4b. Walk 4 Limey Landscapes - Nettle Dale and the Hambleton Hills: Part b Nettle Dale back to Sutton Bank via Limestone Escarpment of the Hambleton Hills, Hill Fort Windypits, Boltby Scar - Walks and scenes around Sutton Bank North York Moors National Park Centre, in North Yorkshire, Northern England, images-pictures-photos-views-photographs-webshots of walking on the North Yorkshire Moors

Walking Scenes from the Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors, North Yorkshire

4b. Walk 4 Limey Landscapes - Nettle Dale and the Hambleton Hills: Part b Nettle Dale back to Sutton Bank via Limestone Escarpment of the Hambleton Hills

The first of the fish ponds built by the monks of Rievaulx Abbey in the 12th century - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England Then back up the Cleveland Way to head north-west through upper Nettle Dale to rejoin Walk 4 - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

The first of the fish ponds built by the monks of Rievaulx Abbey in the 12th century. (For more views of a Rievaulx Abbey and walks see pages 5, 17-18 in the Helmsley area section). Then back up the Cleveland Way to head north-west through upper Nettle Dale.

After Nettle Dale you turn north to head for Wethercote Lane along a track with sweeping open views of grain crops and the distant moorlands of North Yorkshire - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

After Nettle Dale you turn north to head for Wethercote Lane along a track with sweeping open views of grain crops and the distant moorlands of North Yorkshire. The farmers must have so grateful for this good September weather after the awful July-August of the 2007 English summer!

Wethercote Lane is broad and was probably an old drove road for cattle - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

Wethercote Lane is broad and was probably an old drove road for cattle.

Looking east down Wethercote Lane, broad and was probably an old drove road for cattle - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

Looking east down Wethercote Lane. In medieval times, many of the present day fields were used for grazing sheep, a major source of income for the 12th century monasteries like the nearby Rievaulx Abbey and Byland abbey.

the Cleveland-Hambleton Road, used for centuries as a drove road to move cattle from Scotland to London and the south of England - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England fields of grain on the Hambleton Mosses - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

At the next T junction you meet the Cleveland-Hambleton Road, used for centuries as a drove road to move cattle from Scotland to markets in Malton and York, and even further on to London and the south of England. Huge herds of sheep and pigs and turkeys were also herded around down these semi-green roads. You go over the old drove road in a westerly direction, straight on past fields of grain on the Hambleton Mosses to reach the edge of the Hambleton Hills.

The top of the limestone escarpment above Boltby Scar, looking west to the Yorkshire Dales - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England and north along the Hambleton Hills. - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

The top of the limestone escarpment above Boltby Scar, looking west to the Yorkshire Dales and north along the Hambleton Hills.

From now, all the way back to Sutton Bank, you get stunning views e.g. looking west from the top of Boltby Scar across the Vale of York to the Yorkshire Dales (far distance) and the most western part of the Hambleton Hills (far right). - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

From now, all the way back to Sutton Bank the path follows the edge of the cliffs and you get stunning views e.g. looking west from the top of Boltby Scar across the Vale of York to the Yorkshire Dales (far distance) and the most western part of the Hambleton Hills (far right).

A Spruce tree blown in a westerly direction at the edge of the limestone escarpment - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England At Hill Fort Windypits the path goes through a clearly identifiable ancient defensive or boundary marking dyke dug at 90o to the path. - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

A Spruce tree blown in a westerly direction at the edge of the limestone escarpment. At Hill Fort Windypits the path goes through a clearly identifiable ancient defensive or boundary marking dyke dug at 90^o to the path.

Just south of the Hill Fort Windypits is a flat grassy knoll of a tumulus - an ancient bronze age burial mound (500 to 1500 BC, i.e. 2500 - 3500 years old!), so the remains of this high status citizen looks out over the Vale of York. - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England Just south of the Hill Fort Windypits is a flat grassy knoll of a tumulus - an ancient bronze age burial mound (500 to 1500 BC, i.e. 2500 - 3500 years old!), so the remains of this high status citizen looks out over the Vale of York. - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

The rich agricultural land below the Vale of York and the outline of distant hills of the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines. - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

The rich agricultural land below the Vale of York and the outline of distant hills of the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines.

The views of, and from, the impressive White Stone Cliff (or White Mare Crag). - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

From the escarpment path, the views of, and from, the impressive White Stone Cliff (or White Mare Crag).

After passing by Whitestone Cliff you get the first views of the glacial in origin, Lake Gormire - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England a small wood of mainly silver birch and a few oak trees - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

After passing by Whitestone Cliff you get the first views of the glacial in origin, Lake Gormire and then through a small wood of mainly silver birch and a few oak trees, after which the views of Lake Gormire return.

the views of Lake Gormire return - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

Just before returning to the Sutton Bank National Park visitor centre your last views are of the impressive cliffs of Roulston Scar in the distant left of the picture. - Walking from Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England

Just before returning to the Sutton Bank National Park visitor centre your last views are of the impressive cliffs of Roulston Scar (in the distant left of the picture, see Walk 1) and the end of an excellent and varied walk.

Walk 4 Part a <-> Walk 5 Part a

* These web pages describe, mainly with picture views of walking scenes around Sutton Bank on the North Yorkshire Moors. The text is deliberately short, no full guide is intended, but I hope the pictures covey the beauty of walking and visiting this area of England and other beautiful and interesting areas nearby. They are based on five walks from the North York Moors National Park Visitor Centre at Sutton Bank where you can purchase a copy of a booklet describing these five walks in detail with maps, but an "OS Explorer Map OL 26 North York Moors - Western Area" is a great geographical and navigational help if necessary. * Enjoy the walking in the countryside this lovely and interesting area of Northern England where there are lots of places to visit, varied walking holiday landscapes and no shortage of accommodation with warm and friendly hospitality. * page updated Jan 15th 2008 * EMAIL Phil Brown * images-photographs-pictures-webshots-photos-views © Dr W P Brown *