Pack Horse Trail over Ainthorpe Rigg

Today we've walked from our cottage at Pear Tree House onto Ainthorpe Rigg then to the Moors Centre via Danby Castle Farm and Duck Bridge before returning via Danby and Ainthorpe and Rowantree Farm road. There are several pack horse trails in the area, some of which would have been used for transporting minerals that were mined in the locality. These tracks are frequently marked by standing stones on higher ground. It doesn't take much imagination to envisage the tracks covered in deep snow during winter months and without the marker stones the packhorse teams would have floundered on this stark exposed moorland. Today the tracks seem to be the preserve of motorcross/ scrambler bikers who have scarred the paths and gouged huge trenches for rainwater to erode.

I've struggled with what to post today. I've converted several images to black and white - a strategy that has worked well on this dull and slightly wet day. My favourite images were of the old railway carriage that was looking tired and very `distressed' on the edge of a farm. There are several close-ups that I really like which I'll probably add to another photo gallery. (Has anyone else discovered that their Blipfolio filled up too quickly?)

More photos here >>>