Dee Dowkes Local Walks
Kirkbymoorside resident Dee Dowkes has been walking around Kirkbymoorside and documenting her walks for many years.
These, recorded during 2025, are a snapshot of time and place, telling us not just of the landscape and history in and around the town, but giving us an insight into Dee herself.
September 8th 2025
Today I'd promised to stick to 'proper' roads and tracks - so, giving everywhere their proper names, it was Manor Vale up Park Lane to High Park and across to Swineherd Lane. Then up Back of Parks Road and Hallgate Lane, past the end of Court Moor Lane and up the footpath that comes out near Gillamoor Church. Then down Low Bank to Mill Road and to the bottom of Gillamoor Bank. Then down Lund Road to Low Lane and over the little bridge then left at the sign and so to the old Lowna Quaker Burial Ground.
So, Manor Vale up to Low Park - even more timber still stacked at the top of the lane then up Rumsgill. The other sort of corn and up the footpath to Gillamoor. Continuing up the footpath to Gillamoor - and more american type corn. Gillamoor then down the track to the bottom of the bank. There I found 2 ladies heading to Cropton along the Tabular Hills walk who had missed the turn down to Gillamoor Mill so went back that far and saw them on their way across to Hutton le Hole. Hope they made it to Cropton.... Into Lowna Car Park and along the footpath to the old Quaker burial ground. The seat was still missing but sat on a fallen branch for a while. Back up to Gillamoor with a view of Gillamoor Mill. Home by Woodhead Field Lane aka the High Park road and down to Manor Vale, resisted the temptation to go down the footpath to Castlegate. Plus a view of the ancient ash from up the field that was once part of the Golf Course.
September 2nd 2025
Up to Fadmoor then along the footpath to Sleightholmedale Bank and down to Sleightholmedale Lodge. Then along the footpath to Hold Cauldron and up the footpath towards Starfitts Lane.
Still surprised at golfers so near the road - and the guidepost should be in the centre so tourists will know which way to go... Think the timber is in the Fadmoor football field so not sure how valid the no public access sign is!
Work still happening at Fadmoor - except it was lunch break! Bottom right is my shadow on a patched bit of road and a lot more that needs patching.
Along the straight footpath to Sleightholmedale that parallels the Avenue and passes a little quarry en route. The fence post looked surprised to see me.
The avenue is officially another Green Lane! The footpath comes out between the old Mell Bank Quarry and the old Brow Quarry on what has always been Sleightholmedale Bank to me but is probably Mell Bank! The photo is Brow Quarry at the roadside.
Near Sleightholmedale Lodge, intricate works afoot. If anyone knows the chap from the Lodge, with a little boy, that I was talking to please tell him I think the Dropping Well explains the problem with flooding they have there!!!
Down the footpath to Hold Cauldron that joins the bridlepath across and up to Skiplam Grange - an area that will unadvisable in a months time when pheasant season begins.
Along the footpath to Hold Cauldron and up the footpath towards Starfitts Lane the red arrow is where I thought "Thats where I left my hat that time - Oh Buddy Hill!!!!" (family euphemism from when our son was little!). So trudged all the way back and red cross is where I found it near the bottom of the bridlepath up to Sleightholmedale Avenue... Went up that way and came home by road. Got home nearly 1.5 hours later than I should have totally knackered but with baseball cap! Second unforeseen circumstance was trying to flatten a plastic bottle and ending up with a bruised hip - gave up and went to bed at that point!!!
August 27th 2025
Spaunton Quarry by bus pass to Catterbeck. Lovely day enjoying my first real walk for over a week.
Very different points of interest all over the very big spread out quarry and never even got to the part worked last. Don't know what the blue flowers are but they are all over the place and they seem to flower all summer. [Comments from Claire Gibson: The blue flower is Vipers Bugloss I think. It loves this environment.] Someone from the white pickup working further up Catterbeck valley bit of smoke haze up there.
Then I missed my sunglasses and went back to look for them. Knew it was unlikely but had to try! Really sad not to have found them as they were the curved sort with wide sides and helped to keep pollen and dust out... Backtracking where I'd been and the white pickup had morphed into a yellow digger! And some clouds were moving in... Centre not a path but a section of Catterbeck and bottom right not autumn leaves but berries. Only a little fire in a clearing so guessing it was timber clearance.
Then it began to spit and spot with rain so heading for home. Wondering if there is going to be a sign on the large rock that has appeared at the top of the Lingmoor Farm road. The lake now has a little bit of water - and my washing line is still there to make it easier to go up or down the bank at the dry ford. Ironically that is where it started to rain heavily...
