Arden

There are several ways of getting to the moor, but this seems the most suitable. We parked up where it reads P' on the OS map, on a grass patch in the confluence of Wheat Beck and another. Here in 2005, the water thrashed ten feet high, and flood debris is still felted to the tree trunks.

A yellow-coloured wagtail drank from a churned car park puddle; these birds of Locker Low Wood, with their oaks, birch and boxes, are tended and monitored. The info board read: "Welcome to Arden/Hawnby EstateOpen Access."

Last year, when we came down from a touch of Arden Great Moor, we made a slight pig's ear of it. This time was better and the steepening part of the 600ft climb of Locker Bank was done via comfortable diagonals. The effort was enlivened by a couple of March hares and by the quick yellow orange flames of burning heather across the valley.

At the top the westerly wind hit, and it was a brake or accelerator for the rest of the day.

Because there's nothing to stop it on Arden Great Moor, the altitude varies smoothly and not by much, between 1,300 and 1,100ft.

Also, on the OS map there's an emptiness, virtually nothing on the relevant six squares bar the name on a blankness of moor, plus a few peripheral cairns and disused quarries. The latter have to do as rare sites for sandwich stops.

The moor was once called The Mosses. It rains here and the rock under the peat is a water barrier. In 1912, Middles-brough's Frank Elgee described Arden Great Moor as botanically "poverty stricken heather and cotton grass in monotonous abundance".

We walked looking out, away from the heather, eyes right all five miles around the moor, easily done thanks to the continually good tracks and rewarding for the rich and varied views.

For a mile or so there are the panning horizons of the Cleveland Hills.

The next length is part of the Cleveland Way, here running due north to south and this offers long views over Kepwick to the flatlands and to the Dales.

Then we turned again, to be blown round a double-headed gill, across Wild Middle and around a larger cut that visually connects to Thorodale, a part of that valley well above Arden Hall.

Another turn took us round a much larger ravine, it was cold on Sunburnt Nab, ditto Sun Bank, but by now we could see down to our start zone, the fingers of valley, a little warmer there between slabs and rolls of moor.

That just left the descent, Locker Bank again, a pleasant wind down to a good walk.

Fact file

Distance: Eight miles.

Time: Three or four hours.

General location: North York Moors.

Start: Locker Low Wood GR SE 511945.

Right of way: Public and open access.

Map: Drawn from OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors western area.

Dogs: Illegal.

Date walked: March, 2007.

Road route: A19 to Osmotherley, right at T-junction at top of village, keep left after half a mile, then 4 miles on the moorland road.

Car parking: Grass area between becks, part muddy, free, info board. Some nearby verge.

Lavatories: Osmotherley.

Refreshments: Osmotherley.

Tourist and public transport information: National Park Sutton Bank 01845 597426.

Terrain: Mostly moorland.

Points of interest: The Moorlands of North Eastern Yorkshire by Frank Elgee, F.G.S.

Difficulty: Moderate if clear weather.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1. From parking area, to small bridge (fingerpost) and fieldgate (Locker Farm sign) to track, 100 yards, grassy path/track on right (old signpost), gate (waymark), uphill.

2. Fieldgate to moor and left (ignore old Private sign) to narrow path(s) which starts about tenyards from wall and angles to about 50 yards away.

About 100 yards before wall turns left at corner, fork right to stonier sunken path/track. Loops left up hillside after a few hundred yards and here ignore a path on right. Ignore a left fork further up.

3. Right to track at top.

4. Left to track (Cleveland Way Fingerpost), cattlegrid/fieldgate.

5. About 50 yards before fieldgate in fence, track on left at old quarry (no sign).

Left fork to track where right hand track descends (Conservation Walks sign).

6. Track on left about 200 yards before fieldgate in wall and ignore a rusty old sign.

7. Fork left to track 200 yards before conifer wood on hillside and stay on track around edge of moor. Rejoin outward route at direction number 4. Note, ignore a right fork after 300 yards.

Map of the walk>>