Drove Road, Osmotherley, Coast to Coast
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Drove Road approaching Sheepwash
Drove Road, Scarth Moor, Osmotherley, Coast to Coast
The Old Drove Road, or Drovers Road, is an ancient highway, once reaching between Scotland and the South East of England. Most of it has been built over now, but the section across the North York Moors remains intact, albeit its surface having been re-surfaced with grit or loose stone from time to time.
The most untouched section is that known as High Lane on Pamperdale Moor, Osmotherley. The section starts at Chequers, which used to be a moorside coaching inn that was famous for its turf fire reputed to have been burning continuously for 200 years. It later became a tea room and is now a grade II Listed holiday cottage known as Drover's Cottage. This unmade section finishes at Sheep Wash, where it continues with a tarmac surface along the east of Scarth Wood Moor, concluding the short distance of moorland upon reaching Scarth Nick. Cod Beck Reservoir and the Cod Beck Woodlands are to the west of High Lane, and Pamperdale Ridge is to the east.
Drovers Road Pamperdale
Looking south from the Drovers Road towards the ruins of Solomon's Temple and the re-constructed Chequers, one views the Codbeck Woodland to the east and Pamperdale Ridge to the west. This part of the Drover's road is currently surfaced with gritstone.
High Lane Scarth Wood Moor
Walking north on High Lane, the Drover's Road, opens up a view to the 258m hill on Scarth Wood Moor , and its leeward ascent. The rise contains a line of burial mounds, culminating in a trio on the hilltop.
Pamperdale Ridge
This seciton of the Drove Road runs to the west of Pamperdale Ridge and the the east of Codbeck Reservoir Woodlands. Many Bronze Age and Neolithic artefacts have been discovered in various places along the road. The road was known to have been used by William the Conqueror.
Cod Beck Woodlands
The majority of this section of the ancient highway passes to the east of Cod Beck Woodlands, which occupy a large section of the hillside between the track and Cod Beck Reservoir. This is a conifer woodland surrounded by moorland, and consisting of 264 acres.
Drove Road at Sheepwash
The section of the Drove Road from Solomon's Temple concludes at the Ford known locally as Sheepwash. From here, northwards, the road is sufaced with tarmac. Sheepwash was so named because the drover's would wash their sheep here.
Drovers Road Scarth Nick
Continuing northwards along the Old Drove Road the surface is hereafter laid with tarmac. The road advances from Sheepwash towards Scarth Nick, with Scarth Wood Moor to its west and Whorlton Moor to its east.
Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast
"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.
