The Grey Panthers

There are at least two sections of this walk which presented especial difficulty.
The footpath that takes you from Windygill Ridge through Gurtof Wood was very steep and slippery in places. One section, in particular, was badly eroded and descending was quite hazardous.
On Little Moor, cows and horses had ensured that the footpath was ankle deep in mud. In dry weather this may not be a problem, but after wet weather it was very much a problem.
The footpath between Little Moor and boltby Scar also proved to be muddy and slippery.
There are great views from Windygill Ridge and Boltby Scar, and the village of Boltby is charming.
But the above mentioned difficulties with the footpath rather took the edge off this walk.

For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above link.
(Overlay made with Version 5 of Memory Map)

Some new mapping software is now available which you may want to try, - QUO mapping. You can download the software for free from the link below, complete with demonstration maps. Having installed QUO, you can import and export Memory Map overlays. Thus YOU DON'T NEED Memory Map to use any of the overlays provided on the Grey Panthers web site, - just use QUO!!

Park at Sneck Yate (SE50961 87712). The parking area is at the start of a farm track, and it is essential to ensure that room is left for farm vehicles using this track.
Follow the track from Sneck Yate to Steeple Cross.
At Steeple Cross, take the marked bridleway Westwards towards Gallow Hill, then continue on the marked track in a South Westerly direction along Windygill Ridge.
At SE478 888 there is a stone cairn, with the footpath waymarked as leaving the main track and heading in a South Easterly direction.
This footpath heads steeply downhill, and at one point is especially treacherous.
The footpath then levels out and reaches a Forestry track. Cross over this track and follow the footpath through Gortof Wood.
Once again, the footpath becomes difficult. - descending through woodland in what are often quite slippery and steep places. In dry weather this may not be such a problem.
The footpath leaves Gortof Wood to follow a farm track into Boltby.
Turn left in Boltby to walk through the village.
Just past the church, a stone footbridge crosses the Gortof Beck. Turn right at this point and follow the footpath beside the Gortof Beck. Continue Southwards along this footpath until it meets a minor road.
Turn left and continue past Tang Hall Farm, and follow the farm track to Greendale Farm.
At the farm follow the waymarks and finger post to take the footpath that follows the edge of the woodland.
Where a finger post indicates a right turn in the direction of Boltby Scar, follow the footpath uphill until it emerges at Little Moor.
Cross Little Moor in a North Easterly direction. This proved to be exceptionally muddy, the ground having been churned up by both cattle and horses.
Continue uphill, through woodland in a North Easterly direction (further muddy footpaths) until you reach Boltby Scar.
Now head North, following the Cleveland Way footpath past High Barn back to Sneck Yate.
This section of the route is straightforward, following a well made path and offering wonderful views Westwards.