THE GALLOPING GRANDMAS RIDE AGAIN
By Gallopingran.
An account of a riding holiday around the North York Moors National Park (with historical notes of interest)
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Introduction
Owing to my horse, being unfit, my friends from Lancashire brought along an extra horse (Crystal) for our 2006 holiday, otherwise I would not have been able to go – and I had organised it all! What fantastic friends! This is a story of our 65-mile ride in the North York Moors National Park. The ethos of this ride was to get to our overnight stops by using “off road” routes such as bridleways and ancient tracks. As things turned out, our average m.p.h. was somewhat faster than I had expected!
A few days prior to our trip I had driven around to some of our planned overnight stops to drop off feed for the horses, as well as the odd bottle of wine that would have been too heavy for our saddlebags! To be honest only Janet and I are grandmas, as yet! The ‘baby’ of our group is Hayley, 30ish and a post lady from Morecambe. Being youthful and full of vigour, she came in useful when it was necessary for someone to dismount to open awkward gates. Then there’s Janet, 40 something – a B&B landlady, who like me, enjoys a glass of wine – or three! Vicky - 60 odd – a market researcher cum hard working volunteer secretary of the North Lancashire Bridleway Society (when she’s not away on riding holidays), and me – 64, retired, but still an enthusiastic volunteer for anything to do with ‘off road’ riding routes and most other things equine! Our horses: Libby – 16 hands grey Arab X, Savannah - 14.2 hands bay also Arab X, Crystal 14.2hands - dapple grey Connemara & Limerick - 15 hands - a ‘strawberry roan’ Irish cob aged 19 who’s been hunted all his life and is still very fit and lively! All of us are slightly mad but some are a little more mad than others!
Day 1 Kirkby-in-Cleveland to Over Silton 14 miles
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(50% bridleways and tracks with inevitable sections of minor road)
I was riding Savannah, Janet’s horse today. Savannah is a lively and very “forward going” little horse. We rode from the farm where the horses had been grazed for the night, up a tarmac lane that soon turned into a very steep track over hill pasture and which is an interesting old packhorse trail climbing up a steep precipitous hillside. Ancient stone well-worn trods with stone guide posts marked the lower slope. At the top we turned off onto a Bridleway and followed this undulating and twisting path for almost ½ a mile over some ancient “Alum Mining“ slag heaps along which the narrow, undulating and twisting path winds. The views along here are fantastic across at least 10 miles of arable farmland. At this time of year the fields of yellow rape provide a lovely patchwork of colour to the landscape.
To the northeast is Roseberry Topping, dubbed Cleveland’s “Little Matterhorn” and in the far distance is the river Tees estuary. To the west we look towards “Herriot Country” – Richmond, and Leyburn. The urban conurbation of Teesside lies to the north and is barely noticeable amongst these wonderful panoramic views across the countryside. This bridleway is a well-used section of the Cleveland Way long distance walking Trail. We had our first canter of the day along here which was certainly exciting (even to me who had ridden the path many times previously) and it soon became apparent why Janet had suggested that I shouldn’t ride Crystal until she was ‘a bit tired!!’ Crystal was inclined to buck when she got excited but Janet had ridden her many times previously and was used to her! I was leading the way and I knew all the best places for faster riding! The wide grassy ¼ mile path to the Lord Stones Café on the top of Carlton Bank would be a good place for a gallop! Once off the paved causeway of the Cleveland Way and through a bridle gate I called out to the rest “are we cantering”? They all shouted ‘Yes! ‘ I quietly set off – a slow canter to start with – but before I knew it the rest came flying up and we were all galloping “hell for leather” flat out! Good job there were no walkers ambling along this path today! A flock of Guinea fowl at the “café on top of the world” heralded our arrival as we stopped for early refreshments. .jpg)
We then had to descend the very steep and slippery tarmac road down Carlton Bank but I knew of an ‘unofficial short cut’ across and down the grassy hillside and which avoids the steepest parts of the tarmac, to rejoin the final stretch of road to the edge of the pretty village of Carlton below. We followed the quiet ‘back’ road 1½ miles to Faceby with good grass verges on either side then turned up a lane that very soon diminished into a track which led back to the hills and woods. Then we turned across a field on a bridleway that was great for another canter! Next, into woods full of bluebells and primroses – May is a lovely time to do this ride. Meandering bridleways and forest tracks ahead now for nearly 4 miles through woods and fields to a minor road, then ascending the steep bank at Scarth Nick. In only another hundred yards we were off the tarmac again on a bridleway track across the moor. Soon we came to what we decided was a good spot to rest the horses and have our lunch before continuing on down a lane to Osmotherley. This is a picturesque ‘touristy’ village very popular with walkers and cyclists having Youth Hostel, Camp Site and a Chip Shop as well as 4 excellent pubs.
