The
weather forecast for today was not good but at least it
wasn't raining when my two friends and I set off for Fangdale
Beck in Bilsdale this morning at about ten to nine.
Fangdale Beck village
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We parked in the village opposite a cottage To-Let and walked
across the fields passed Stone House towards a farm called
Coniser. Just before this farm we turned right and after 3
fields turned left to the access road to Bilsdale mast and
then passed The Grange to the main Helmsley to Stokesley road.
We
crossed the main road and walked up the farm road to Hill
End Farm. |
Cattle on the approach to Hill End
Farm
All the way from Fangdale Beck to here we had passed through
and beside fields of beef cattle.They had all reacted
to us by running towards us and following at that disconcerting
distance of about 5 yards, stopping if we turned round
- just like playing grandma's footsteps. They were all
clearly used to being fed - just another symptom of the
disruption caused by the foot and mouth epidemic.
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| We
followed the path into Tripsdale and crossed the ford which
had far too much water in to cross without getting our feet
wet. We took the path up the hill and turned off along an
unmarked but well walked path (it was well walked before last
February!) along the top of the cliffs called Kay Nest with
good views down Tripsdale. When we reached the bridle way
we turned left down into Tripsdale to cross another ford only
to find two workmen and a JCB busily turning it into a culvert
- nothing like as picturesque as the ford used to be. I suspect
we will find all manner of such improvements to the countryside
as we start to rediscover our old haunts in the next few months.
We followed the bridle way and footpaths to William Beck farm.
This farm is always immaculately kept with everything in its
place and everything cut, painted and stacked in apple pie
order. From William Beck farm we recrossed the main road to
the Chop Gate village hall and began to climb the hill to
Cock Howe. It started to rain. We could see it coming in swirling
clouds of drizzle sweeping along the valleys until it engulfed
us too. At least it gave us time to put our cagouls on before
we were soaked. |
Oak woods in Tripsdale |
We
sat in the shelter of a stone wall for a drink before
completing the climb. At Cock Howe we turned left along
the stoney track on the ridge towards the Bilsdale TV
transmitter mast.
Bracket fungus on a fallen birch
tree in Tripsdale
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Just beyond the mast we passed a live rabbit beside the path.
It did not seem to be diseased but was just frozed with fear,
its eyes wide open and breathing very fast. There were some
recent stoat prints in the mud on the path a few yards away
but no sign of the animal that I could see. I wondered if
the rabbit has been attacked by the stoat but it was soon
out of sight and we will never know. About
a quarter of a mile beyond the mast we turned left again to
follow the bridle way back into Fangdale Beck. |
Rain and mist on the ridge near Cock
Howe
As the path descended the hillside it became more and more
overgrown with bracken and it was quite hard to force a
way through. It's going to take some time to re-establish
our access to the countryside. The whole route was about
9 miles and took us 5 hours including a couple of stops
for a drink and a sandwich.
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Boot adjustment in Bilsdale |
Tripsdale
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frank's
