Yorkshire Walks

St. Cuthbert's Church on the hill at Crayke

The coronavirus 'Lockdown' regulations are easing a bit now so my friend across the road, Jim, and I decided to try a local walk of about 6km today, just to add something to my web site after all this time with our activities so restricted. We drove, in separate cars, to Crayke about 4km away and parked on the roadside near the church.

Steps up to St. Cuthbert's Church

Woodland path from the churchyard to the fields

At the end of the church the path dropped down to our right to the edge of the churchyard. We followed the path out of the churchyard and through some woodland. After a few metres the path turned left and we continued through the woodland for about 150m to the open fields with a view northwards towards Oulston and the valley of the River Foss.

We started walking early at about 8.30am to try and avoid the midday heat forecast to be around 26 degrees. We set off along the gravel track in front of the churchyard and turned left up the steps into the churchyard. We walked along the path up to the church entrance and turned right along the path round the side of the church. At the end of the church building we continued along the path as it turned left around the church.

Path through St. Cuthbert's churchyard to the woodland beyond

Woodland path from the churchyard to the fields

Path along the field edge heading towards the road

Path along the field edge heading towards the road

Crayke castle on top of the hill to our left

Following the road away from Crayke

At the road we turned right and walked along the road away from Crayke. After about 500m we came to Chesler-Pit Lane on our left.

At the field edge we turned left and followed a public footpath along the edge of the field for about 250m to the road.

Path along the field edge heading towards the road

Field path heading for the road

Following the road away from Crayke

Turning left off the road onto Chesler-Pit Lane

Following Chesler-Pit Lane

Following Chesler-Pit Lane

We passed Providence Farm & Rookery House on this lane

After about 400m we came to the end of Chesler-Pit Lane where we turned left and walked along an unnamed lane past Providence Farm and Rookery House.

At this junction we turned left and walked along Chesler-Pit Lane. On the left we passed some vehicles parked at the start of an access track to Mount Pleasant Farm.

Passing an access track to Mount Pleasant farm

We turned left at the end of Chesler-Pit Lane

Following the unnamed lane to the junction at its end

We turned right at this junction of the unnamed lane with the road from Crayke to Easingwold

Turning right onto the Crayke-Easingwold road

Following the Crayke-Easingwold road

There is some traffic on this road so we walked along the narrow grass verge for about 260m. Here we turned left onto a narrow lane called Daffy Lane where there was hardly any traffic at all.

After about 700m we came to the junction of the lane with the road from Crayke to Easingwold. At this junction we turned right towards Easingwold.

Following the Crayke-Easingwold road

Nearing our left turning off the Crayke-Easingwold road

Turning left off the Crayke-Easingwold road onto Daffy Lane

The start of Daffy Lane

Walnuts on the roadside verge on Daffy Lane

Poppies in a roadside wheat field

Passing Park House along Daffy Lane

Nearing the end of Daffy Lane

Looking north from Daffy Lane there were pretty views of Crayke on its hill at the edge of the Howardian Hills. We walked for a little over 2km along Daffy Lane to its junction with Crayke Lane.

On the grass verge of the lane we passed several walnut trees with the large green nut cases developing. Looking south from Daffy Lane there was a hazy view across the Vale of York to York itself.

Crayke Lodge on Daffy Lane

Continuing our way along Daffy Lane

Jim waiting for me to catch up

Looking across the fields to Crayke village from Daffy Lane

Cattle grazing next to Daffy Lane

We turned left at the junction of Daffy Lane with Crayke Lane . . .

. . . at once we turned right off Crayke Lane to Mosswood Lane

Following Mosswood Lane towards The Foss Way

We followed Mosswood Lane for about 400m and then turned left onto the route of the Foss Walk.

At this junction we turned left and then immediately right on to Mosswood Lane.

Following Mosswood Lane from the junction

Looking across the wheat fields to Crayke village

Our left turn off Mosswood Land onto the Foss Way path across the fields

Foss Way path across the fields to Crayke

Foss Way path nearing Crayke

Foss Way path across a yard to the road in Crayke

The road towards the Durham Ox in Crayke

We followed the road to the Durham Ox pub on our left. Opposite the pub we turned right and climbed up the road back to our parking spots next to the church. Not an epic walk but a very pleasant little walk through the countryside that took us a little over two hours.

We walked along the route of the Foss Walk across the fields climbing gently up towards Crayke village for about 750m to the road in Crayke. At the road the Foss Walk turns right heading out of Crayke but we turned left.

Foss Way path across the fields to Crayke

The horse wore a mask to protect its head from the flies

We turned left onto the road in Crayke leaving the Foss Way

The road in Crayke from the Durham Ox up to the church

Looking down the road from our parking spots to the Durham Ox at the end of our walk