Spent half an hour sheltering under a sycamore tree and decided that the nearby ash was smirking at me - it looked more unfriendly and disapproving when I climbed over the fence to get better shelter... Then the sun started to come out and I got a rainbow as as an apology from the weather!!! Barn building still continuing and hedge trimming up Swineherd Lane
August 24th 2025
Something different - bought the old 1930s photo on eBay and it seems to have been taken from what is now approximately the top of Springfield Lane. So not far from where my brother lives and also near where Mike Dowkes and I started our married life. Edit - The map is 30+ years earlier
Ironically the house hiding behind the trees is where my Uncle Bill Boddy and family lived until they moved to Scarborough.
As usual the cursor arrow and the cross mark the same place. If you look carefully at the satellite view you can see the newer timber as it is darker. The Old Road is still Kirkby Mills Lane on the map when it was actually the main road - and so were Howe End and West End!
Ringed in red the house and the cross is where I took my photo from. The white cross is where the wood once ended.
August 24th 2025
Had a little wander up to Yoadwath yesterday. Chin healing, but knees still a bit stiff so only did a sedate gym session today but a couple of little meanders round Kirkby as well.
Think the River Dove at Yoadwath is the lowest I can remember - I could almost have gone over the ford...
Roundabout route to gym. Ryedale Crescent (Mum always said it used to be their cow pasture!) In case anyone wondered where the Scouts went when the old Scout Hut was knocked down for the new Band Hall. The gate in the top of Manor Vale that I think once led to the old tennis courts. And the wonderful new carved owl at the edge of the Golf Club carpark.
From Church Street to the little old footpath to the church past the mounting block that used to be in Crown Square - can remember playing on it with Jane Russell nee Rivis er rather a long time ago. Even longer ago it had a streetlight on top! Crown Square once upon a time was just The Square with two pubs (The Crown and The Red Lion!) Bottom left is the Community Garden
August 20th 2025
This is actually yesterday's walk but appropriate to put it on today as today is my brother Chris Boddy's 93rd birthday. There can't be many left of the Royal Observer Corps Boon Hill Brigade... My earliest memory of Chris is seeing him in his uniform - and not being sure it was him!!!
On the way up to Fadmoor by the guidepost. Anyone else still call it that? And anyone else remember when the road priorities were swapped? And yes more stacks of timber! Fadmoor - lots of conkers but I suppose today's kids won't be interested ...Boon Hill House with the wonderful flying pig sign and resident guardian sheep - should have been a pig... Along what will always be Honeysuckle Lane to me round the base of Boon Hill. The first part of the bridlepath is a made up road as it goes to Stoneley Woods but continues as a grassy track with lovely views.
Coming across into Sleightholmedale it began intermittent drizzle. The cattle grid sign seems to have been used as a target... Aumery Park and then on to Sleightholmedale Lodge. Heavy shower there for a few minutes. Up the Bank with quarries to my left. Then along the Avenue and wish I had used the footpath bottom left that comes out near Robin Hoods Howl. Unfortunately decided to go by High Hagg Farm and had a bad fall turning off Starfitts Lane. Heard something big coming down the lane behind me and stepped on the edge of a pothole which fought back!!! Wagon driver gave me antiseptic wipes and asked if he could phone anyone for me which was kind - said I went down as if I'd been struck by lightning!!! Did a sort of 5-point landing - hands knees and chin... Chin came off worst and I got home on autopilot but it kept bleeding heavily for hours. Nurse gave me anti-tetanus today just in case...
August 16th 2025
Bus pass to Sinnington then up the bridlepath to Appleton le Moors. A few photos of the church then down the back lane and onto Appleton Common. Got a bit lost on the bridlepath across the Common but eventually made it! Then over the stile near the little stand of trees and back home by Spaunton Quarry and the still dry new lake.
August 14th 2025
Bit less oppressive today so off I went! Across to Robin Hoods Howl from the Manor Woods Estate, which now has one of the new playgrounds open. Then up the Howl, across to Starfitts Lane and the bridlepath from Low Hagg Farm. Followed the bridlepath down to Hold Cauldron, over the bridge and up through the wood where it turns right along the track to Skiplam Grange. Then it was down to the bridge and back through the bottom of the wood to Hold Cauldron and Kirkdale.
August 11th 2025
Up towards Gillamoor but never quite got there as I turned right just past Cockpit Hall and then up towards Gillamoor again before taking the bridlepath down into Douthwaite Dale. Then I went just a little way along the Shepherd's Road and up the footpath that passes the double lime kilns. The little white sign says footpath diverted follow waymarks but there are none... This took me up to Rumsgill and back to Kirkbymoorside down Swineherd Lane.
August 9th 2025
Spaunton Quarry by bus pass. Same driver as when I left my bag on the bus cos he asked if I had everything this time!!!
August 8th 2025
A couple of days to my late mum's birthday so it seemed appropriate to have a walk up to Edstone. Around Edstone - the old phone box now houses a defibrillator - what a good idea! The church and graveyard are both closed as work continues.
