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Humbleton Hill (Hillfort) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Humbleton Hill</b>Posted by herbwormwood

Humbleton Hill (Hillfort) — Fieldnotes

This is a huge Hillfort, but the actual fort is in very bad condition with rocks strewn all over in no apparent pattern except a rough pink stone ring. Stone has fallen down the hill in parts.
There are two ways of getting up the hill, the steep path, which the guide leaflet recommends as a descent, and a longer route with much less gradient. I recommend the longer route for both ascent and descent, as there is erosion of the hill on the steep route due to a lot of people walking up the steep slope. There are better views on the longer route. It is a fairly good path but a moderate level of fitness is needed as it is uneven in parts and steeper near the summit. It would be unsuitable for anyone with severe mobility impairments. The waymarkers are well positioned and visible to mark the path. A map and guide is available in the Tourist Information Centre at Wooler at which there is an excellent free car park. It is about 4 miles there and back from the car park beside the Tourist Information Centre.
No toilets at this car park but there are some in the 'lower" car park by the Bus Station which is a short walk from the Tourist Information Centre. Ladies note 20 pence may be required to use the toilet. Blokes pee free.
Parking is very limited nearer the hillfort and likely to annoy the locals so please use the car park at the Tourist Information Centre if driving.

Humbleton Hill (Hillfort) — Images

<b>Humbleton Hill</b>Posted by herbwormwood

Standingstones Rigg (Ring Cairn) — Fieldnotes

When we visited this site on February 14th it was impossible for us to get up the track track along the edge of the forest. The forestry commission stony path leading from the Whitby road was ok but the track running parallel to the forest towards the cairn circle has been completely churned up with motor vehicles and was turned into a deep quagmire of thick mud and water, which we could not pass even though we had wellingtons and walking boots on.
If you want to visit this site you may be best to try it from another angle, maybe from the south or west.

Cairnholy (Chambered Cairn) — Fieldnotes

Impressive stones, but spoilt for us by being fenced in and in close proximity to ugly farm buildings and road.

The Twelve Apostles of Hollywood (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

We also could only count 11.
There is a stile to get into the field so you need to be agile. There were sheep with lambs in the field so take care in Spring not to alarm them. Lambs seemed to find stones excellent for climbing practice!
It is near the villages of Holywood and Holywood Station, just off A76 heading north. Not well signposted so look out carefully for it.

Newton Mulgrave Long Barrow — Fieldnotes

We found this site fairly easily with this guide but you can see the barrow marked on the Explorer OL 27 map too. It would be a long walk from Whitby if you were not in a car altho I expect you could get off the Moors bus (phone 0870 6082608) near to the B1266.

Freebrough Hill (Sacred Hill) — Fieldnotes

This hill had intrigued me since driving past it as a wee bairn in the back of the car on route to Cleveland from Yorkshire for regular visits to family in the 70s. Now as an adult I see that it can be seen when standing on Danby Rigg and is lined up with another smaller mound of similar shape in Fryup Dale called Round Hill, and a monument of some sort on the next Rigg. What is very strange is the perspective because the hill seems to get bigger and rounder as you get further away, and when you get up close it seems smaller. Looking at it from Danby Rigg it shows up through a gap between the valleys.

Danby Rigg (Cairn(s)) — Fieldnotes

For those who don't want to use cars, there is a railway station a short walk away (maybe a mile)at Danby. There is also the Moors Bus, phone 0870 6082608. Public toilets in Danby. You can park your car opposite The Fox and Hounds pub which is a little way down the hill from the start of the bridle path. The bridlepath up from Ainthorpe was in terible condition, a mess of deep ruts and loose stones and the sandstone underneath falling away, this path is in dire need of some conservation work on it, and the motorbikes who passed us on the way up to Danby Rigg are not helping. When we got home our eyes were full off gritty dust. Probably a combination of dry weather, periodic heavy rain, walkers, motorbikes, possibly horses too, and the sandy consistency of the soil.
It is a place full of atmosphere and you can hear the sheep and curlews. Many little piles of white grit are here and there beside the path, what are they?
There is a stone chair to rest on and some natural springs past the trig point. Watch out for the bogs and adder snakes on Ainthorpe Rigg. Lots for the naturalist to enjoy too.
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