough from Cliff Wood
One for the Guisborough ex-patriots. From the top of an old spoil heap from Belmont Ironstone Mine. The metal stanchions supported a ropeway used to haul the spoil up from the mine entrance near Hunter Hill Farm. This mine was owned by Bolchow, Vaughan and Company and operated from 1907 to 1921. In the eighties this…
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Potter’s Ridge
A second visit to Highcliff in as many days. Taking the opportunity of a lift to Guisborough meant a linear route back. I’ve titled this Potter’s Ridge, a name that appears on old OS maps but lost on the modern 1:25000 maps. The significant boulder is surprisingly un-named on both editions.
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Highcliff Nab
Had a trip out to Highcliff Nab today. I was surprised how much forestry has been felled. This is a view which hasn’t been seen for a few years.