We resisted stopping at the pub, continued through the village and through a wide ford to the attractive hamlet of Thimbleby and onto another bridleway track. This section of the route needed careful map reading and the lack of bridleway waymarks made the route quite difficult to follow. Since I had never ridden it previously, it was quite slow going as it meandered across several fields that meant negotiating quite a few difficult gates (which were obviously rarely used). We wandered up and down hillsides, floundered our way 
through deep muddy gateways and overgrown copses. We finally reached the road on the outskirts of the village of Nether Silton. We continued for ¼ mile on a minor road before turning across a field on another short bridleway that led directly to our farm B&B for the night. The Farm offers lovely self-contained en suite accommodation in a most tranquil spot as well as excellent grazing for the horses. Lots of little extra’s like bowls of fresh fruit, home made cake and biscuits and cups of tea! We relaxed on the patio where a bird feeder encouraged interesting birds such as the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Blue Tits. After hot baths and change of clothes our host taxied us to and from a pub for our evening meal.
Day 2 Over Silton to Carlton near Helmsley 17 miles (90%bridleways and forest tracks 10% minor roads)
A lovely morning. We caught and fed the horses before breakfast. Our host, Lester was an excellent cook and served up a wonderful “Full English” breakfast. To our delight, the Woodpecker paid us a second visit. We got packed up and groomed the horses. I had been asked if I would like to ride Libby, Hayley’s 16 hand Arab. We saddled up and rode off towards Over Silton village and took what eventually became a most interesting and somewhat quaint bridleway. To our delight we saw 2 deer leaping across the field ahead. A narrow stream crossing and sharp turn up an even narrower tree lined path proved interesting, quaint and almost mediaeval. The horses had to step down approx. 18” into a narrow stream by a tiny ‘plank’ footbridge then step up the bank on the other side and turn sharp right through a narrow opening. Space was very limited on either side of the stream between the bridle gate and fence so we had to cross the stream one at a time. Good control was certainly needed! Then a narrow grassy tree lined lane followed by a tiny arched brick bridge which crossed an old ‘man-made’ but now dry watercourse that I think would once have diverted water from the nearby stream to Kepwick Mill. The bridleway crossed a big flat field which we rode at a ‘flat out’ gallop. It woke us all up and stopped us ‘day-dreaming’. We arrived at the road into Kepwick village. (I was now becoming quite alarmed at just how fast Libby could gallop, especially not having ridden her before, and overtaking Limerick who was close on Savannah’s heels .
We turned off the road on another bridleway which led up a steep field and upwards again on a rutted grassy bank to a narrow path. Then ascending an even steeper gully where we had to fight our way between scratchy gorse bushes on either side of a path well worn by ‘mountain bikers’. We gave the horses a breather at the top, on a wide open but now gently sloping moorland path, it was suggested that I should canter ahead of the rest since “Libby would go steadier at the front”. It was very ‘good going’ along this straight, wide and level grassy path. I thought the earlier steep gradient would have tired out the horses, but when we set off again they all felt ‘ready for business’! I soon became alarmed that Libby’s “steady” was somewhat faster than I had originally anticipated. She obviously thought that this was a racetrack! However, by now I was becoming accustomed to that! In the distance ahead (maybe ¼ mile away – well – quite a long way) I could just see that there was some unusual ‘activity’.
Still travelling at a fast canter, Libby who obviously saw ‘something’ too and was obviously startled. In about 3 very sudden shortened strides she came to an abrupt stop!! If she hadn’t darted to the left, causing me and saddle to go right, all would have been OK. The girth could not have been tight enough. The saddle ended up under Libby’s belly and I was deposited on the grass! Fortunately no injuries, the moorland grass was quite springy. By the time I had managed to get to my knees and Vicky and Hayley had jumped off their horses to help me, we saw a man from a Land Rover parked up ahead – running towards us. He was most apologetic as his 3 dogs came racing up too! (Methinks this man and his dogs was what Libby was originally startled by!) Fortunately he seemed to know exactly how to deal with this situation and quickly sorted the saddle, saddlebags and dangling reins. Quite expertly gave me a leg up (which was a good job since I find it impossible these days to mount even a small pony from the ground!). We then continued on and had, this time, a steadier canter, (but to my mind, still too fast) up another grass track where at the top we joined The Hambleton Drove Road that runs generally North-South along the edge of the escarpment.
