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Osmotherley Walk, 5th December 2013, Report. Ray Stephenson and Len Small
Smelly Helly (Christmas Lunch) walk December
5/2013 by Ray Stephenson. The eve of the walk came with warnings of gale force winds and rain which proved to be very accurate. Bodies emerged in the dusk from various corners of Osmotherley at 08.00 prompt, nine of us buttoned up and were off. (Alan, Bob, Glyn, John W, Ken, Len, Steve, 'John B', and myself.) We circled to the north of the village past the playground to skirt the top of Mount Grace wood and join the Cleveland way at Chapel Wood farm then uphill to the top corner of Lady Chapel. After discussing several monk's habits, which we can't go into here, Steve led us over the top fence to a circa 1960's 'Cold War' bunker and observation post on Ruebery Hill. Some members climbed in to investigate. It was up here we felt the true force of the wind so I decided not to follow the published exposed route via the Drove Road We took the back lane out of the village and through Oakdale, taking the path below the keeper's cottage to the ridge above Thimbleby Hall. The climb was indistinct and we needed to regroup at the top. Heavy rain now and I took a direct 'off piste' route behind a wall to Silton Woods. Bref may remember we once biked down it, but only once. (sorry lads).
We came back via Thimbleby and the sports field to emerge adjacent Osmotherley Church bang on time!! The fire greeted us in the Queen Kath where I dried my 'pound notes' and ignoring Black Sheep bitter, there was Thwaites Wainwright and Lancaster Bomber plus Sharps Doom Bar, not bad eh! Bref. My steak pie was excellent and I have now seen a 'parmo' which seemed popular among the town folk, we even left a tip. I am now showered and ready for my domino night, thinking about it, it would have been a better occupation on a day like today. Thanks for your company lads: Ray
Report from Len Small: -
For December the Thursday group's monthly
walk was from Osmotherley and was shorter than usual to allow time for a
bar lunch. Thursday 5th December dawned with gale force winds which were only to get stronger, however not to be put off by the conditions nine walkers but no dogs this time left Osmotherley at 8 in the morning. Ray, who was leading the walk, was accompanied by two welcome newcomers in Alan and John B, who along with regulars of Bob, Glyn, John W, Ken, Steve and Len set off through Ossie and to the Lady Chapel where a brief stop was made and notice taken of a solid stone altar which was estimated as weighing about 1.5 tonnes leading to various theories being postulated of how it was positioned. The wind was now increasing as we headed to the Cold War Bunker at the top of Rueberry Hill, where Bob, Glynn and Len climbed down into the bunker which was surprisingly dry and still contained three beds. After exiting the bunker we dropped back to Ossie and onto White House farm and into Oakdale before the steep climb of Big Wood and onto The Intake. The first navigation error of the day came here when some of the back markers missed the footpath through Big Wood but soon recovered the situation (where would be without mobile phones). The conditions as we crossed the Thimbleby Moor were not ideal, wind at 80 mph into your face, deep heather and driving rain; all were grateful after about 30 minutes on the exposed moor to reach the shelter of the forest on High Grain Moor.
The overall distance was 10 miles with 403m of climbing, walking time was 2 hours 54 minutes and overall time was 4 hours 32 minutes, Len. |
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It
was now heads down against the elements and we missed a scheduled picnic
spot to seek shelter in St. Mary's church in a field near Over Silton.
Our pace meant we needed to cut out Nether Silton and head back via
Hanging Stone from the top track on Thimbleby bank. Although there was a
good path down, the group ignored their leader and stumbled down through
the bracken.
Due
to the deteriorating conditions It was decided at this point to shorten
the planned route and go direct to Over Silton. The pace soon picked up
through the forest and the second navigation "event" occurred. Instead
of coming down Moor Lane to St Mary's Church, we came down Mother Dale
and into the north end of Over Silton. A short 10 minute walk then led
us to St Mary's Church where the Norman entrance porch proved an
excellent shelter for warming cups of tea. Retracing our steps to Over
Silton we headed north in the forest to above the Hanging Stone, where
the wind was now at its strongest making any visit to the stone too
hazardous. We admired the view from the bank above the stone and then
ably led by Ken descended through brambles, dead bracken and trees to
the lower forest path and onward to Thimbleby. Now the wind had reduced
and there were interludes of sunshine as we marvelled at the speed all
our Pertex gear was drying as we completed the final section back to
Osmotherley. Arriving as the church clock chimed 12.30 which was our due
time to finish, and we all then adjourned to the Queen Catherine for a
very warm welcome and to enjoy varying meals, with some having their
first parmos, and also to have the group photograph taken.