Our walk started at the quiet village of Ingleby Greenhow which means 'Englishman's village on the green hill'. This was once a busy industrial centre, which, since the closure of the railway, has now reverted to its original sleepy existence.
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A fine view from the Cleveland Way.
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Click photo for a larger view. |
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We walked through the churchyard of the 12th Century St. Andrew's church to cross Ingleby Beck using the footbridge as the stepping stones across the beck were nearly under water. Just after crossing the beck we turned left up some stone steps following a footpath sign then continued straight ahead with Ingleby Plantation on our left, climbing several stiles, until we reached a farm.
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Here we turned left walking through the farm, quickly rushing past some vicious sounding caged dogs, over a stile, then through a gate to a wood. We followed the path through the wood, crossing Ingle Beck by footbridge, and then continued straight ahead, passing Ingleby Manor on the left, until we reached a lane which took us into Bank Foot. Here Jimmy, Ken and Syd chatted with a countryside warden who told them that if we looked carefully at the rocks at a cutting at Ingleby Incline we would see a carving in the rocks resembling a man very similar to Isambard Kingdom Brunel. We made a mental note to find it when we reached Ingleby Incline.
From here we made our way up Ingleby Bank following the waymarked path steeply uphill through the wood to join a stony track which continued uphill towards the Cleveland Way . We picked a grassy clearing beside the track for a coffee stop and were rewarded with fine views of Roseberry Topping and Cook's Monument in the distance. After continuing on the track for a while where the track turned to the right we joined a grassy waymarked path and climbing more gently now between heather and grass reached the top of a ridge. Here at a crossroad of paths marked by a small cairn we turned right onto the Cleveland Way .
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After a while we came across a 'hand stone' to the left of the track which, in the past, would have marked the way for travellers on the lonely moor. This stone, dated 1757, has a rock-covered hollow in the top where travellers would leave a few coins for those in more desperate need, a tradition we found is still practiced today as we found a few coins under the rock. We were tired but not too desperate so we left the coins where they were. Anyway there wasn't enough even for a pint!
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About ½ mile after passing a track on the left coming down from Middle Head Top there is a turn off to the right onto a grassy track leading downhill to Incline Top. This turn off can be easily missed - the path leads to the left of a fenced enclosure which comes into view on the right of the Cleveland Way . Incline Top proved to be an excellent place for a lunch stop being well sheltered from the wind which was becoming quite strong now. The descent down Greenhow Bank was via the impressive Ingleby Incline. The track looking towards the incline looked like the start of the drop in a roller coaster ride!
We looked hard and long for the carving but we came to the conclusion that the warden was by now sitting in the pub telling everyone "They always fall for that!" |
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The incredible inclined tramway near Ingleby was the only rail link between the moorland Rosedale branch and the marshalling yards at Battersby Junction below. The incline worked on the principle of descending wagons, full of iron-ore, hauling empties up the 1430yd, steep 1 in 5 gradient, attached to long steel ropes revolving in opposite directions around a huge drum and controlled by a brake. The journey normally took three minutes at a speed of about 20 mph. Accidents were common, so railway workers were not permitted to ride on either ascending or descending wagons. |
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A view of Roseberry Topping. |
Click photo for a larger view. |
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At the bottom of the incline, opposite some houses, we joined a footpath leading across fields. We now completed the walk through pleasant farmland with wonderful views in all directions including the Cleveland escarpment at Ingleby bank, Cook's Monument and the distinctive Roseberry Topping in the distance.
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We followed the footpath past High Farm to reach a lane where we turned left towards New Sheepfold Farm passing a plantation on our right. In the next field we joined a path to our right. This took us to West Wood Farm with a lovely 'back garden' complete with pond. From here we joined a lane and then a footpath across fields before joining the lane again taking us by Folly Farm where we turned left. We ignored the next footpath sign but took the second one to the right which took us back to the lane at Ingleby where we crossed the Ingleby Beck again into the churchyard and back to the cars.
After a long discussion as to which pub to go to we decided to try the Queen's Head in Stokesley. On the way Ken had a sinking feeling that he had left his new, very expensive, top of the range map case on top of the car when he had left the car park in Ingleby. Sure enough, it wasn't in the boot (or the roof) when he checked but then Jimmy came to the rescue when he drove up with it although not without having driven over it first at Ingleby! |