A-Walking: Swainby Slosher

Our three expeditions this week (Sunday, 14th November) each took place in the western area of the North York Moors. Both the A-Walk and the C-Walk set off from the A19 road near Ox Bank while the B-Walk followed a circular route from Swainby. All three walks finished at Swainby.

After leaving the lay-by {SE 432 928}, the intent of the A-Walk was to visit Nether Silton, the Cleveland Way, Harker Yates Ridge, Sun Bank, Dale Head, Swainby Shooting House and Limekiln Bank before arriving at our final destination in Swainby {NZ 476 022}.

We left our drop-off point at about 9.50 am. There were ten people in the group: PB, RB, KB, KF, JH, CL, KL, LM, GT and JT. PB led the walk.


From the lay-by on the A19 road at {SE 432 928}, we headed in a southerly direction for about 265 yards and then turned left along a farm access track in an easterly direction. This took us to the farm at Ox Bank {SE 438 926}. From here we continued across the fields to reach the minor road at {SE 448 924} (Berghill Lane) where we turned right. We walked in a south-easterly direction along the road in order to reach the road junction at {SE 449 923} and then turned left onto West Lane. Following the lane in an easterly direction we made our way to the village of Nether Silton {SE 456 923}.

After passing through the village, we continued in a south-easterly direction along Bridge Beck Lane to reach a road junction at {SE 469 917}. Turning left, we climbed up pass The Nab (on our left) to reach Nab Farm {SE 476 921}. Continuing along the public footpath in an easterly direction, we now had a good climb up onto the high ground at {SE 490 919} where we joined the Cleveland Way (CW).


We headed north along the CW for about 390 yards and then turned right along a good track at {SE 491 922}. Heading east, we followed the track along Harker Yates Ridge to reach {SE 512 915}. We had some good views of Thorodale (on our right) as we walked east. Turning onto a north-westerly bearing, we made our way around the eastern edge of Arden Great Moor to reach Sun Bank {SE 511 928}. Now heading in a westerly direction along the northern edge of the moor, we made our way to {SE 501 934} where we started our descent down Locker Bank. We made our way in a north-easterly direction to a wall junction at {SE 505 942} where we stopped for a short lunch-stop.

From our lunch-stop location we made our way in a west-north-westerly direction towards the (again ruined) farm at Dale Head {SE 495 948}. Continuing on our west-north-westerly bearing, we reached the minor road at {SE 488 955}. We turned right along the road and in 170 yards we turned left onto a northerly bearing. Following a well-defined track, we trekked across Whitestones Ridge {SE 488 964}. From here we followed a north-north-easterly bearing as we made our way to Swainby Shooting House {SE 495 981} where we stopped for a short tea-break.


We left the shooting house on a northerly bearing and trekked north to {SE 494 988} and then turned left onto a north-westerly bearing along Stony Ridge. At the track junction near {SE 489 994} we started our descent down through the woods near Limekiln Bank to reach Coalmire Lane {NZ 480 011}. Turning right along the road, we made our way into the small village of Swainby to await the arrival of our coach.

Despite the amount of rain that had fallen during the night, today's expedition on the North York Moors was quite an interesting and exciting one. However, in many places, particularly the climb from Nab Farm up onto the Cleveland Way, there was a lot of mud and water which caused us to 'slosh about' as we made our way along our route.

Use the buttons below to see where we went, how we did and some of the photos.

    

---