Scenes around the Upper Esk Valley

 Upper Esk Valley Index

17. A Three Crosses circular walk (White, Job and Siss) via Castleton and Danby

You can walk up the Castleton to Lockwood Beck Road (which eventually joins the A171 Whitby-Guisborough road) to White Cross at the T junction with the road up from Commondale (in the background). The base may be medieval and the remaining shaft 'dressed' 18th century stonework, but some consider both pieces relatively modern? On two sides of the shaft is a carved cross (date?). Several paved pannier ways or stone trods lead from it to Castleton, Commondale, Guisborough.

You can then follow the track eastwards from White Cross. The 'peak' of Freebrough Hill is just visible on the right.

A few hundred metres along on the left, and easily missed is Job Cross, which does not appear to be near any track or road these days. Possibly where a track from Moorsholm to Castleton crossed the old west road, part of the Siss Cross Road.

Winter scene on the track running east-west that heads for White Cross and Job Cross

Continuing eastwards and then heading south-east you can find the old trig point on Siss Cross Hill, the highest point on the northern extremity of Danby Low Moor, here looking towards the coast and Freebrough Hill (in the distance, just to the left of the trig point).

Looking from the trig point over the huge expanse of moorland towards Fryup Dale and Danby Dale.

Wandering down further in a south easterly direction you find the remains (maybe?) of Siss Cross, looking south towards Fryup Dale and Danby Dale. Some consider no remains of the medieval cross and a stone erected to mark its undisputed position.

Siss cross, looking eastwards towards the 'peak' of Danby Beacon (top left), which in fact is a bronze/iron? age burial mound or tumulus (you can just make it out!). You can then follow the Siss Cross 'Road' - path! down to Rosedale Intake at the top end of Danby.

Further down in the direction of Danby Beacon is a curious stone pointing due east.

The weathering suggests it has been standing there for a long time!

After descending south to the top end of Danby, a small diversion off the path - believed to be a prehistoric standing stone, found by Peter Woods and re-erected on his land near Rosedale Intake en route for Castleton-Danby Park wood.

Castleton on the ridge, viewed from the Castleton-Danby path through Park Wood.

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