Yorkshire Walks

We started our walk from the car park on Blakey Ridge opposite the road from Church Houses

Path from the car park to the old railway bed

Nearing the old ironstone railway around the head of Rosedale

From the southern end of the car park we followed a path heading eastwards and dropping down to the bed of the old ironstone railway that goes around the head of Rosedale. At the railway we turned left to walk along the old railway bed towards the head of Rosedale.

This morning my friend, Jim, and I drove to the little car park at map ref. SE683 989 on Blakey Ridge opposite the steep road up to Blakey Ridge from Church Houses in Farndale. The local weather forecast for this morning was for a bright sunny spell before more unsettled weather moved in.

Path from the car park to the old railway bed

Looking down into Rosedale from the old railway path

At the railway path we turned left to walk towards the head of Rosedale

Following the railway path towards the head of Rosedale

Start of the path from the railway up to the Lion Inn

The path from the railway up to the Lion Inn

The Lion Inn seen from the path from the railway

There was a nice view looking back down Rosedale in the morning sunshine. We followed the rough path up across the moor for about 300m to the road on Blakey Ridge next to the Lion Inn. At the road we turned right and walk along the road to a point just past the entrance to the Lion Inn. The pub did not open until 12noon but served food all day after that.

After about 300m along the old railway we came to an iron gate across the railway where a farm access track came up from Rosedale and crossed the railway heading up onto Blakey Ridge. We continued along the old railway bed for another 300m. We came to a finger post on the left of the railway indicating a footpath climbing up across the moor to the Lion Inn on the Blakey Ridge road.

Barrier where a farm access track crosses the railway path

The path from the railway up to the Lion Inn

Looking back along Rosedale from the path to the Lion Inn

Walking along the Blakey Ridge road towards the Lion Inn

Passing the Lion Inn heading for the stone marker on the mound to our right of the Inn

Climbing the mound next to the Lion Inn

About to turn left at the corner of the wall

Following the wall on our left down to the old railway path

At the wall corner we turned left walking parallel to the wall on our left, following a path down across the open access moorland to the bed of the old ironstone railway above Farndale.

From the pub entrance we followed a path up to a stone marker on a mound a little way beyond the pub. We walked past the stone marker post to the corner of a dry stone wall.

Next to the stone marker on the mound next to the Lion Inn

Following the wall on our left down to the old railway path

Nearing the old railway path in Farndale

Turning left off the path from the Lion Inn onto the old railway path in Farndale

Following the old ironstone railway path in Farndale

Following the old ironstone railway path in Farndale

Following the old ironstone railway path in Farndale

Turning off the railway path onto the road from Church Houses

At the road from Church Houses in Farndale we turned left and walked the few metres up the road to the junction with the Blakey Ridge road opposite the car park and the end of our walk. The whole route had been about 3km and it had taken me and my wonky knees about two hours to complete the walk.

At the railway we turned left and walked along the old railway bed with good views down Farndale below us on our right. We walked along the old railway bed for about 1.2km past the site of the former railway bridge under the Blakey Ridge road until we reached the road climbing steeply up from Church Houses.

Looking into Farndale from the old railway path

Looking into Farndale from the old railway path

Old railway bridge under the Blakey Ridge Road

Walking up the Church Houses road to the railway bridge

The end of our walk at the car park seen from the site of the old ironstone railway bridge under the Blakey Ridge road