August 7th 2025
Car run day today and fully intended to go shopping while I was out...
...but Blakey Junction and a walk up the old Rosedale railway line won!!!
And if I'd gone to Lidl I wouldn't have met a lady who kindly pointed out an adder to me!!! Strange coincidence was that she used to stay with her cousin at Hollin Bush Farm and I remembered her cousin Maggie Harrison from school days and when Flamingo Land was Flamingo Park Zoo with Cowboy City organised by her dad!!! Only going on for 60 years ago...
Even stranger I met her again as I was on my way down street to see my brother after I'd been home!
August 6th 2025
Up from Kirkbymoorside today. Who else remembers the small orchard with goats near the footpath down Spring Wood - now incorporated into the wood? And does anyone else remember the old Jim O'Rhea Quarry above Spring Wood being used as landfill? And did anyone else think it was called Jam 'er "ere? Then two Howls for the price of one! [***Edit to add that Jim O'Rhea apparently had a very strong Irish accent and spoke his name as Jam 'er 'ere!]
Then back to Hagg Road, down Robin Hoods Howl and and from there back across the fields to Kirkbymoorside but by then my phone was low on power! The stepping logs could be useful when eventually it gets all muddy again! And the tall trees bottom right are coming into the newer part of the wood and mean you're almost there...
August 5th 2025
What turned out to be a 'wood' oriented local walk today as I had a big groceries delivery coming. Up the hills from the Playing Field and through the wood where some of the leaning trees seemed to be leaning a bit more! Then along the now 'corridored' footpath, down the edge of Wawnay Wood and out at the top of Swineherd Lane. Down to Ravenswick for photos of the galloping horses and down to Yoadwath. There I found men with big machines sorting out felled and cleared timber so it could be moved away. Big wagon on the small road but expertly handled* - and turned round down at Yoadwath! Those are big trees being piled up by a JCB and then very cleverly picked up by the wagon/crane driver. He has to grip and manoeuvre each one through overhanging branches and then turn and align it to go on his wagon [*Driver Kieran Wall.] Another mechanical beast in the wood! Deer in the park then sadly it looks as if the planning application for the field above the Sports Field is nearer to being passed.
Out of the wood and along the fenced off corridor to Wawnay Wood where there is one of the biggest oak trees around now fenced off. It really is huge and the footpath used to go up to it and then turn down to Swineherd Lane. It had lots of large rocks that have now gone...
August 2nd 2025
Had today's walk all planned but then it went spectacularly haywire! Got off the bus at Catterbeck but my bag didn't!!! Did something I hadn't done since my teens, but had to act quickly, so thumbed a lift! A lot of cars just waved or ignored me but the young man who came to my rescue is my new hero and I never got his name! Not knowing how far ahead the bus was we kept on the main road and he dropped me at Middleton when we saw people waiting at the bus stop. Told them the story and they thought it hilarious that I more or less commandeered someone to 'follow that bus'!!! Reunited with my bag I then set off to walk home. A teacher at Lady Lumleys once said things happened to me that couldn't happen to anyone else...
The worst bit up and over Wrelton cliff - no footpath but super views from the top. Centre photo is Cliff Farm which I think once housed a youth hostel? Bottom is looking down at Sinnington Station.
July 30th 2025
Up the sloping path in Manor Vale and round by Low Park and the footpath near the old Quarry that took me down to Yoadwath - lots of evidence of old quarrying. More tree-clearing at Yoadwath - probably going to be another bonfire soon. Looks as if the old inn had a cellar of sortsFrom there up to Yan Brow then I walked down the Douthwaite Dale road as far as the first Lodge. Then back part way up the road and up the very overgrown and rough semi footpath up to the bank-top carpark. I was surprised and relieved to see the red car and realise I was almost there as what started out as a path sort of fizzled out!
Pheasants on the way down to Yoadwath. Curious cows with little horns watching me eat brambles. Tiny little fungi. And lovely horsey statues being put in place at Ravenswick.
By then the sun was out and I was totally regretting that decision so just went back home via Yoadwath and Ravenswick!!! Both the BBC and the Met Office said it was going to be cloudy this afternoon so I went without hat, sunglasses and sun cream - should've known better... But it was a case of I've started so I'll finish!!! Have I mentioned that I'm a little obstinate and stubborn? Also feeling a little warm tonight...
July 24th 2025
Up to Gillamoor past High Park (you can still see where the cattlegrid was at High Park) then, after enjoying meeting the ladies doing felting in the old chapel, I took the footpath to the left at Surprise View coming out at the top of Gillamoor Back Lane. Before the hillside had trees Mr Broller's seat would have had a beautiful view...
