Tour listThe Stang forest is a Forestry Commission plantation of mostly Sitka spruce on a north-facing scarp. This is not as awful as it will sound to many, as the views are excellent and it offers reliable sheltered skiing on good forest tracks. Increasingly, there are more sorts of tree, including an area of Larch and various alders and birch scattered near tracks and rides. The author has skied here every winter for the last several years, and has had at least one really excellent powder day. The continuous forest shown on the OS map has been felled in places and is only newly planted in other areas (this is shown much better on the aerial photos of the millennium map from getmapping.com than on the OS maps). There is parking off the road at 380m with tracks leading off both sides of the road.
The road is steep and often icy on the north (County Durham) side, whilst the south (North Yorkshire) side is easier, but less likely to be ploughed promptly (it is, after all, William Hague's constituency and a staunch Tory council are not going to spend taxpayers' money providing a vital service to road users...)
Coming from the A66, if the road is clear, you can reach more parking at 485m, above the steep hairpins (very hazardous if icy). This may be the safest place to stop if you have come from Arkengarthdale. From here it is easy to reach the bridleway above Hope Edge, and forest rides to the west of the road. There is also parking off the road on the very top, on the open moor, about 500m beyond the cattle grid. From these spots a variety of tours of varying length and difficulty can be reached, suitable for almost any combination of conditions and ability.
All the above tours can be combined in one grand circuit, starting from the 380m parking place. Set out along the forest walk to Waller's Pond, continue and gain the open fell. Climb until the forest can be reentered and head SE on the highest of the forest rides. This is quite heathery, and there are a few deep shakeholes to avoid. Crossing Door Gill can be a little awkward, but should be possible without removing skis. This ride joins the Stang road just opposite the start of the third tour, which can be used to rejoin your car at the lower parking. This loop is about 13km in total, with just under 300m of ascent.
From the very top of the Stang road at 511m, it is a pleasant short tour to the trig point of Hoove, suitable for a day when the snow is obviously not going to last long. Depending on the line taken, crossing the deep gully of Hurr Gill may prove entertaining. It can be outflanked by staying north and only turning SW when the top of the broad ridge is reached. Hoove can also be reached through the Stang forest, past Jinglepot Hole and Elsey Crag by the second tour above. By skiing to the top of the Stang road then round the Black Hill Gate loop, quite a satisfying tour can be made.
Crossing Faggergill Moss towards Sleightholme Moor and a pint in the Tan Hill looks long, unexciting and needing fairly good snow to do it quickly enough - very heathery.
South from the Stang over Booze Moor, a possible route to Hurst (which one would assume would be cut off) might be of interest, but looks very heathery. A circular tour above Fremington Edge, then NE, and eventually back up Moresdale Ridge would be possible (low point 320m).
Tour list