THE car park at Guisborough's 'Community Forest' was nearly full on a sunny Sunday but not everybody was happy. Three disgruntled walkers had just been turned off moors they thought had opened. I commiserated, mentioned the imminent grouse shooting on those moors (more grumbling and head shaking) then headed for the info-centre to sort out a route in the Open Access woods.
That done the next step was to get away from the crowds. A stiff climb into a beech wood saw to that and to the road hum, and it was just me and the trees. Bumblebees hurried from foxglove to foxglove; soon it will be time for a tangy bramble or two. I ambled along the narrow rooty paths and the woods wrap round the head of a valley. Connoisseurs of aspects of Roseberry Topping (The 'Cleveland Matterhorn') will have clocked two angles by now.
My path descended to the main low level track and a procession of walkers. I tagged along for a while and asked a group 'which way to the Hanging Stone?' which brought a few odd looks from the puzzled and a 'good route' from a local.
There followed a 350-foot climb on lovely looping track that narrows to path, then some steps and then the Hanging Stone loomed above, a block of sandstone about the size and shape of a double-decker bus half buried horizontally in the steep hillside.
A couple sunbathed; every square foot is carved with names. The view from the stone warrants its inclusion on the O.S. map, but is a little spoilt by a dozen pines in the wrong place. I had my sandwich stop twenty feet higher. You see over Guisborough to the coast and part of Middlesbrough.
A further climb brings you to nearly 1,000 feet, to the edge of the moors. The Cleveland Way goes west through the heather, a mile to Roseberry Topping (not visible). I did 20 paces to an 1834 stone way mark and dipped back into the woods. On the way down you can count the ships on the sea and you pass a ribbon of soft rusty shale, a reminder of the ironstone mines.
I levelled out into the parkland- style environs of Hutton village, caught one last view of Roseberry, and finished along a pushchair promenade (old rail line) with wild ponds to the side, flowers ablaze, the coots diving, the bulrushes spiking up and a tearful toddler getting its first botany lesson - 'nettle...nettle...'.
Directions:
When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.
1. From visitors' centre track/path 200 yards, fork right uphill, gate, fork right uphill - steps. Right at top of steps, ten yards, left up steps to path, 100 yards left, path swings left near top of wood, into dip.
2. Junction at wood corner, right up four steps to a contour then downhill curving path.
3. Footbridge and bench, left 50 yards to main track then right. Ignore side turns.
4. At cutting/clearing (50 yards long) right fork to grassy track that becomes path (ground drops away to left). Right at junction with stony track, 50 yards, left up steps to Hanging Stone. Up past 'stone', path 20 yards into wood then angles 11 o'clock, 50 yards, meet track and left.
5. At moor, left 20 yards, path downhill on left (1834 stone waymark). Ignore side turns.
6. At T-junction left downhill on a main track, over track crossroads, ignore left fork, left to road.
7. Left to track (Tees Link), fork left before brick cottage, right to track at edge of wood, fork right downhill to path (white, red and green waymarked route). Gate and left to track back to start.
Fact file:
Distance: Five and a half miles.
Time: Three hours.
General location: Northern edge of the North York Moors.
Start: Visitors' centre at Pinchinthorpe.
Right of way: Open access and public rights of way.
Date walked: Sunday, July 22, 2001.
Road route: From York - A19 north, A172 to Stokesley, A173 towards Guisborough.
Car parking: Free at visitors' centre.
Lavatories: Visitors' centre.
Refreshments: Limited at visitors' centre, otherwise Guisborough.
Tourist & Public Transport Information: Guisborough TIC 01287 633801. Pinchinthorpe Forest Visitors' Centre open Monday to Friday 9-4, and Sunday 10-5, 01287 631132.
Map: Based on OS OL 26 North York Moors western area.
Terrain: Steep woods.
Points of interest: Views, open access, cycle trails, wheelchair path.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Dogs: Suitable.
Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418
Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.
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