Hutton-le-Hole and Lastingham

Saturday 2nd December 2000

( Weather: cool with some sunny spells )

Today we were a bit late to go for a walk so we went for a drive to visit a couple of moorland villages

Here we look north towards Commondale from near Castleton

Baysdale Beck, Hob Hole

The ford at Hob Hole - there was a wooden footbridge across here last time we came before the recent floods
- now you can see it's been washed away downstream about 20 yards away (centre left)
and beyond, the wreck of a car which has either been washed down there or has gone over the edge of the hill

. . .

Close by the roadside on Westerdale Moor is Young Ralph's Cross ( Grid Ref: 677 022 )
- the symbol of the North York Moors National Park
As you can see, the shaft has been repaired several times over the years

Close by Young Ralph, on the bleak moor, I was intrigued to find these memorial tributes to both people and pets
- obviously to those who visited and fell in love with this place at some time in their lives - just like me!

A little further on we get a glimpse of one of my favourite dales - Rosedale

We soon arrive at the picturesque village of Hutton-le-Hole . . .

. . . fairly quiet today, but always crowded with tourists in the summer months . . .

In fact I've never seen it so quiet as it was today for a long time

The tiny church contains oak furniture made by the 'mouseman' woodcarver, Robert Thompson of Kilburn

On leaving Hutton-le-Hole we soon arrive at Lidsty Cross ( Victoria Cross on the OS map Grid Ref: 728 901 )
erected in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee

The cross stands at the top of a high hillside overlooking the beautiful village of Lastingham . . .

. . . enjoying a superb view north towards Spaunton Moor

At the bottom of the hill we arrive in Lastingham, one of the most attractive villages on the moors

. . .

The old stone cottages retain their charm - the village is much as it was when I first visited it over 30 years ago . . .

. . .

. . . I hope it stays that way for ever

On the way home, in the late afternoon sun, we pass the site of a stretch of Roman Road on Wheeldale Moor

The road is much better preserved about ½ a mile further on but I hadn't time to get there - maybe another day

Finally, the sun begins to set over Wheeldale Beck

........

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