Blue Man Standing Stone

Late summer is definately the best time to visit this North York Moors monument standing proud on high moorland between Rosedale Abbey and Egton Bridge.

That's because  Blue Man in t' Moss is located smack bang in the middle of White Moor which is just one huge and very wet peat bog.

And any other season but summer is likely to find the bog very wet in deed.

And the peat bog on White Moor will suck the boots from your feet.

So make sure to visit in August or September if you can when the land is dryer.

It makes walking across the moor in the dry a strange and "bouncy" experience.

As the upper layers of peat dry-out, they become very spongey. 

And so with each step, the land itself seems to move up and down in a rolling wave motion.

It's a little disconcerting to know that the water table is lurking just a few inches beneath the dry surface peat.

But I've never heard of anyone getting lost by plunging into the boggy mire beneath. So don't worry on that score!

The Blue Man is said to be the largest pre-historic stone still standing on the North York Moors.

It's also quite easy to find as it stands sentinal beside the path which is used by folks doing the Lyke Wake Walk.

To get to the stone, walk or drive from Rosella Cottage in Rosedale Abbey up Heygate Bank Road and across Hamer Moor towards Egton Bridge.

About 2 km before the road forks - one road heading off down Glaisdale Rigg the other fork going to Egton ("Smiths Lane") - there is a path off the road to the right.

The stone is about a mile along the path to the east.

Keep the pine forest on your left side as you walk in a Easterly direction.

To the north east of the stone is the large ancient burial mound - a "barrow" - called Wheeldale Howe, and also worth a visit.

The Blue Man is well worth a visit in summer; but if you go after a period of wet weather you will get wet!