11 December 2001
Hasty Bank, Cold Moor
and Botton Head, Bilsdale
North York Moors

It was quite misty at home this morning, but as we drove up Wass Bank we climbed out of the mist into bright winter sunshine. Over to our right as we dropped down towards Sproxton was a carpet of white mist with the ridges of the low hills and the skeletons of the trees reaching through. We drove up Bilsdale to the car park at Clay Bank where there was a wonderful view over to Roseberry Topping and Captain Cook's monument. Even the steaming industrial towers of Teesside looked pleasant enough at this distance in the misty sunlight. We set off west along the Cleveland Way to climb Hasty Bank and followed the ridge to the Wainstones at the far end. There were no climbers there to-day. We dropped down to Garfit Gap and then took the bridleway that climbs diagonally up onto the ridge of Cold Moor. Close to the top there are some rocks with a good view back over to the Wainstones and out to Teesside so we sat there for a few minutes for a drink and to soak up the sunshine and the views. We continued along Cold Moor towards Chop Gate and when we reached Cold Moor Lane about a mile from Chop Gate we turned left on a footpath across the fields to the main road at Seave Green. Here we crossed the road and followed the lane up the hill to Bilsdale Hall where a bridleway leaves the lane to climb up the hill to Medd Crag. Here we stopped again for a drink and a sandwich and to admire the view across Bilsdale where there were still large areas of frost where the fields were in the shade. We followed the track up to the highest point on the North York Moors at the Round Hill above Botton Head. We chatted there to a mountain bike rider, about our age (mid-week the moors are full of retired people). Looking out to the north east with my binoculars there was a large oil tanker over the shoulder of Roseberry Topping waiting to come up the Tees estuary. Looking south there was a layer of mist still laying over the vale of York. There were some odd shapes sticking through the mist and when I investigated with the binoculars it was clear that they were the cooling towers of Drax power station. Then it was easy to spot the towers of Ferrybridge power station a little to the right and further over still was Eggborough about 50 miles away. We did not want to leave, but the winter sun was already low in the sky and we headed back along the Cleveland Way down to the car park at Clay Bank. The whole route was just under 9 miles and took us just over 5 hours including lots of stops to look at the scenery.

Scots pines below Medd Crag

Sun light through the dew - Cold Moor Lane