Words & Photos Paul Richardson

December 02 2009

There’s something magical about hillwalking anywhere on a crisp, cold, clear day but, to my mind, this is especially true in the North York Moors. I don’t know just what it is about this landscape that lends itself to a covering of frost or snow but it seems designed for conditions like those I encountered recently as I drove out from Osmotherley.

The road was treacherously icy though; if I could make it to the car park, the walk should be a breeze.

From my start point the track quickly headed up Black Hill onto Hambleton End, where the clear skies allowed great views over Nether Silton and Kepwick to the south. This part of the route follows the Cleveland Way before turning off into Thorodale, and today not only did Thorodale sound like a magical place from The Lord of The Rings, it looked like one too. The mist was moving around in the valley below, giving it a surreal and slightly alien appearance. I was so intent on taking in this fascinating view that I forgot to take the turning into the valley below, so I had to spend 10 minutes or so retracing my steps – not that anyone could begrudge extra mileage on a day like this.

Back on track I clambered down the hillside into Thorodale with the mist retreating ahead of me as I crossed the stream in the valley bottom. Any hopes I had of this retreat continuing for the rest of the day disappeared as I approached the woodland and walked into a dense freezing fog. I suddenly felt grateful that I’d made a pig of myself at breakfast: the fog made the cold air cling to my skin and any stop for food would be a bitter experience.

The route continued through North Moor Wood before swinging north through Blueberry Wood, eventually veering west to Far House. I’m sure that with any sort of visibility, navigation would be relatively straightforward on this section but the thickness of the fog forced me spend a lot more time working with my compass than I’d expected. I had previously always shunned the GPS but today I was grateful that I could use it to confirm my position.

Beyond Lower Locker I forged my way across heather moorland but the fog persisted to prevent me seeing Black Hambleton, which I knew wasn’t far away to my left. Back on the road and just a couple of hundred metres from the car park, the fog cleared, but a quick glance back confirmed that it hadn’t gone – I’d simply walked out of it.

The second half of the day had been more of a navigation training exercise than anything else, but the first half had made it more than worthwhile.

Distance: 11 miles/18km Ascent: 950 feet/290m Time: 5-6 hours Start/finish: Osmotherley Moor car park (GR: SE 480958) Maps: Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer sheet OL26 (North York Moors, Western area) Information: Helmsley TIC, 01439 770173

Technical Spec
From car park take track S uphill, continue on Cleveland Way. Turn E off Cleveland Way and take path down into Thorodale Woods. Head E to Mount Pleasant then N on tracks to Cow Wath. Take paths generally NW as far as Lower Locker Farm then cross moorland to road via Dale Head. Short walk back to car park.