The Quakers' Trod

There are many examples of stone trods and pannier tracks all over the North York Moors.

Over nineteen long distance paths are still in existence - and today they make excellent routes for holidaying walkers or MTB riders wanting to explore the high moors around Rosedale.

Ancient Stone Trods make Ideal Modern Paths Across the North York Moors.

Many trods are thought to have been build and used by monks and nuns for their travels from religious houses such as Rosedale Abbey to others monestries some distance away.

Other trods were built for commercial purposes and carried packhorses and their pannier baskets loaded with mining products like alum, farm products, or fish from the Yorkshire coastal harbours.

The purpose of some trods is, however, lost in the mists of time.

My favourite path is the old Quakers' trod that runs from the Quaker cemetary at the top of Castleton High Street, across the moors to Commondale and then onwards to the Quaker meeting house in Guisborough.

Guisborough Priory.

The stone flags were painstakingly laid across the wet, peaty ground providing an ideal walking surface for both man and horse to traverse the moors.

They're the original North Yorkshire "information super highways".