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George Watson inscription
A chance to return to Ravensgill Beck to search for the memorial inscription on a rock to George Watson, an employee at the brickworks who, in 1872, took his own life “in a state of temporary insanity“, to use the language of the time. I had failed on my previous visit. It was further up the…
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Sunset from Cliff Rigg
A very wet run this morning over the Cleveland Hills. And after lunch, the sun came out. Blue skies. So I dragged the dog up to Cliff Rigg for the sunset. And she repaid me by thorough belching — I made that phrase up, inspired by the 18th-century expression of a ‘thorough-cough‘ which is coughing…
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The Hanging Stone
Overlooking the heavily forested Hutton Lowcross, the sandstone outcrop at the end of Ryston Nab is well known as the Hanging Stone, presumably because it ‘hangs’ over the valley, rather than it being a site of execution. Ryston Nab, the nose on which it’s on, has a more interesting etymology. It survives from the 14th-century…
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A day spent with the National Trust in Barker Plantation in Bransdale
The 36 acre plantation is largely coniferous, planted as a commercial crop more than likely before the property was given to the Trust by Charles Ingram Courtney, Earl of Halifax and others, in 1975. With contractors due to come in in a year or two to fell the larch and spruce only, mature oaks, Scots…
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A familiar scene to many …
… least not Cleveland Way walkers heading south to Helmsley. Walkers going clockwise will be trudging up this bank to Coate moor and Capt. Cook’s Monument. Bankside Farm itself probably dates from the 18th-century, while the distant building to the right is the former manager’s house and workshop for the Coate Moor Iron Company. The…
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I walked past the entrance to Sleddale Farm today
There have been several noticeable changes since, in the late 1970s, just before Christmas, I would take a bottle of malt to the Sleddale farmers — two brothers by the name of Proud if I recall — in recognition of them allowing the Guisborough Moors Race to run through their farmyard. Neither of the two…
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Nanny Newgill, the Broughton Witch — Part II
Back on the Cleveland Hills after a few days break. I was reminded crossing Urra Moor that I need to post the second part of Richard Blakeborough’s 1902 tale of Nanny Newgill, the Broughton Witch. For Part I see here. NANNY NEWGILL, THE BROUGHTON WITCH. SYNOPSIS OF PART I. Dinah Curry, a Broughton girl, marries…
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Stepping stone crossing of the River Doe at Beezleys
I wasn’t tempted to risk a crossing but was content to watch a dipper hopping across the stones. The River Doe is quite short, rising near Chapel-le-Dale and becoming the Greta after its confluence with the Twiss at Ingleton. Soon after these stepping stones the river plunges down a narrow gorge with several waterfalls —…
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Kingsdale
In spite of the dire forecast a pleasant morning with just the odd squall. This is Kingsdale in Yorkshire Dales. Just about the most westerly bit of Yorkshire, wedged between Gragareth and Whernside. That’s Whernside in the distance. The name is not as obviously explained as it seems, meaning “the valley where the cows were…
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The natural temptation, when standing on Highcliffe Nab is to look north over Guisborough town …
… this view is south — towards Highcliffe Farm, Codhill Slack and Percy Cross Rigg. Highcliffe Farm is an exposed location, gaining no shelter from both northerly and southerly winds. In 1908, it was being farmed by Thomas Wedgewood. One day Wedgwood and a farm labourer were snaring rabbits on the hillside when he noticed…
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