Post 197: 19 September 2017, Lowna Bridge Car Park to Appleton-le-Moors.
We arrived at Lowna Bridge car park at about 8pm and already the sun was out and a fine day was in prospect. We went through our normal start procedure, set our MapMyWalks apps, did a time check, ran through what we might have forgotten (this is an age thing) and had a mint. We the headed along a narrow quiet country lane usely occupied by sheep to our first village en route, Hutton-le-Hole. We were following my North of England Way.
I have always felt you can tell a place by its toilets and Hutton-le-Hole, a well manicured and well kept village highlights this. The toilets are spotlessly clean and exceptionally eco friendly as shown by the various notices inside!
Its great to know you are peeing into a waterless urinal! No splashback!
That there are automatic water-saving taps.
It’s interesting to note that the movement of your private parts are being monitored by a widget.
Welcome to Hutton-le-Hole!
Hutton-le-Hole appears as Hoton in the great Domesday survey of 1085/86, thereafter undergoing several name changes from Hege-Hoton, Hoton under Heg and Newton, to Hutton-in-the-Hole by the 17th century; the present form dates from only the 19th century.
Alongside the strong craft tradition in the area, in particular spinning and weaving, other industries such as tanning and milling, lime-burning, and coal mining have left their marks and two centuries ago the village would have seemed a very different place from the quiet and well-manicured spot admired by visitors today.
However, of most interest is the Ryedale Folk Museum ,which won the 1995 National Heritage Museum of the Year award. The museum, spread over 2½ acres of land, contains a reconstructed hamlet of workshops, thatched cottages and a thatched manor house. There are also barns, mills, a medieval glass kiln, an early photographer’s studio and wagon sheds. The museum has a number of special craft demonstration days each year. The Museum also runs an annual Merrills contest, this is an ancient, skilled board game that has been played regularly in the area and is now, in fact, increasing in popularity.
The village evens explains why it charges for car parking as a form of apology.
As you walk through it on such a fine morning, you are struck by its great beauty.
It was a shame to leave, but we had over 11 miles to walk.
secretwalkscom 