Six walkers (Yvonne, Kath, Brian, James, Richard and me) met up at Marske Bridge on a pleasantly warm (but fortunately not too warm) morning to walk up to the Feldom Ranges and Cordilleras Farm. En route, we stopped on the path high above Telfit Farm to enjoy the view and a drink before climbing gently up towards the increasingly noisy Ranges which were obviously in very active use. When we got to Cordilleras, we found the plantation woodland there full of Ukrainian soldiers (both men and women) taking a break from their firing practice (although plenty of others were still blazing away at the range targets). We waved and smiled at the soldiers and they responded, although probably a bit puzzled as to who were this motley bunch of civilians traipsing through their encampment. After an interesting, but hardly peaceful, stretch of our walk, we gradually left the rattle of small-arms fire behind to reach Dicky Edge where Richard pointed out the site of a Viking age longhouse and explained about the prehistoric burnt-mound saunas discovered at various locations on Feldom Moor. We then descended by the zigzag path towards Marske beck and followed the beck past an old lead level to the packhorse bridge where we stopped for lunch. After an enjoyable rest, we crossed the bridge, walked up to Telfit farm, then followed the path to Helwith. Resisting the lure of the tearoom, we trudged on up the hill onto Skelton Moor, giving us glorious views down into the valley below and the distant North York Moors. From there, there we descended to the metalled road then took the path across the fields to Pillimire Bridge and so back to our starting point.
Frank Broughton