West Cleveland Circuit

A 26 mile circular walk which can be commenced from any convenient point although the Old Quarries known locally as Sheep Wash on the Swainby road from Osmotherley, above the reservoir, provide an attractive finish point and a morning start from here allows the possibility of a lunch-time stop at the Buck Inn at Chop Gate. A good compass is considered essential for each party.

The walk largely encompasses two routes in the middle section of the Rose walk known as the Foliage Section and which is also described in the Dalesman Mini Book “The White Rose Walk” by Geoffrey White. Parts of the Lyke Wake Walk and Cleveland Way are incorporated in the White Rose and this walk.

Proceed from the car park at the Old Quarries right along the tarmac road until you reach a cattle grid at Scarth Nick. on the right is a sign “L.W.W. Ravenscar 39 miles”. Take this good path and continue for a few miles until you see a small gate on the left by a fire warning sign and a “Keep to the Footpath” sign, go through the gate and cross the field to a ford and a metal led road to the telephone box at Huthwaite Green.

Take the gate with an Acorn sign at Huthwaite Green, straight across the motor road from the junction. Follow this path past old mine workings, with a forest on the right, until there is a gap in the forest and a stile, signposted “Moors Path”. Cross the stile and climb the steep slope to a good track which ascends Live Moor to a cairn. The path falls gently from here before ascending Holey Moor. Keep to the path near the steep edge to the left on to Carlton Bank and past the glider field to the triangulation point. Descend to the road corning from Carlton, taking care in bad weather (there are steep cliffs to the left).

Cross the road and take the green track, first along a fence, and then to the right-hand side of the wall to ascend Cringle Moor.

(Schoolchildren and Senior Citizens may take the old miners track which forks left around the shoulder of the hill and keeps above the tree line. This also leads to Clay Bank Top.) On the summit, the path skirts round the northern edge past a shelter. Drop down to the dip below and re-join the lower path for some 20 yards before passing through a gate on the right with an Acorn sign to turn left at the wall end and another Acorn. Climb to the top of Cold Moor. Keep to the left-hand edge from here to ascend to the Wainstones and Hasty Bank before descending on the path to the main forest track. At a bend take the steps down the wall side on the right to reach Clay Bank Top. Another good support point.

Cross the road and go through the gate and continue on the Lyke Wake Walk path. Keep to the right of the wall and follow the path through a cleft in the cliff and ascend on this now broad path to the triangulation point at Botton Head on your left. This is the most easterly point of the walk. From here retrace your steps for a few yards to a track bearing due west at a standing stone on the right and near a cairn. Descend past wooden shields from Urra Moor to Bilsdale and the metal led road at Seave Green. Keep descending through this delightful hamlet and join the major road at a T-junction. Turn left and proceed to Chop Gate and the car park just through the village. Another support point.

At the car park pass the public conveniences and over a bridge to ascend Cock Howe, on Bilsdale West Moor, the hill directly behind the car park. Aim for the track between two wire fences, just skirting the shoulder of the hill, Follow this narrow path to the summit. From here take compass bearing 230 heading for the right-hand side of the wall at Head House. Join the wide track down Arnsgill Ridge to Hill End Farm. Turn right at the farm on a track leading to a road and a bridge and down the valley to Low Cote Farm. Here join the motor road to Wheat Beck, another support point.

From Wheat Beck turn right across the farm bridge and along the farm road to the first bend. Take the gate to the right and along the top side of a field to a gate at the top left-hand corner. Pass through the gate and proceed left along the wall side until the tractor route up the moor crosses your path. Turn right on this wide track until, after a sharp hairpin bend to the left, there is a peaty track to the right steeply ascending Arden Great Moor. Take this path to the top of the moor and turn right on the stony track you join. At Whitestones this track joins the Drove Road over Black Hambleton. Turn right on this green track. After descending from the hill tops, the track passes a forest to the left and joins a motor road at a bend. This can be another support point.

Proceed along this road for approximately one mile to a junction. Take the road marked "Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles" virtually straight ahead, which becomes a rough track and leads to a bridge just above the car park at the Old Quarries, your start point.

As a guide, the initial circuit by a party of three average walkers achieved the following times:-

Start	9.00 a.m.
Carlton Road	10.30 a.m.
Clay Bank Top	12.00 noon
Chop Gate	1.40 p.m.
Wheat Beck	4.00 p.m.
Old Quarries	6.15 p.m.

MAPS - One inch Ordnance Survey Tourist Map of North Yorkshire Moors.