Rosedale East Mines Walk, North York Moors

Opposite the last house on the left, we’re looking to the right for a seat and the gate next to it – which we are going through. There’s a wide track ahead of us that takes us gently uphill, past a grey farmhouse and its duck pond before bearing left around the back of the house behind some old stone ruins (these once formed part of the Rosedale East Branch Railway Goods Station back in the days of the ironstone industry). We keep going along the track until we reach an information plaque beside a gate.

We’re going through the gate and continuing straight ahead (ignoring the direction of the blue arrow on the gate) until we come to some more ruins. The stony path we’re following first bears to the left and then to the right where we join the disused railway track bed. Here we are offered wonderful views along the dale ahead of us and there are information boards that tell us more of the history of this land. Soon we reach an impressive set of ruined stone arches. Take care here not to stray beyond the fencing as the ruins are dangerous to enter.

Continuing on along the track we walk past many other reminders of the industrial past of this part of the country including several sets of kilns. As we continue onwards, we pause to glance back to see the evidence of the terraces of narrow gauge railways that led up above the kilns to the entrances of the drift mines and signs of more ruined buildings. Here we are also offered glorious views west across the patchwork of green fields of Rosedale.

The track eventually forms an embankment that spans a deep valley – a valley formed over many years by streams tumbling down from the moors to the right. The path significantly narrows here – so watch your step as you go. At the far end of the embankment you will see a wooded area to the left and traces of a bridleway on the right that crosses our track. On the left the bridle path becomes wider leads us downhill towards the trees. Here you may see a sign for the Dale Head Farm tea rooms (unless the sheep have knocked it over … again) – which are well worth a visit. We continue down the path to the left, towards Dale Head Farm (do not cross the stiles into the wood or go up the path and tracks to the right).

At the Tea Garden, unless you feel like stopping for a cuppa and slice of cake – we turn left along until we eventually reach Bell End Farm once more where we began.