The Industrial Past

The natural purple of the heather moors disguise the Industrial history of the area.

Those with a keen eye and an interest in Industrial archaeology will see that the face of the moors has been scarred by mining. Indeed, the village of Danby developed as a community to exploit the coal deposits that had been discovered. However once higher grade coal was discovered in Durham and man acquired the ability to develop deep mines, the mines of Danby became uneconomical to run which brought about their decline and eventual closure.
Now all that exists are the archaeological remains of the Mining industry which was once a major source of employment in the Esk Valley.

Visitors will also discover the long abandoned remains of processing works, quarries and even tram tracks carved into the rock of the foreshore which were used for horse drawn carts to follow when covered by the tide.

Iron ore was a major factor in the railway coming to the North Yorkshire Moors.
Iron ore was mined on the moors and then transported to the iron works at Rosedale for processing. Alum was quarried in Eskdale and Boulby then transported by sea for use in the tanning industry.
The area still has a healthy mining industry, with Boulby Potash mine running some six miles under the sea and being one of the deepest mines in Europe.

	Heather in bloom