From Bransdale Mill, Hodge Beck descends into Sleightholm Dale before passing through the wooded slopes of Kirkdale, where it is briefly confined within a narrow gorge. Emerging from the trees, the beck slows and spreads, its course widening as it approaches the lower ground near St Gregory’s Church and the historic site of Kirkdale Cave.

At this point, the character of the water changes. The confined flow of the upper valley gives way to a shallower, more open channel, where the beck pools gently around a ford and passes beneath overhanging trees. Light filters through the woodland canopy, softening the scene and reflecting across the surface of the water, while the surrounding banks remain quiet and enclosed.

It is a place of transition, where the movement of the beck eases and the landscape settles, framed by woodland and shaped by both natural processes and long human presence within the North York Moors.

Hiking the Coast to Coast is a digitally enhanced eBook designed to accompany you on your journey along the Coast to Coast path. Available on Apple Books for iPhone, iPad and Mac, the guide includes:
• Mapping with interactive features
• Step-by-step route directions
• Hundreds of colour photographs
• Route conditions in different weather
• Historical and cultural points of interest

Whether you’re planning your trip or already on the trail, it’s a practical and beautifully illustrated resource to carry with you.