Climbing Hawnby Hill

We visited Hawnby Hill in Upper Ryedale last autumn to see the heather, but didn’t climb it. Last weekend we did.

Here we are at the Moor Gate car park at the start, with the hill behind.

And on the first slope up.

This moth landed on Alice. It might be a Brown Silver-Line, but if so this appears to be a very brown individual. It’s a common moth in bracken at this time of year.

We were hungry, having arrived about lunch time, so had our sandwiches on some limestone blocks surrounded by primroses.

We then continued around the western slopes of the hill below the crags dotted with scree.

Then the sun emerged and made our day a lot warmer.

Primroses.

The girls had fun on the rocks.

The views started opening up.

And as we passed along the crag, it became more impressive.

We then encountered a nice group of Early Purple Orchids.

Looking back at the crag, on the way to Hawnby village. We visted the pub for a quick drink.

Before heading up to the summit of the hill. The views got progressively better.

At last we arrived at the summit cairn

And could look down the crag from on top.

Then there was just a final exhilarating ridge.

Up here was, of all things, a Painted Lady, the first recorded for Yorkshire this year. Finally there was the last slope back to the car park. accompanied by the calls of lapwings, curlews and skylarks.