The approximate route is shown by a blue line.
Use your mouse to drag the map to the area of interest and
zoom in/out using the controls on the left hand side of the map.
Please use my map to find the route on your own large scale
walking map such as the OS Explorer series at 1:25000.
If you have time if you do this walk please let me know how you get on.
That would be very helpful to me to keep my information accurate and up to date.
Please note that I provide this free service to you as a fellow walker on the
understanding that you walk
the route entirely at your own risk and that the information is not used for
any commercial purpose.
Map: OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors Western area
General Directions (see markers on the route map)
1.) The walk starts at Moor Gate, map ref. SE 540 917, about 1.5km north of the village of Hawnby, where there is a cattle grid in the road at the start of the open moor and a small parking area off the road on the right. From this parking area follow the moorland track along Sunley Slack heading roughly northwards for about 1.3km to map ref. SE 541 930. Here the track forks. Follow the bridleway along the right hand fork and continue around the walled fields for about 700m to the point where the bridleway bends to the left and a public footpath crosses the bridleway. Keep left here to follow the footpath across a little valley and begin to climb up the moor next to Wetherhouse Beck.
2.) The path passes another group of walled fields and then crosses a track at the ridge of the moor. Continue along the path across the ridge to drop down to the intake wall at map ref. SE 565 940. Go through the gate in the wall and follow the track dropping down the hillside for about 750m to a farm called Malkin Bower at map ref. SE 570 943. At the farm turn left and walk along the road into Fangdale Beck village. Take the first left turning in the village and cross the beck. Once across the beck continue straight ahead to follow a public footpath across the fields out of the village. After about 250m the path bends left and crosses a walled track. Continue along the path past Stone House farm and on, almost to Coniser farm.
3.) At the last field boundary before Coniser farm turn right and follow the public footpath along the field boundaries to Low Mill. The path goes through the yard at Low Mill and out across the access track and bridge over the River Seph to the B1257, the main road along Bilsdale at map ref. SE 572 953. At the main road turn left and walk along the main road for about 150m. Turn right here off the main road to follow a public footpath climbing up through Kirkhill Plantation and then across a large field to pass above High Crossett Farm. Continue along the track across the fields for about 1km to the edge of the open moor at map ref. SE 582 942.
4.) Follow the path generally southwards across the moor for almost 3km to the corner of Roppa Wood at map ref. SE 586 915. Along the way lookout for the remains (bases) of two old stone crosses to the left (east) of the path. At the corner of Roppa Wood cross the stile into the wood and follow the wide stony access track southwards for about 200m. Where the track is bending to the left away from the edge of the wood keep right off the track to follow a footpath along the boundary fence between the wood and the open moor. Continue along this path for about 500m to the south western corner of Roppa Wood, map ref. SE 586 908, at the foot of Rievaulx Bank.
5.) Turn right here and follow the public footpath on the north side of the fence between Rievaulx Bank woodland and Tod Hill moorland. After a little over 1km the path crosses from the moorland into some fields and bends around to the left to follow the edge of Low Wood. At map ref. SE 567 908 south of Oak House, the path forms a 'T'-junction with a bridleway coming from Oak House. Turn left here to follow the bridleway out to the B1257 above Feather Holme Farm.
6.) At the road turn left and walk along the grass verge for about 100m, then just past the farm turn right off the road to follow a public footpath down the side of the farm. Continue along the path through Feather Sike Wood and out into a large field. In this field, at map ref. SE 561 897, turn right and cross the footbridge over the River Seph. Follow the path up the hillside past a small group of farm buildings and then keep left still climbing to map ref. SE 560 900. Here turn right and follow the path for about 600m to a minor road at map ref. SE 558 906. Cross the stile on to the road and turn left to walk along the road for about 25m and then turn right off the road up a short flight of steps up the roadside bank and over the stile to follow a public footpath around the base of Easterside Hill & Pepper Hill for about 1.8km to map ref. SE 550 916 where the path crosses a bridleway.
7.) At this junction at map ref. SE 550 916 turn left and follow the bridleway bending to the left past the ruins of Crow Nest farm. Continue on this bridleway as it bends round to the right to a footbridge over Ladhill Beck at map ref. SE 545 913. Cross the footbridge and follow the footpath up the hillside cross the fields to an access track at map ref. SE 541 917. At the track turn left and follow the track for about 200m back to the car parking area at Moor Gate and the end of this walk.