Bill's Walks

The Pannierman Way, Cold Moor and Urra Moor

Filed under: Other

Distance: 10 miles (with some steep climbs)

Start: Kirkby in Cleveland (GR 542042)

Click to view start position on Google Maps

Map: OS Explorer OL26 – North York Moors Western Area

It was in early November 2011 that George Howe asked if we had walked on the Pannierman Way out of Kirkby in Cleveland and received a negative response from the seven of us. Being an anorak on pack horse bridges my interest level was high and after a period of three weeks (during which we had other committments) a day was planned for George to show us his route. Knowing that George always searches out lesser known paths and quirky places we were keen to have a look at his route. The walk starts near Kirkby in Cleveland and a look at the relevant North York Moors OL Map 26 showed this to be just to the west of Great Broughton. Closer examination showed a Pannierman Lane name for part of the A172 leading out of Nunthorpe and an extrapolation of this route after leaving Stokesley leads down a minor road to Kirkby.

The inspiration to George was an article in I believe ‘The Dalesman’ magazine (always a good read) which stated that an ancient paved footpath had recently been revealed climbing up from Kirkby onto the Cleveland ridge where it crossed the Cleveland Way and headed south. The catalyst for this discovery and the work that followed is due to the efforts of the Kirkby, Great Broughton and Ingleby Greenhow Local History Club. Their work and activities are well documented on their website and the group believe that the path was built by the lay brothers of Rievaulx Abbey.

Anyone who walks these hills cannot fail to be struck by the host of ancient tracks, earthworks and crosses all dating from both the distant and more recent past and many books have been written on the subject. As well as this several walks have been devised which visit many of the sites. The more recent landscape features go back two centuries where the spoil heaps are often all that is left of the extensive mining which took place hereabouts. The tracks and crosses are a different matter all together and many of them are medieval and even older. Many of these are pack horse routes similar to those in the South Pennines and Calderdale where they were often paved to facilitate easier access. The local group uncovered evidence that their route was paved and were fortunate to get the Royal Dragoon Guards to clear the route and the associated ditch and expose a long line of flags leading upwards to the ridge. Christopher Evans who has written “Trods of the North York Moors” published by the Scarborough Archaeological Society believes that this route was used to carry fish from the Tees into the hinterland and to Rievaulx, which concurs with the local group. Another cargo was probably salt from Teesmouth, then a pristine marsh area, and other salt routes from Teesmouth spread out in the area. Search the map for Salters Way and you are almost certainly on an old route. There is even a pack horse bridge on a route at Ketton just to the north of Darlington. On old maps the Pannierman Way is marked as a bridleway to Bilsdale and indeed a closer look at the area does indicate that this route was probably the easiest way over the Cleveland Hills.

Further news from the Local History Group shows a visit from personnel from Natural England as they believe the route should be listed and therefore receive better protection and in my view this is essential as there is already evidence of damage caused by motorised vehicles. Whether these are in the normal activity of sheep farming or from illegal motorcycles l cannot say.

The walk starts at the end of the lane to the south of Kirkby at Toft Hill, about one mile to the south at GR 542042. The OS map which l have was published in 1995 and the route is shown as a dotted line but it has since been altered to a permissive route. The flags are all exposed and the scenery here is very attractive when heading south and then twisting up through some old mineworkings to eventually emerge onto the Cleveland Way beside the corner of Broughton Wood at GR 546034. It is now straight ahead on the clear track and after three stiles you reach the open moor on Cold Moor at GR 552024. The right of way on the path has disappeared and is in the heather but there is a clear track nearby to the Three Howes. The valley to the right is the little known Raisdale.

Just after the Three Howes there is a split in the track near a tumuli and the one to the left is taken, heading gradually downhill in a south-east direction, where it picks up the true route at GR 555101. It is now steeper downhill to Cold Moor Lane with a plantation on your left. Ignore the first path on your left and take the second down to Seave Green. Note the superb sloes on the overgrown hedge on your left before arriving in to Bilsdale and the B1257 Stokesley to Helmsley road where there is a welcoming seat at Seave Green.

The route is straight across on the access road to East Bank farm (which is a steady climb) and you pass behind the farm to continue up to East Bank Plantation. Continue upwards and nearing the top the gradient is eased by the path cutting across the slope. Near the top where you emerge from the wood are substantial earthworks heading north all the way to Urra Moor. The entry to the bridleway is very wet and tussocky and it is easier to continue upwards a further 100 yards to the broad track on the level ground which is taken north towards Urra Moor. This is a good place for lunch with views down Bilsdale and across to Cold Fell. This track soon comes to a t-junction and you then drop down to the bridleway along the earthworks near Medd Crag. The track to the east goes up to Round Hill on Urra Moor, which is the highest place in the North Yorkshire Moors and is on the Cleveland way which would make a longer walk if you feel fit.

Our route today continues along the bridleway to a dip where there is a waymark leading downhill at GR575019. This is a steep track and after passing through spoil heaps it reaches a substantial house at Urra and tarmac. Go right and where the road goes left and downhill at Urra farmhouse look for a difficult stile on the right. This serves two paths and the one we want is the one heading north-west, diagonally across two fields and then down over a stream by a footbridge and a short climb back up to the B1257. This is crossed immediately and a very stiff climb up through the trees is met. Keep a little to the right and not up the minor valley until you reach a marker stone where the semblance of an old path is met. The gradient eases to a stile which is crossed into a field which always has crops in it. Look for the path through the crops to reach a concrete lane via a stile. The landowner here has planted many fine trees including a tulip tree. Go right for a short distance to a gate where a path is taken on the left.

On our visit the view of Hasty Bank farm was obscured by the crops and the path has been diverted here to bypass the farmhouse. The path passes Garfitts and then drops down to a very wet section over a small stream and heads north-west to join the Cleveland Way at GR 557035. If you keep up towards the wood after Garfitts you can stay on higher but much drier terrain. There are good views of the Wainstones on your right where there are carved ancient stones. You cross the Cleveland Way which climbs westwards back up the northern end of Cold Moor and instead continue in the same direction you have been walking to a gate and the edge of Broughton Plantation. Just to the left is the forestry road heading slowly downhill in a north-east direction. After about 250 yards look out for some steep steps heading downhill and take these to join another forest road near to a junction which is waymarked to either Clay Bank or Great Broughton. Take the Broughton direction and arrive at a tarmac road at GR 556043 at the head of a road leading to Great Broughton. From here it is one mile back to the start by taking the bridleway on your left passing by Huntons Folly and Solomons Porch.

Grateful thanks to George for this fine route and special thanks to the Kirkby, Great Broughton and Ingleby Greenhow Group and their Chairman Geoff Taylor for all their work on this and other projects! The day had an additional surprise at the end as the Black Swan at Kirkby was surprisingly open at 4.30pm on a winter Wednesday and Farmers Blonde and Copper Dragon were enjoyed as well as large mugs of coffee!