The next mile had a good grassy covering too and the horses were soon ready for off again at a cracking pace until we came to a big gate which Vicky and I were quite relieved to see since it meant we had to stop. We ‘oldies’ needed a ‘breather’ as well as our horses. Walking now, we continued until we arrived at another gate and a hunt jump in the wall nearby. “No, we are not taking chances and having a go jumping that!” Vicky, sensibly said! We decided that this was a good spot to have our lunch and we thought that with all the galloping the horses would find it a welcome break too, so we stopped here for a good ½ hour. Pity there wasn’t a handy pub! We were miles from anywhere!
On studying the map we saw there were several bridle paths we could follow from this point in order for us to ultimately arrive at our next destination and I said that I fancied exploring the only bridleway in the area that I had not ridden before. (Had we continued along the Drove Road we would eventually come to the ‘race course’ mentioned in the Local History paragraph.) Vicky agreed and the other two were ‘up for anything’. We took the marked bridleway track across fields (at a gallop of course!) then descended a steep shale and stone covered bank. We had to zig-zag down since there was no obvious path, until we came to the edge of a huge plantation below. The hill was steep and the ‘footing’ hazardous but we made it to a track which skirted the plantation then negotiated an awkward bridle gate set in a wall that led into a steep grassy field beyond.
I was relieved to come across bridleway waymarks here since up to now we had seen none for ages. After the steep downhill wecantered along the valley floor and up a winding grass track to a farm which I recognised. I had been there before whilst exploring with my hubby on his bike. We passed a donkey which hee-hawed to us as we rode by. The horses took very little notice of it, which we thought a bit surprising! (Vicky and I passed the donkey with much apprehension since on 2 previous holidays we had had terrible experiences with donkeys! But that’s another story.) Now: another very steep hill upwards this time. At the top of the hill we let the horses have another ‘breather’ and graze for ½ hour before moving off onto another lovely 1½ mile grassy Bridleway along the edge of a wood before descending a track to a riding centre.
We clattered over the metal ‘roadbridge’ that temporarily replaced the old one damaged in the floods We found a bridleway that zigzagged up the steep hill to come out of the plantation close to the main Stokesley to Helmsley road.
We cantered along a wide moorland strip parallel to the road. Libby and Limerick were trying to race each other again. I was relieved that despite their eagerness to gallop they did pull up relatively easily before we reached the ‘crossing point’ to the picnic area and car park at Newgate Bank. (Having ridden this route on a number of previous occasions I decided that instead of using a newly created Bridleway it would be slightly shorter and more scenic if we rode along a footpath, a wide track over open land and used by many local riders.) I was so glad we were riding this final section of today’s ride in good weather. It’s a long 3½ miles of stone track from here to our B&B near Carlton and we would have to walk for most of that. We found a path through the pine trees that the B&B proprietor had previously told me about, that led to the farm. After washing the horses off we fed and turned them out for the night.
We got a very warm welcome as always from our hostess, Anne who called us to the farmhouse for refreshments. This “afternoon tea” was better than that served up in many a 4* hotel. It was a delicious feast. Anne had laid out fresh home-baked, scones and homemade strawberry jam, sausage rolls and the most delicious fresh cream sponge cake! Anne’s welcoming smile and her ability to make everyone feel “at home” together with her care and generosity are what makes this typically homely and unpretentious Yorkshire farmhouse such a joy to stay at. Despite no “en suite”, the B&B is comfort itself! Later, Anne’s husband Edwin, drove us the 3 miles to Helmsley for our evening meal. We decided to try the Italian restaurant and we weren’t disappointed! Edwin taxied us back afterwards.
Day 3 Carlton to Appleton-le-Moors 14 miles
(50%bridleways and tracks 50% minor roads)
Up at 7.30 a.m. but such a beautiful day again and so quiet too we didn’t hurry to get organised. After an excellent breakfast we groomed and saddled up the horses. We lazed around whilst the horses grazed near the farmhouse (the grass was more lush here than in their field!). I was going to ride Crystal today! Today our route took us along short stretches of Bridleway interspersed by short sections of very quiet roads through several pretty villages. We set off about 11am and followed a permissive track down the steep pine tree covered hillside. (I had ‘negotiated’ this permission with the landowners – The Helmsley Estate. The nearby bridle path was precariously steep and overhung with trees, the final 50 yards down a densely wooded bank ending at a 20foot almost vertical drop onto a track below!). The permissive track provided beautiful long vistas up Riccal Dale
This route is particularly scenic and interesting. Riding twisting and turning bridleways, some very narrow, crossing streams, up hill and down dale across lush pastures and down the ‘headlands’ of arable fields. These bridleways had taken quite some finding when I first rode them 4 years ago.