Then down Fadmoor Bank and across to the bottom of Gillamoor Bank by way of Faddell Rigg. Hate seeing the trapped pheasants... Love the sticker on the Fadmoor bank gradient sign - and that the roadsign is still sending unwary tourists the wrong way...
Next it was down towards Lowna and down the footpath from the little car park. This took me over a little bridge (looking into the really clear water next to the little bridge - the colours are reflections on the surface) and down to the old Quaker burial ground where I found the wooden bench had been damaged and stacked against the wall. I do so hope it was not vandalism. Made myself a little seat for a while with a couple of fallen branches but when they gave way with a loud crack and tipped me off I thought maybe I'd outstayed my welcome!!!
Then it was back up to Gillamoor by the bridlepath off the Gillamoor Mill road and then the footpath through the fields back home by way of High Park. Not the same pheasant trap as in my earlier collage, but either the young pheasants had been collected or liberated as I am sure there were some as I went up to Gillamoor hours earlier. Maybe someone else didn't like seeing them distressed!!! Wild oat among the fields of tame ones!
July 21st 2025
Dodgy thunderstorm forecast today so stayed local - plus I had been to the gym yesterday morning for the same reason... The closed Ryedale Garage looking forlorn.
Keldholme then up to the still dry ford and thanks whoever improved the steps up the riverbank and yes my old washing line is still there!
Work continuing on the still dry lake. Along the track to Yoadwath - flowers fastened to the fence. The ruined building were once a stone wall and gateposts.
Treacle Mansion for sale and views from the top of the hill.
Another view up Douthwaite Dale, Yoadwath and the new Ravenswick including deer in the park. I like to think the mock bricked up door and windows in the centre are a nod to the sad end of the old Ravenswick...
Ripening brambles (ate a few and took some for my brother!) Crab apples and sloes. Coming back down Swineherd Lane and not sure if this old tree took a lightening strike or what but the base is still growing...
July 2nd 2025
Too hot to do anything but stock up at Morrisons yesterday! Strange how much time I spent in the freezer and chilled food areas... But, with showers forecast tomorrow, today I needed a walk! Along Westfields and down the footpath that then swings across to Howkeld Mill through a field of waist-high barley with no marked path so lots of routes across taken by other users. Diagonally down the field the redundant stile acts as a way-marker but must once have been part of a fence. The old well as you enter the barley where the footpath map and the right of way map say you go straight across to Howkeld Mill. The ground has deep cracks and the pond is just green.
Howkeld Mill converted to accommodation still showing some mill machinery but a working fish farm as well. Then up the showfield, not being used this year, so the only activity was baling hay - the bales are huge! I'd gone to Welburn Hall with its lovely bridge but very low river. Along the footpath to the old main road and across to the stone stile. Photos looking both ways along what was once the A170. The footpath then goes through a field definitely occupied by a bull and his ladies.
I started along the riverside path towards the A170 when I realised I'd lost the top tied round my waist!!! So it was back to Howkeld and the dam barley... The terms needle and haystack came to mind, what with no marked path & the barley being waist-high!!! Once through had been more than enough - very scratchy and tiring. Couldn't even tell where I'd walked as each person had made their own way so it was pure chance that I found it. So then I just went home along the main road and down the main entrance to the show (when there is one) and back to Howkeld Mill and the barley where I found my top - and a wild oat!
May 22nd 2025
Up to Gillamoor today then down to the old Quaker burial ground and over the moor to Hutton-le-Hole. After a restorative ice cream up the bank to Yan Brow and back home by Yoadwath where a car appeared to be stuck in the ford! Actually it was stuck - but only because a big blue pipe was blocking his exit! Help arrived and he was soon on his way
April 26th 2025
Out again today! Bus pass to Sinnington, then walked back along the A170 and along a footpath that goes up to Appleton le Moors from near Dawson Wood. A pause for part of my lunch, then I went along the bridlepath that runs from opposite the church, crosses Spaunton Lane and continues across to Spaunton Quarry. Realised it was set up for an off-road motorbike event with blue and white tape and orange triangle direction indicators. Enjoyed the rest of my lunch in peace on a rock in the middle of the largest part of the quarry and made my way towards my planned exit. That's when I began to hear bikes, lots of bikes.... Suffice to say two of my usual exits were crossed by the course but I made it safely out on the third!!!
April 2nd 2025
Bit further today. Up by the guidepost to Fadmoor then across the fields at the top of the village to Aumery Park. Then up Sleightholmedale to the track around the base of Boon Hill. Stoneley Woods very aptly named. Photo of the old school and back up the Bank to Boon Hill Farm and House. Then down Gillamoor Back Lane which has road closed signs at the top and a rather misleading road sign! Then cut across via a footpath coming out near Surprise View. By then my phone was low on power - and so was I...
TO BE CONTINUED