Bill's Walks

Commondale and the Quakers Trod

Filed under: Other

Distance: 10 to 11 miles depending on route taken

Map : OS Explorer OL26 – North York Moors – Western area

Start: Charltons village

Click to View Start Position on Google Maps

There was a wet November forecast for the Pennines with the rain to arrive about 6.00pm on the coast so it took little time for us to decide to go to the east side of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park for our day’s walk and in less than an hour we were parked in the small mining community of Charltons which is on the A171 about 3 miles south of Guisborough. This village is basically only two terraced rows of houses and just off the road and by walking a short distance north on the minor road out of the village (crossing Wiley Cat Beck) you pick up the Cleveland Way which here turns along the road to Slapewath and the Fox and Hounds pub on its way to the coast. However, our route is the reverse through the wood and eventually westwards on to the moors. It is a pleasant walk, parallel to the road, through deciduous woodland where you reach a point overlooking the Fox and Hounds at Slapewath. The Cleveland Way was the second National Trail, opened in 1969 and stretching from Helmsley to Sutton Bank then along the old droving route and following the Cleveland escarpment to Charltons. It then goes over what is now farming country passing the sites of many old ironstone mines to Saltburn and then along the constantly eroding cliffs through Whitby and Scarborough to finish at Filey – a distance of 108 miles. When the route was being established it included Saltburn as there was a Youth Hostel there (now closed some years past) as the YHA were very much involved with the establishment of the route. This way also included Hunt Cliff and the Roman Signal Station which more than justifies the decision as Saltburn is an interesting place to visit.

When I first visited here in the 1970s many walkers, myself included, took a shortcut over the ironstone slag and alum shale tip to arrive directly to Slapewath but in retrospect this was a poor decision as it omitted the woodland walk to Charltons. In mitigation this was not then an attractive area as the slag bank over which the route passed was being processed for roadstone which was the business I was employed in. The two earlier books on the Cleveland Way are “The Official Guide” by Alan Falconer (1972) whose father is generally credited with the idea of the Cleveland Way and Bill Cowley’s 1975 Dalesman book. Both writers knew this area intimately and both comment on route-finding in this vicinity. No such problems now as you continue past Slapewath and pick up the concrete road heading steeply upwards towards Round Close Farm with Spa Wood on your left. This area is a mountain bike activity area and looks very strenuous. On reaching the end of the wood turn right over the stile to enter open moorland and follow the Cleveland Way westwards climbing gradually upwards. The views here, following the felling of many trees, are excellent – looking north up the Durham coast much of which is in the hands of the National Trust and east out to sea. Currently the path leaves the hard track for a distance to avoid forestry work and this gives your feet a rest from the hard surface. After a distance of about a mile and a half at GR 624144 we leave the Cleveland Way and head south. This is on a landrover track which soon turns right but our way is straight ahead south to the visible stile leading on to the open moor.

The two books mentioned previously on the Cleveland Way by Alan Falconer and Bill Cowley are worth seeking out if you can find them in a second hand shop as you see how time has made some changes and quite recently there have been two new additions to go along with the Official Guide. One is on Cicerone by Paddy Dillon and has the advantage of also including the Wolds Way as well as the link route back to Helmsley via the Tabular Hills.

Immediately on entering the moor, which is open access, you will see the trig point 299 metres to the west. Our target is Penrod Hill so follow a trod through the heather to the tumuli and then aim for the highest point. In bad visibility set a bearing as there are numerous minor tracks hereabouts. There are glorious views to the east over towards Runswick Bay. This is grouse territory as will be noted by the shooting butts and the associated land rover track which is taken from near Penrod Hill to the south-east for half a mile to some cairns at GR633123 to a junction of tracks. Take the route on the left which heads a shade north of east for just over a quarter of a mile to a T-junction and a further cairn. Turn right descending slightly. On the left are two prominent tumuli at Hob on the Hill GR 646125. It is worth the diversion from the route to this point and follow the earthwork shown on the Explorer map from GR 645121 to 645124 to Hob on the Hill where there is a cairn with the engraving RC 1798. This was erected by Robert Challoner who was the Lord of the Manor and MP for York. This cairn signifies a boundary and a further one with the same inscription can be found at Hob Cross GR 646134 (not visited on this walk). Compared to the ancient Bronze Age tumuli already seen these are of recent origin.

Returning to the main track heading south-east you soon come to a split in the tracks where either route can be taken to reach Commondale. Here is also a further cairn, of much more recent origin, which is dedicated to two shepherds who worked on the Gisborough Estate (note the change of spelling). They were Robert Leggott who died on the first day of the Somme offensive in 1916 and whose body was never found. He is commemorated on Lutyens monument at Thiepval. The other is Alfred Cockerill who received head wounds at Ypres and was sent back home. He never recovered and was at the Chalfont Colony which was an epileptic hospital in Buckinghamshire and died there a few years after. The monument is at GR 648117 and there are generally poppies to be found here. The track on the right is taken downhill to North Ings farm where there is no right of way through the farm. Note this if you have an older map. The diversion is to the left following the wall descending to Whiteley Beck which is crossed by a bridge. Take care on the other side whilst ascending on to the farm access road. It is then just under a mile of easy walking down into Commondale Village.

This is an interesting place. Note the houses and some of the buildings which are made of a superb brick. The terrace of houses on your left is known locally as Brick Row. These bricks were manufactured at Commondale from the 1860s to the 1950s and are very hard. Small quantities can be bought on the recycling market and command a high price. Commondale is on the Whitby line and has a station (stop) as well as a pub and a cafe. Note the War Memorial where I recommend you to stop on the nearby seat to enjoy your lunch.

It is now steeply uphill to a sharp bend in the road where the track, which is initially a shade wet, heads off north-east at GR 666106. Following this you reach a minor road at GR671117 and immediately leave it now heading north-east along a route known as the Quakers Causeway. For much of the way this is flagged with rough flags and was used by the Quakers to reach their burial site from their Meeting House in Guisborough. It is of older origin and was a monastic route between Guisborough and Castleton and passes several tumuli on its way across Stanghow Moor. Whilst walking on this two mile section note the conical hill to the east called Freebrough Hill at GR 690128. This is very close to the A171 and every time that I pass it I still find it hard to believe that with the plethera of mounds and tumuli in this region, that this hill is natural!

If time is short when you reach Woodgill Head you can continue ahead and downhill direct to the start. A better way is to go north-east to the road and car park and go behind it on to open land called Low Moor. Until recently this was disfigured by motorised trail bikes but these are now prohibited and the area is pleasant. Head north downhill to the Stanghow Ridge minor road. Find the footpath at GR 656153 where you enter Margrove Local Nature Reserve and follow a lovely path to near the old school which is the centre for the local Wildlife Trust. It is now a very short distance along the road back to Charltons.

The weather forecast was spot on as no sooner had we reached the superb White Swan pub (West End) at Stokesley when the heavens opened. This pub is a regional winner of pub of the year and our visit coincided with a beer festival. It was a happy group who left it after our celebration pint or a shade more for the non-drivers!