We had 3 good ½ hour rests again today. The first by the river in a lovely valley lush with grass. The bridleway track joined a minor road that led us to the village of Fadmoor where we enjoyed a glass of lager at The Plough Inn on the village green. This sleepy village is so tranquil with its beautiful wide greens that add to its charm. Less than 1 mile along this quiet road is Gillamoor. Another lovely village that has several points of interest.
We continued on our ride down yet another Bridleway towards and down a tiny byway that is barely visible on the map. At the time of my earlier research it was unknown to me. The tarmac road led to a wide ford signed as “not suitable for motor vehicles”. We crossed the ford and followed the track to join the main road into the village of Hutton-le-Hole often described as the most picturesque village in Yorkshire”. Yorkshire? – It is the prettiest village in England – though I admit I haven’t been to all of them! We stopped on the green by the 
Cenotaph and Janet and Hayley went to buy us all ice creams. We left about 4p.m. to ride the last leg of our journey today. Another very interesting chain of bridleways of grassy lanes which zigzags for 2½ miles all the way to Appleton. We cantered or galloped most of the way!
Portrayed in stone are faces of the lawyer, doctor and clergyman of Christchurch.
We went straight to drop off our saddlebags at the Inn in the village where we had booked in for the night then rode the final 1½ miles to the busy livery stables at Hamley Hagg Farm. The horses would have to be stabled and not grazed, since they were moving sheep into their only spare field early the next morning. However, they all had good big boxes and plenty of bedding, hay and hard feed. The proprietor indicated that if we left morning feeds ready, she would see to it that the horses were fed early. She drove us back to the village when we had seen to the horses. At the Inn we had baths and watched a bit of telly and had our pre prandial drinks before going down for supper. The Inn is renowned for its good food and we certainly weren’t disappointed! We had a most enjoyable and convivial evening chatting to locals in the bar – and recounting our various horsy adventures.
Day 4 Appleton to Blakey Ridge and Farndale 11 miles
(90% bridleways 10% minor roads)
Beautiful morning again and Mike the licensee drove us to the stables. We mucked out, saddled up and were away by 10.30.
Vicky wanted to check out a Holiday Cottage for a possible holiday with horses later in the year. We stopped off to get further information. Having got all the cottage information we retraced our steps and turned up towards our next “off road” route. The Bridleway was dry as a bone and not at all “hock deep” as had been described to me when ridden by some others last November. However about a mile further on there was a somewhat ‘daunting’ wet area – but thankfully it turned out not to be too ‘deep’. Three more off-putting looking bogs altogether, but in reality not as bad as they looked! (Having had my horse down in a bog last summer and discovering how terrifying the experience is I felt quite apprehensive about this path!)
As I am particularly interested in the history of ancient highways, my interest was drawn to a few, almost buried ‘stone ‘trods’ along the way as well as a ’brigson’ (stone slab bridge over a watercourse). We finally arrived at the end of this bridleway (probably used since the 14th century or maybe even earlier) and came upon a conveniently situated pub which was open, where Janet and I elected to sample the beer. However before we had managed to finish our drink, rain threatened. We quickly donned our waterproofs, drank up and set off again along a very minor ‘dead end’ road through the tiny hamlet of Thorgill that eventually became a bridleway. It wasn’t long before the ‘heavens opened’. Lightening flashed and the thunder rumbled and crashed. The rain splashed down and the sky turned very black.
We continued along the stony track. It was not suitable for anything faster than walking, but despite that and the rain we still enjoyed it. We passed by a farm where the fields were full of Highland Ponies and finally the track gave way to grassy fields where we were all glad to have a canter. We reached an ancient track, not shown on the map, which I had discovered quite by accident during research for this ride! Is this a “Lost Way” that we keep hearing about? Near the top we crossed a disused railway line.
By now the rain had stopped and the day was pleasant again. At the top of the steep track was the tarmac road on Blakey Ridge. Vicky and I dropped off our saddlebags at the isolated Inn about 200yds up the road and where she and I were staying the night (unfortunately the 4 of us could not be accommodated at the same B&B). Having got rid of the extra weight, we all rode the 2 miles down the 1 in 4 hill to Janet and Hayley’s B&B at Church Houses in Farndale. The landlady, Frances, had arranged grazing for all the horses. We watered and fed them before turning them out for the night in a nearby field. Frances very kindly gave Vicky and me a lift back up the hill to our B&B. Terry (my husband) and his cycling friend Dave, were cycling over to join us all for a meal on our last night! They had cycled from Stokesley via Westerdale.
