THE NORTH YORK MOORS - A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay - page 112

The old railway is in its own right, if you like, an ancient monument, a
testament to hard-working men now long forgotten. We shall see it again
soon, circling the head of Rosedale, but when at Blakey Ridge we step off
it, its companionship and aid to a speedy passage are finally gone from
beneath our feet. (A moment's pause and a silent word of gratitude for the
men who, unwittingly, made part of our journey easy and comfortable to
follow, would not go amiss.
The path leading up to the inn comes first to a raised circular mound,
Blakey Howe, an ancient burial mound used in more recent times for
cockfighting. Here, without continuing to the inn, unless staying there
overnight or in search of intermediate refreshment, go left at the mound
to reach the road between Hutton-le-Hole to the south and Castleton and
Westerdale to the north.
Head left along the road, which has ample grassy verges, high above
Rosedale and its river, the Seven. Opposite a large boundary stone on the
left, which has acquired the name Margery Bradley, a path branches right
across the head of Rosedale to meet the Rosedale Abbey road near an un-
gainly white-painted cross, known, for obvious reasons, as Fat Betty. This
is the original line, but is messy and saves little in time. So, just follow the
road, and don't forget to turn right just before reaching Ralph Cross.
MOORLAND CROSSES
Moorland crosses are a prominent and frequent occurrence on the North York Moors.
There are more than 30 named crosses on the moors, probably a larger collection than
anywhere else in Britain. Though many have attracted independent names, they are
nevertheless a symbol of Christ's death, and first appeared on the moors during the
seventh-century growth of Christianity in the region.
In 1974 the prevalence and significance of these moorland crosses was given a meas-
ure of official blessing when one of them, Ralph Cross at the head of Rosedale, and
more or less central to the moors, was used as the emblem of the North York Moors
National Park Authority. By omitting the path between Margery Bradley and Fat Betty,
keeping instead to the road for a while longer, Ralph Cross will be encountered a short
distance beyond the Rosedale Abbey turning, a deviation that will cause no hardship,
and which will be found more acceptable underfoot.
Most of the crosses are now without the cross-piece, being little more than a base
or simple pillar. Used originally to guide travellers across the moors, they are found at
strategic points (that is, medievally strategic), and serve these days to indicate the line
of ancient tracks and cross-moor routes. Anyone interested in studying these crosses
will find Stanhope White's topic Standing Stones and Earthworks of the North York
Moors (1987) of particular interest.