Dave and Terry left about 9.30 to cycle home. Janet and Hayley who unfortunately had to walk the 2miles back. Of course, there’s a lack of street lighting up on the moors and despite my pleading to almost everyone in the pub to cadge a lift for “2 lovely young ladies” – there were unfortunately no ‘takers’!?? “So much for chivalry these days” I remarked to Vicky later as we were sitting in bed with cups of tea and glass of wine watching the telly, and I added “that some passing motorist was sure to stop and pick them up” – Vicky retorted that she wouldn’t get in a stranger’s car at that time of night – “You never know what might happen!”. I said that if I was in the same situation I probably would ‘flag down’ any passing car as “anything would be better than walking all that way in the dark and cold!”
Having drunk up, I switched out the light, snuggled down in bed and didn’t give our two younger companions a second thought and I fell asleep immediately! (It must have been the alcohol that affected my judgement – I cannot believe I had such a cavalier attitude!)
Day 5 Church Houses, Farndale to Kirkby 13 miles
(95% bridleways and forest tracks)
Morning was bleak! Very cold, with strong winds blowing the rain horizontal! What a change! At the Inn we breakfasted at 8, packed up then chatted to the local staff in order to ‘sus’ out better alternative accommodation for a future visit. I phoned Francis to check if the other 2 had set off (presuming they did get back last night one way or another!!). Francis said she didn’t know! “She thought they’d had their breakfast and she would ring and let me know when they were ready to set off”. (Hayley and Janet had said the previous night that it would be quite easy for them to lead up our horses. We waited with our gear at the ready in the front porch of the pub out of the wind. After about ½ hour we got fed up and moved indoors to study the map and chat to the parties of walkers, most of whom were considering ‘abandoning the walking for the day’! Then we got a signal from another waiting guest that horses had arrived so we quickly gathered up our gear and trundled with it outside to the waiting horses. I was riding Savannah, Janet’s horse, today. With kagools and waterproof trousers over the top of all my spare clothes, I still felt the cold. However, once ‘on board’ and moving I felt much better.
The mist and low cloud was so low that we could not see many yards ahead. We made our way by a ‘short cut’ path from the rear of the Inn down the moor to join the disused railway line – our route back to Kirkby. Once on the ‘line’ we all agreed on trotting to get us warmed up. That was fine – for the first 20 yards or so, but Savannah and Limerick were so keen to be off that they soon broke into a canter and then a gallop. Off we all sped along the track (thank goodness it’s more or less level all the way). When I considered that the “going“ was somewhat too stony for such a speed we pulled up quite easily and walked for a while. Trotting didn’t seem to be an option! It had been walk, canter or gallop most of the holiday! Thankfully all the horses walked out well. The weather was very poor – not particularly raining hard now, but windy and cold. However, we actually enjoyed it and we entertained ourselves, the birds, (and anyone else listening) with lusty renditions of “The Hills are alive……..” , “We love to go a wandering……..” and “Show me the way to go home……!”
It’s about 5 miles of level riding with nothing but the bleak and wild moors to see. Our route from the Inn along the disused railway line to the point where we turned off onto the Cleveland Way at Blowath Crossing; was approx. 5 miles. Then another 2 ½ miles on the Cleveland Way across Urrah Moor and down a steep paved Bridleway path to join the Helmsley to Stokesley Road at Clay Bank. I knew that it would not be wise to keep to the steepest part of the paved path (a bridleway) for our descent here and I picked my way carefully down the grassy slopes following a ‘path’ that a shepherd’s quad bike had made. (Had we continued on the railway line for another mile we would have arrived at Ingleby Incline which, although steep is an easier but much longer descent.
We had covered the 7½ miles from the Inn in less than 2 hours!. Our route then continued through a Plantation on a forestry track. There has been much forestry work in this area in the last year and the stunning views across to Roseberry Topping and the Tees estuary are quite breathtaking.
I pointed out the huge boulders that littered the steep hillsides and explained about the Great Landslip of 1872.
We now descended a very rough track and turned along a farm track for the final leg of our ride through Broughton Banks Farm to Kirkby. We crossed sheep pasture to a bridleway path that led us back to the foot of the packhorse trail from where we started the ride nearly 5 days ago.
Although more than a ‘bit mad’ at times, it was a most enjoyable 5 days riding, in good company and with excellent and varied overnight stops; the ‘girls’ all agreed that the riding was exciting and they all enjoyed the varied countryside.
(I know that anyone reading this will think that I am in the habit of ‘hard’ riding’. I didn’t seem to have any option when riding these horses that were all quite different to my 'Emma!'
They were so very keen to be ‘off’ and there never seemed to be an alternative to either walking or galloping)